On the other hand, Nissan is proudly proclaiming that it sold 1,142 units of the Nissan Leaf in May, a huge increase over the 573 sold in April. Overall, Leaf sales have now totaled 2,167 deliveries this year. For comparison, GM has sold 2,184 Volts in 2011. If this trend continues, it won’t be long before we hear Nissan touting a new tagline for the Leaf: the best-selling plug-in car in America. You can see the press releases from both companies after the jump.
So, these numbers give us more fodder for the comment grill. What’s going on with GM’s all-conquering halo car? Is the price too high? Is it just that the true early adopters are more interested in a pure EV than something with a gas engine? What’s your take? Hat tip to lne937s!
[Source: GM, Nissan]
2011-06-01
Chevrolet Cruze retail sales surge 150 percent
Combined GMC Terrain, Chevrolet Equinox retail sales rise 58 percent
Buick and GMC retail sales rise for 20th successive month
Cadillac retail sales up 16th month in a row; Chevrolet’s up for 9th consecutive month
DETROIT – General Motors dealers in the United States reported 221,192 total sales in May, including a 9 percent increase in retail sales compared to May 2010. Retail sales for GM’s brands were again propelled by the company’s lineup of fuel-efficient passenger cars and crossovers. Total sales declined 1 percent on lower fleet volume.
For the month, Chevrolet Cruze had its best retail sales since its launch as Chevrolet dealers reported 18,996 retail deliveries. The GMC Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox, GM’s compact crossovers, saw a combined retail sales increase of 58 percent during the month. Passenger car and crossover retail sales also rose substantially, up 32 percent and 17 percent, respectively.
“Customers continue to demand better fuel economy and our commitment to produce high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles is paying off,” said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations. “We expect that fuel prices will continue to be volatile and we’re prepared to continue meeting the needs of an ever-changing market.”
Compared to last year, May fleet sales were 16 percent lower as rental volumes declined 21 percent. Deliveries to commercial accounts rose 19 percent – the 14th consecutive month of commercial sales gains.
GM’s Newest Vehicles Retail Sales Increase 65 Percent in May
Combined retail sales for vehicles launched since June 2009 – Chevrolet Equinox, Silverado HD, Cruze, Camaro Convertible and Volt; Buick LaCrosse and Regal; GMC Sierra HD and Terrain; and Cadillac SRX, CTS Wagon and CTS Coupe – jumped 65 percent during May and are up 74 percent for 2011.
Passenger Cars
During the month, total sales of GM passenger cars increased 13 percent. Retail sales of passenger cars rose 32 percent on the continuing strength of the Cruze, which was up 150 percent compared to the Chevrolet Cobalt it replaced. Also contributing to the gain were solid retail sales for the Buick Regal and an increase of 28 percent in retail sales for the Cadillac CTS.
“The Cruze, Regal and CTS Coupe are attracting new customers to GM,” Johnson said. “These vehicles are a strong reason why we’re gaining share in key states like California, New York and Florida so far this year.”
Crossovers
Total crossover sales declined 1 percent, while retail sales were up 17 percent compared to last year’s May. GM’s crossover retail sales were the highest ever for the month of May and were driven by a 58-percent increase in combined retail sales for the 32 mile-per-gallon highway rated Equinox and Terrain. Both of GM’s compact crossovers set retail sales records for the month with Equinox retail sales up 62 percent and Terrain’s 48 percent higher than May 2010.
“Customers love the 610-mile range that our compact crossovers provide and they get it without sacrificing capability or style,” Johnson said.
For the year-to-date, retail sales of GM’s crossovers were up 27 percent.
Pickups
Total combined sales of Chevrolet Silverado and Avalanche, and GMC Sierra decreased 14 percent; with retail sales down 17 percent versus a year ago. For the year-to-date, retail sales for GM’s full-size pickups are up 15 percent, while total sales of 212,478 units represent a 13-percent increase compared to the first five months of 2010.
Month-end dealer inventory in the United States stood at about 584,000 units, up about 7,000 units compared to April and about 177,000 higher than May 2010.
Brand Key Facts:
Chevrolet: Chevrolet dealers delivered 161,401 total vehicles in May, a 4-percent decrease compared to May 2010. Retail sales for Chevrolet were up 9 percent, for the ninth straight month of retail sales increases for the brand. Cruze retail sales were 150 percent higher than the Chevrolet Cobalt. Equinox retail sales rose 62 percent (read more).
Buick: Buick reported 15,579 total sales, a 24-percent increase compared to last year. This includes a 18-percent increase in year-over-year retail sales, led by demand for the all-new Regal, which is attracting large numbers of non-GM owners to the brand. May was the 20th consecutive month of year-over-year total and retail sales gains for the brand (read more).
GMC: GMC reported total sales of 32,589, an 8-percent increase compared to the same month last year. Retail sales rose 5 percent for the brand on strong demand for the Terrain (up 48 percent) and the Acadia (up 19 percent). May also marked the 20th consecutive month of year-over-year total and retail sales increases for the brand (read more).
Cadillac: Cadillac reported total sales of 11,623 for May, a 6-percent decrease versus last May, with retail sales increasing 8 percent. May was the 16th consecutive month of year-over-year retail sales gains. CTS retail sales continued to set the pace, rising 28 percent, driven by strong demand for the CTS Coupe (read more).
Fleet sales for GM’s four brands were 70,139 for the month, a 16-percent decrease for the month. Sales to commercial customers increased 19 percent – the 14th consecutive month of commercial fleet sales gains. Fleet accounted for 32 percent of GM total sales during the month – lower than the 37 percent fleet mix in May 2010.
About General Motors – General Motors (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM), one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 202,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 30 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Baojun, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Daewoo, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall, and Wuling. GM’s largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Italy. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.
NISSAN NORTH AMERICA REPORTS MAY SALES
06.01.2011 , FRANKLIN, Tenn.
Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today reported May U.S. sales of 76,148 units versus 83,764 units a year earlier, a decrease of 9.1 percent. Nissan Division sales were down 7.8 percent for the month at 69,759 units. Sales of Infiniti vehicles decreased 21.0 percent from the prior year, to 6,389 units.
For 2011, NNA sales have increased 15.2 percent to 433,032 units. Nissan Division deliveries are up 16.4 percent, while Infiniti sales have increased 5.1 percent, calendar year to date.
NISSAN HIGHLIGHTS
Nissan vehicles posted May sales of 69,759 units, a decrease of 7.8 percent with 75,673 units sold in May 2010.
Altima sedan continued to achieve robust sales, with 25,525 units in May resulting in a 16.3 percent increase over the prior year and second-best May sales ever.
Sales of the Nissan LEAF 100-percent electric vehicle reached 1,142 units in May, for a total of 2,167 deliveries this year.
In 2011, Nissan sales are up 16.4 percent to 392,046 units.
“Brisk demand for the Altima continues, as consumers seek out quality and value in the midsize sedan segment,” said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division. “Consumers also are placing a high value on innovation as evidenced by sales of the Nissan LEAF, the first zero-emission, 100-percent electric vehicle available for the mass market. Sales of the groundbreaking Nissan LEAF achieved a sales milestone of 1,142 units.”
INFINITI HIGHLIGHTS
Infiniti today reported sales of 6,389 units in May, down 21.0 percent versus 8,091 units a year earlier.
The Infiniti QX had sales of 779 units, an increase of 11.0 percent over prior year.
With sales of 2,684 in May, the Infiniti G Sedan has a to-date increase of 12.2 percent versus prior year.
For 2011, Infiniti has delivered 40,986 vehicles, an increase of 5.1 percent over the prior year.
NOTE: To ensure consistency in global sales reporting, Nissan North America calculates monthly variances on a straight-percentage basis, unadjusted for the number of selling days. May 2011 had 24 selling days, while May 2010 had 26 selling days.
About Nissan Americas
In the Americas, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and was recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 and 2011. More information, including photos and video b-roll, on Nissan in North America, the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found at www.nissanusa.com.
About Nissan
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second largest Japanese automotive company by volume, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan and is an integral pillar of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 150,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4 million vehicles in 2010. With a strong commitment to developing exciting and innovative products for all, Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of fuel-efficient and low-emissions vehicles under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. A pioneer in zero emission mobility, Nissan made history with the introduction of the Nissan LEAF, the first affordable, mass-market, pure-electric vehicle and winner of numerous international accolades including the prestigious 2011 European Car of the Year award.
