Press Release
GM Announces September Vehicle Sales
10/03/96
General Motors Vehicle Sales - September 1996
WARREN, Mich., Oct. 1 -- General Motors
dealers in the United States sold 377,477 passenger cars and trucks in
September 1996, down 2.1 percent versus September 1995. Passenger car
sales in the month decreased 10.0 percent, while sales of light duty
trucks increased 13.0 percent. Sales of GM brands calendar
year-to-date are up .5 percent.
Detroit -- General Motors dealers in the United States today reported
the following vehicle sales.
Month Calendar
to date Year*
Sept. 1-30 Jan. 1-Sept. 30
1996 1995 1996 1995
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Total Vehicles 377,477 401,463 3,707,912 3,690,736
% change per selling day -2.1 0.5
Total Cars 226,740 262,553 2,201,368 2,234,860
% change per selling day -10.0 -1.5
Total Trucks 150,737 138,910 1,506,544 1,455,876
% change per selling day 13.0 3.5
Total Vehicles by Division
Month to date Calendar Year to date
Sept. 1-30 Jan. 1-Sept. 30
1996 1995 1996 1995
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Chevrolet 191,399 190,756 1,984,932 1,862,615
Pontiac 43,782 48,879 422,649 457,518
Oldsmobile 26,871 37,056 256,141 298,716
Buick 37,889 46,069 333,529 357,180
Cadillac 15,631 17,081 125,420 129,656
Saab 2,873 2,282 22,574 20,382
GMC 33,403 33,295 345,522 348,005
Saturn 25,629 26,045 217,145 216,664
Twenty-four selling days for the September 1-30 period this year and
twenty-five for last year.
* = year to year % change is NOT adjusted for selling days.
THE FOLLOWING MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO RONALD L. ZARRELLA, GM VICE
PRESIDENT AND GROUP EXECUTIVE, NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS SALES,
SERVICE AND MARKETING:
General Motors recorded significant growth in several key vehicle
segments during the 1996 model year. GM's position will be further
enhanced by the introduction of more new models during the 1997 model
year than in any year in almost two decades.
Sales of GM's sport utility models, as a group, increased 17% from a
year earlier. GM's position in the full-size sport utility segment was
impressive with substantial sales increases during the 1996 model year
-- Tahoe (+103%), Yukon (+81%), GMC Suburban (+15%) and Chevrolet
Suburban (+4%). In addition, sales of Chevrolet's full-size pickups
were also up for the model year (+2%) despite having tight stocks all
year.
In passenger cars, Pontiac Sunfire and Chevrolet Cavalier turned in
stellar performances -- Sunfire up 87% and Cavalier up 70% -- while
impressive year-to-year gains were achieved by Chevrolet Lumina
(+18%), Geo Metro (+32%) and Chevrolet Corvette (+18%). Overall,
Chevrolet increased its sales by 10% and Saab increased its sales by
7% over the 1995 model year.
We expect even greater gains in several additional segments -- midsize
passenger cars, minivans and luxury -- during the 1997 model year with
the launch of new models.
Midsize models debuting in the coming months -- Pontiac Grand Prix,
Buick Century and Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass and Intrigue and Chevrolet
Malibu -- give GM six all-new entries in this important segment. Three
new minivans that will show up in dealer showrooms in the next three
months -- the front- wheel-drive Chevrolet Venture, Pontiac Trans
Sport and Oldsmobile Silhouette -- have been receiving excellent media
reviews. Cadillac is launching its international luxury model, Catera,
while Buick offers a new Park Avenue and Saturn a new coupe, the
Saturn SC.
The first production electric vehicle -- the GM EV1 -- will establish
GM leadership in another segment when it debuts at Saturn dealerships
in selected markets in California and Arizona.
September 1996 GM US Press Release
(All percentages are on a selling day adjusted basis September 1995 --
25 days, and September 1996 -- 24 days)
GM Truck
* GM truck deliveries in September were up 13% over September 1995.
A. Chevrolet truck sales were up 16% compared to last year.
-- September was a strong month for Chevrolet utility sales. September
sales records were set by Blazer (+66%), Tracker (+36%) and Tahoe
(+21%), Suburban sales were up 6%.
-- S-10 Pickup sales were up 35% over September 1995. C/K Pickup sales
were up 6% over September 1995, despite very tight stocks, and with
continued enthusiastic customer reaction to the extended cab model
with the third door.
B. GMC sales were up 5% over last year. GMC utility performance was
strong, with Suburban (+109%) and Jimmy (+59%) setting September sales
records. Sonoma pickup sales were also up 34%.
C. Oldsmobile truck sales were up 198% over last year, led by
September record sales of the new Bravada.
GM Passenger Car
* GM passenger car sales in September were down 10% compared to
September l995.
D. With sales up l0% for the l996 model year over l995, Chevrolet
September car sales were down 8% compared to last year. Cavalier sales
in September increased 23% over last year, while Metro sales were up
37%, Monte Carlo sales were up 30%, and Lumina sales were up 11%.
E. For Pontiac, Sunfire (+27%), which has had year-over-year sales
increases since its introduction in October 1994, set a September
sales record. Sales of Bonneville were up 2%.
F. Aurora sales were up 13% over last year. Cutlass Supreme also had a
strong month for Oldsmobile, with sales up 28%.
G. Deville, restyled for 1997, posted sales increases of 16%, and
remains the top-selling luxury car.
H. For Buick, Skylark (+17%) and Riviera (+9%) posted sales increases.
I. Saab's sales increased 31% over September 1996, with a 54% increase
in 900 sales. This was Saab's best September sales month since joining
the GM stable.
Awards
II. Several GM models received top ratings in the new J. D. Power
APEAL Study: Cavalier, Sunfire, Saturn SL, Grand Am, Bonneville,
Aurora, Trans Sport, Yukon, Tahoe and Sierra.
III. Chevrolet Tahoe won the Family Circle "Family Car of the Year"
Award and was rated "Best Family Activity Vehicle." The 1997 Grand
Prix was named the Best of What's New by Popular Mechanics.