General Motors sold 9.17m cars and trucks around the world in 2005, up 2% from the 8.99m vehicles sold in 2004, according to final sales figures released on Friday (13 January). This is only the second time the world’s largest automaker – which may soon be toppled from that position by Toyota – has sold more than 9m units in a calendar year.
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“GM had some notable sales successes as we continued to expand in key growth markets around the world in 2005,” GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said in a statement.
“While we tackle the significant challenges in North America, the growth initiatives we have undertaken around the world in recent years are paying off and bode well for the company’s future. Our initiatives to globalise our manufacturing and product development functions, for example, are transforming GM into a stronger, leaner and faster-moving company.”
Sales of GM vehicles exceeded 9m units for the first time since 1978 on strong results in GM’s three regions outside North America. The Asia Pacific region was up 20%, the Latin America, Africa and Middle East region increased 19%, and Europe, which GM said is one of the most competitive markets in the world, posted a 1.1% gain.
In each of the three regions, GM sales outpaced the overall rate of industry growth.
In the Asia Pacific region, sales topped 1m units and GM became the top foreign automaker in China for the first time.
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By GlobalDataIn the LAAM region, GM posted its eighth consecutive year of sales leadership and was top automaker in Latin America for the fifth consecutive year.
In Europe , Cadillac, Corvette, Hummer, Saab and Chevrolet set sales records for their brands.
GM said that the expansion of its four global brands – Chevrolet, Hummer, Saab and Cadillac – is “showing concrete signs of success”.
Global sales of GM’s value brand, Chevrolet, increased 4.4% to 4.37m units, compared with year-ago sales of 4.18m. That growth was fuelled in part by “exceptionally strong consumer acceptance” of the cars in Europe (up 26%; most models in the range are made by GM-Daewoo), and in China, where sales, again of mainly GM-Daewoo sourced models built localy, exceeded 100,000 units.
Chevrolet also performed well in Latin America (there the models are mostly Opel-designed and locally-made) and the United States, both traditionally strong markets – Chevrolet was the top-selling brand in the United States last year though its top car model, the Impala, was only 6th in the passenger car chart.
Further growth globally is expected in 2006 with the introduction of all-new, more fuel-efficient versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs and all-new Chevrolet Silverado and Avalanche pickups in North America, and the launch of the (again GM Daewoo sourced) Chevrolet Captiva crossover this year in Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa.
Hummer sales nearly doubled globally in 2005 (61,000 vs. 31,000), helped by the launch of the midsize H3. While much of this growth was in the United States (up 93%), the brand also expanded significantly in Mexico, Canada and Saudi Arabia. The distinctive SUVs are now sold in 33 national markets around the world.
Further growth is expected outside North America this year with the availability of left-hand-drive H3s from GM’s South Africa assembly plant. Right-hand-drive and diesel models follow in 2007 and 2008.
Saab had its highest sales volume ever in Europe and recorded increases in the United States and Canada. While Saab’s global sales were flat last year, the brand is in the midst of its most aggressive product expansion ever. New products recently added to the lineup include the 9-7X premium midsize SUV in North America (it’s a rebadged locally-built Chevrolet model) and the 9-3 SportCombi five-door wagon in North America and Europe. An updated 9-5 sedan and wagon also will be launched this year.
Saab will soon drop the US-only 9-2 (a rebadged Subaru Impreza wagon) following the sale of GM’s stake in Subaru maker Huji Heavy Industries.
Cadillac posted a 42% increase in sales outside of North America last year, thanks to strong sales in China, the Middle East and Europe. Three new Cadillacs were launched in Europe last year – STS, SRX and Escalade.
The new Cadillac BLS luxury sedan, developed specifically for international markets, will be launched here in March.
Several of GM’s regional brands also experienced notable growth in 2005.
In Europe, Opel and Vauxhall grew share in their respective home markets: Opel’s market share in Germany climbed to more than 10% from 9.9%, moving the brand back up to second place for passenger cars. Vauxhall increased to a 13.1% share of the United Kingdom market, up from 12.6% in 2004.
Saturn sales in the United States and Canada grew by nearly 2%, largely on the popularity of the redesigned 2006 Saturn VUE. Saturn expects significantly stronger sales in 2006 as it launches three key new vehicles that embody the brand’s new, European-influenced design direction: the Aura midsize sedan, the Sky roadster and the Outlook crossover. Saturn will also launch the ‘affordable’ Vue Green Line hybrid SUV.
Although GM Holden sales were slightly lower last year, the brand strengthened its second-place position in Australia as the Commodore remained that country’s best-selling car for the 10th consecutive year – and across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand.
In the previous record sales year of 1978, GM sold 9.55m cars and trucks globally.
GM’s global sales have steadily increased in each of the past three years: 2002 – 8.48m units; 2003 – 8.62m units; 2004 – 8.99m units and 2005 – 9.17m units.
