General Motors reported a 6% drop in July to 201,237 due to the lower demand for pickups and the sluggishness of deliveries to rental car companies. Three GB brands namely Chevrolet, GMC and Buick -- had lower sales than in July 2011. Cadillac’s sales rose by 21% to 13,417 due to the rising demand for the SRX crossover and the XTS large sedan. Because of this matter, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra experienced a drop in sales while the stocks of pickup trucks have started. At the end of July, GM reported sales of 238,165 pickups on dealer lots at the end of July, a 136-day supply. General Motors said that sales of GM’s full-sized pickups have decreased compared to the 2011 levels. Specifically, Silverado sales decreased by 13%, and Sierra sales declined by 12%. Meanwhile, the inventories have been quite full. Alan Batey, GM’s vice president of U.S. sales and service, said that conclusions shouldn’t be drawn since there isn’t any significant impact on its strategy or inventory. He added that this shouldn’t be treated as a “warning signal.” Batey cited the pent-up demand and signs that the housing market is improving. Batey said that pickup sales are expected to be better in the upcoming months. GM had produced more vehicles in order to offset the loss from the closure of its three U.S. truck plants. GM added that its redesigned pickups and SUVs will be introduced next year.
General Motors reported a 6% drop in July to 201,237
by Andrew Christian, Email, 03 Aug, 2012
