Sales | GM Authority

GM Stays Aggressive With Sales Incentives, Offers 0% Financing For March
by Manoli Katakis
Posted March 11th, 2010 at 3:38 pm

GM is offering zero percent financing for sales that occur during the month of March. Interestingly, GM’s announcement comes days after Toyota introduced the same incentive to help alleviate the sales dive experienced by the automaker due to recall afflictions and PR atrocities. When coupled with GM’s exclusive sales incentives for disgruntled Toyota owners, it becomes clear that The General is making a commitment to conquer as much market share (from Toyota and company) as possible.

The zero percent financing move is said to cover roughly 55 percent of all 2010 GM models currently on sale. Moreover, The General is also offering 0 percent financing for 72 months on remaining 2009 model inventory. In total, both incentives cover about 97 percent of what’s left on dealer lots.

Top top it all off, March is also Chevy and GMC truck month, with GM Vice President of U.S. marketing, Susan Docherty, saying “We’re going headstrong into truck month for both Chevrolet and GMC, which is a traditional play that we have normally done during March.”

But not only is March truck, reading, and college basket hoops month, it also marks the end of the first quarter of the year. Both GM and Toyota are most likely striving to capture as many last-minute sales as possible before the quarter comes to a close in an effort to have as strong a bottom line as possible. If GM succeeds, it will pile onto the previous booming months of January and February.

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]

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OnStar Experiences Rapid Growth In China
by Wilson Nunnari
Posted March 9th, 2010 at 9:30 pm

North American drivers (and passengers) have had the pleasure of using OnStar service for the last decade (if not more). But in China, OnStar first became available in December 2009 and – after being on the market for only two months – now has 1,000 subscribers.

Currently, OnStar in China is available in the Buick Enclave and Cadillac SLS (stretched STS). It will be rolled out in select 2011 Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac models in China later this year. The 1000th customer in China added the service to his new Buick Enclave and is “honored to help Shanghai OnStar reach a new milestone.”

Having reached 1000 subscribers in China is a major milestone for GM, helping The General expand its global reach. GM, along with Buick, has acquired a very admirable reputation in the People’s Republic. This is especially true of Buick, which has seen tremendous success as an upscale marque. This success can provide a framework for improving growth and public perception for the brand in the United States.

Here at GM Authority, we’re of the opinion that OnStar is one of GM’s greatest innovations. It has tremendous utility and noteworthy information-gathering ability that can be applied to future product development. And the upcoming smartphone integration is simply amazing. That said, it still has room to grow and improve – similar to growth opportunities for the Buick brand in the United States.

Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd. was established in 2007 as a joint venture between General Motors’ OnStar, SAIC’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Sales Co. Ltd., and Shanghai GM.

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February Sales Mark Another Flourishing Month For GM
by Manoli Katakis
Posted March 8th, 2010 at 10:35 am
Having posted a 12 percent gain for the month of February, General Motors is on a roll.

The General’s total sales for the second month of 2010 came in at 138,849 units. Out of that number, 6,482 units came from the Chevy Camaro, which passed the 75,000 units sold mark, beating the Ford Mustang every month since its reintroduction. Overall, however, American rival Ford tallied an inch higher than The General, nabbing a mere 334 more sales to hold the number one spot in the U.S. for February, with GM being number two. That is unless you’re still counting Hummer, Saturn, Pontiac and Saab, which boosts GM’s bottom line to 141,951 vehicles.

GM’s four core brands – made up of Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and Grabowski Motor Company (there’s a trivia fact for you) – grew a spurting 32 percent compared to last February, with each brand having at least one standout model. Here are a few year-over-year (YOY) highlights compared to outgoing nameplates:
- Chevy Equinox grew 132.8 percent
- Buick LaCrosse is up 163 percent
- Cadillac SRX gained (a staggering) 541.7 percent
- GMC Terrain up 303 percent
This is the seventh month in a row that these four have posted triple digit YOY gains.

From a brand perspective:
- Chevy soared 32.35 percent and moved 99,999 units
- Buick blew up 47.21 percent – more than any other brand and and recorded 9,121 unites
- GMC came in at 20,496 and expanded 26.24 percent
- Cadillac climbed 31.76 percent, recording 9,273 units
This is great news – and with the recent executive shuffle – let’s see how The General’s new marketing and sales structure will affect March and April!

Stay tuned for our By-The-Numbers article later today, where we show you the full model-by-model breakdown of February sales!
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Fifth-Generation Camaro Reaches 100,000 Milestone
by Wilson Nunnari
Posted March 8th, 2010 at 8:00 am

In case you didn’t already know, the Camaro-Mustang rivalry has been (and still is) one of the hottest comparisons of all time. Some people are staunchly Ford/Mustang people while the rest lie faithful to the muscle car wearing the bow tie (you can guess what camp we fall into). But fast forward to the muscle cars of today and it’s plain to see that these vehicles have evolved to be much more than that: they are valid and credible performance choices among today’s automotive landscape.

What’s more, the Camaro-Mustang sales numbers race has been ongoing for years. Ford’s reinvented Mustang beat the Camaro and Challenger to market, but ever since Chevy launched the fifth-generation (2010) Camaro, the bow tie-wielding pony car has been topping the sales charts while leaving the Mustang in its rearview mirror. This is even despite Ford’s thorough refresh of the Mustang the same year the Camaro went into production.

But Ford forgot a little detail, as the powertrains were not a part of that update. Instead, they were put off until the 2011 model year. The Mustang now has a (respected) 5.0L V8 and a 3.7L V6 that makes a full five horsepower more than the Camaro’s 3.6L six-banger. The new V6 in the Mustang is also the most fuel efficient V6 in its class (albeit by a single mile per gallon). So with all those enhancements, the sales race will surely be one worth watching over the next year and beyond.

However, despite the sales race and close competition, the Camaro reached a production milestone this week as a particular Inferno Orange Camaro SS became the 100,000th ‘Maro to be produced. Chevy reached this milestone less than a year after the 2010 Camaro went into production. Plans for Camaro #100,000 are unclear, but if it isn’t kept for the GM Heritage collection, this VIN will certainly be worth something extra to one lucky owner.

As the 2011 Mustang starts production next month, building Camaro #200,000 may take significantly longer to reach (given the increased competition). But you can bet that the GM Authority Team will keep its eye on the sales race and let you know of any important sales and production information as it happens! In the meantime, enjoy the gallery of high-res Camaro pics right after the break!

[Source: Camaro5] (more…)

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GM Announces Major Organizational Changes To North American Operations (With Org Chart)
by Alex Luft
Posted March 3rd, 2010 at 3:49 pm

As expected, GM announced a restructured North American organization with a flurry of key leadership changes across core North American brands, including Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Buick-GMC.

GM North America (GMNA) is moving away from a combined sales and marketing organization to one that “enables the company to engage experts in each respective role.” That’s code for matching more qualified personnel with jobs that require more expertise. GM is adopting a flatter structure where accountability is key.

In a press release, GM North America President Mark Reuss said:

It’s become extremely clear to me since taking this role that there is a better way to structure this organization. The premise of the structure is simple — a clearer marketing focus to sell more vehicles, and freeing our sales and service experts to focus on customers and dealers.

That’s an indirect reference to Susan Docherty, who has been relieved of sales and support responsibilities, but remains in charge of marketing. All changes are effective immediately. Reuss went on to say that:

In order to be successful in North America, we need the right mix of product, people and structure. We’ve worked with a small group of executives to align this model and appoint the best candidates for each job.

GM is placing great emphasis on its hope that these changes will lead to an increased focus on the customer, as it places responsibility directly on the executives in charge. We’ve been hearing reports for some time that CEO Ed Whitacre is a big proponent of placing increased responsibility on more employees.

Click past the break to see the revised organization structure. (more…)

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Rumormill: GM To Reorganize Sales And Marketing Positions
by Alex Luft
Posted March 1st, 2010 at 11:53 am

The rumormill is at it again, this time – however – the topic revolves around GM’s organizational structure. Automotive News reports that GM will shake up its sales and marketing management in the U.S. as early as this week.

The Changes

For starters, Susan Docherty, vice president of sales, support, and marketing, will transfer her sales responsibilities to GM North America President Mark Reuss.

Moreover, GM will shake up its organizational structure of its four core brands by separating sales and marketing functions. In other words, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Buick-GMC will each have a marketing leader that will report to Docherty, as well as a sales boss that will report to Reuss. Currently, the division heads are in charge of both functions.

The Stem

The reorganization stems from CEO Ed Whitacre’s desire to drastically increase sales. Whitacre is also said to be impatient in making sure consumers appreciate the high quality of General Motors vehicles (link).

When Whitacre was appointed interim CEO of The General back in December 2009, he said that Sales and Marketing teams would need to show results quickly. This overhaul appears to be in response to this goal. Since then, Whitacre has become permanent CEO of General Motors.

GM is said to have not yet finalized the divisional marketing and sales assignments. Cadillac chief Bryan Nesbitt was appointed to his position in August 2009 while Chevrolet’s Jim Campbell and Buick-GMC’s Brian Sweeney assumed their positions in December. GM spokesperson Jason Lair declined to comment on the changes. Click past the break for the vaunted GM Authority take.

[Source: Automotive News] (more…)

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GM Blows Away Competition In Latest J.D. Power Customer Service Index Study
by Manoli Katakis
Posted February 25th, 2010 at 4:37 pm

With the proverbial hammer having dropped on Hummer just yesterday, it’s somewhat refreshing to discover that GM’s brands, both “core” and discontinued, have the very best to offer in customer service according to the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Index study.

In the “Mass Market Brands” category, GM dealers beamed with customer satisfaction – taking six out of the top seven spots. Ironically – Hummer took first place with a score of 815. The scores were based on a scale of 1,000. Following Hummer is the now-discontinued Saturn with 808 points. Buick came in third with 805 and Chevy took fourth wit 787. The euthanized Pontiac scored 785 (sixth) while GMC got 783 (seventh). All GM brands rated well above the industry average of 758 while PR afflicted Toyota came in eighteenth with 741 points.

In the Luxury Brand category, Cadillac finished second with a score of 827, following Lexus in the rankings. The average score was 813 for the category. Of note – (now Spyker-owned) Saab fell short of that average with a score of 796, followed by Audi, Porsche, Infiniti, and Volvo.

Experts say that most of the improvements may be attributed to lower foot traffic volumes of dealers, but it’s great to see GM brands doing so well in this nation-wide study. We have the full press release, along with J.D. Power images, right after the jump!

[Source: J.D. Power and Associates] (more…)

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The Arbitration Proclamation: GM Moves Dealer Disputes To Top Priority
by Manoli Katakis
Posted February 19th, 2010 at 2:01 pm

1,160 GM dealers who have filed for arbitration will certainly be delighted to hear that GM North America President Mark Reuss claims to have their franchises restored in two months’ time, well before the June deadline.

The obvious logic, according to Reuss, is that (dealers) “are the most important interface we have with customers.” The cold truth is quiet simple – dealers must give the best service in the business in order to both sell products and retain customers for The General.

Though the news is good, GM has yet to disclose an estimate of the overall cost of the arbitration process for all involved dealers. More as it happens on this very topic at GM Authority’s arbitration proclamation!

[Source: Freep | Image: South Florida Lawyers]

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Vauxhall Extends “Swappage” Program To Three Extra Models
by Alex Luft
Posted February 17th, 2010 at 11:14 am

Vauxhall is capitalizing on the UK’s scrappage scheme – a government-run program similar to that of the US CARS (Cash for Clunkers) program – by expanding the eligible models.

The Vauxhall Insignia, Meriva, and Zafira join the new Astra, Astra Sports Hatch, and Corsa as eligible models for the swappage offer. The Meriva and Zafira are MPVs while the world-class Insignia (aka Buick Regal) has won the Car of the Year award in 2009. Unfortunately, the Meriva in question is not the (awesome) all-new model, but rather the last-generation of the Gamma-based vehicle (available in the gallery after the jump).

Vauxhall introduced its own Swappage scheme February 5 as a play on the UK’s scrappage program. The Vauxhall program applies to new cars ordered or registered before March 31 – the official end date of the UK’s car scrap allowance initiative – and allows buyers to use any seven-year-old UK-registered vehicle with insurance, road tax, and MOT certificate as currency to reduce the cost of any of the six models by at least £3000 (no matter the condition or value of the old product).

In some cases, however, the deal is even better! For example, the Swappage price on a Zafira Life 1.6 (regular retail price £18,670) plunges to merely £12,995 when the buyer has an eligible trade in – a savings of £5,675! Rory Harvey, Vauxhall’s Retail Sales Director said, “There’s never been a better time to buy a new Vauxhall. Better still, buyers can take full advantage of the Swappage programme just in time for the new ‘10’ plate on March 1.”

So if you’re in the United Kingdom and looking for some amazing deals on some of the best cars in the world, here’s your chance!

[Source: European Motor News]

(more…)

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GM Volt: Hey Buddy, The Line Starts Back There!!! Well Not Really…
by Hylton Jorssen
Posted February 16th, 2010 at 4:44 pm

Yesterday, we reported on a recent interview by Chevrolet Brand Director Jim Campbell in which he discussed how Chevrolet will manage the supply-demand pressures of the new Volt when it comes to market. Part of the solution is to roll out the Volt in three initial markets: California, Michigan and Washington, DC (which sounds like a political move more than a marketing one to me). In any event, a staggered introduction to market may indeed help manage the initial demand for the Volt, but what would you say if I told you that the first customers to plunk down a deposit in those initial launch states will not necessarily be the first to drive the car home?

As absurd as this may sound, this is exactly what will happen. You see, behind the roll-out of any model lies a process used by GM called Dealer Allocation. Dealer Allocation is quite simply the number of units of a particular model a dealer will be able to acquire (and thus sell) in a given period of time. This number is usually formulated based on a combination of things. With respect to the Volt, I believe the allocation criteria will be formulated on the three following attributes: overall dealer performance, dealer sales of GM hybrid vehicles, and Toyota Prius sales in the area. (more…)

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The Changes

The Stem