July 2013 Opel Sales Up 11 Percent, Chevrolet Up 33 Percent In Germany
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Car registrations in Germany rose 2% to 253,146 vehicles in July of 2013 according to numbers released by the country’s federal transport authority (KBA) earlier today. Albeit a small increase, the positive results have fueled hopes of a quicker economic recovery in the European region, and possibly a faster recovery for General Motors and its seemingly-eternal-loss-making Opel division: Opel sales rose 11% to 18,691 units, giving the brand a 7.3% market share. Meanwhile, 2,752 Chevrolets were sold in July in Germany, a 33.5% increase, giving the Bow Tie brand a 1.1% market share in the country.
But as an Automotive News report points out, registrations can serve as an imperfect indicator of the overall health of the car market, or the health of an individual brand, since not only can they can lag demand by roughly two to three months, but automakers can also lift their monthly results by registering new cars to themselves.
According to some analysts, Germany’s economic fundamentals, including low unemployment, rising wages and the highest consumer confidence in about six years, provide a solid base for steady growth and economic recovery into the future, with the increase in the automotive sector providing another signal in the overall improvement of the German economy. And according to Frankfurt-based market researcher Dataforce, car sales to private households have increased on an adjusted level for four straight months in the first half of 2013. On a non-adjusted basis, seven-month sales are down 7 percent to 1.76 million units.
Download the full auto sales PDF report for the month of July 2013, for Germany, and in German, here.
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People try to say chevy won’t sell in any markets except north America! I think people are just worried that if chevy buick and Cadillac were given the right product and time
The local favorite brand would not be needed anymore!
You seem really live in your own world! It is the first time after a lot of months that Chevy sales are up! For the full year Chevy sales are down nearly 30% in hole Europe while Opel is gaining market share! Opel sells five times as much cars than Chevy!
Opel is third in market, Chevy is rank 18, even behind Mini!
If you can’t or don’t want to belive that, please look here:
http://bestsellingcarsblog.com/2013/07/17/europe-june-2013-ford-up-7-renault-up-to-3/
Cadillac was introduced to the European market five times in the last 60 years and they failed every time! What is a Buick? Nobody knows what a Buick is. Lincoln and Pontiac are the only American brands which were not sold here but they are better known than Saturn, Mercury or Buick. Most Europeans don´t even know how to pronounce the name maby BOO-IK. Did you forget that most Buicks are just rebagded Opel cars?
“I think people are just worried that if chevy buick and Cadillac were given the right product and time
The local favorite brand would not be needed anymore!” Hahahah the same can be said about Opel. Give Opel the same chance like Chevy or Buick and let them built and sell their cars everywhere in the world as Opels. The Astra could have been sold cheaper in Australlia, but GM fears competition. Buick is a marketing joke and has no brand identity. http://www.carscoops.com/2010/06/gm-plays-up-german-heritage-in-2011.html
@vall: I have to agree with all of your points with one exception: I wouldn’t call Buick a joke! Buick has also a long history and a great heritage and is a very important brand in China! The cooperation between Opel and Buick makes also possible to cut engeneering costs in Germany and also to offer more Opel cars in Europe!
But it is right that Opel hasn’t the same chances like Buick or Chevrolet although it has a great potential!
Numbers tell the story but remember opel needs gm way more than gm needs opel!
Gm can survive without opel, opels doors wouid be closed already without gm
Perhaps you forget that nearly ALL small and midsize Chevys are based on Opel developement not the other way around!
Yes Opel would perhaps close doors without GM but only because GM prevented Opel to become a global brand that could survive alone or would at least be attractive enough to find new partners and not because Opel is dependent of GM technology!
In 2009 when GM wanted to sell Opel, there were a lot of possible partner or new owners knocking on the door who understood what Opel is worth and who wanted to make Opel a global brand…
I found this German article about six months ago:
http://www.automobil-produktion.de/2012/11/opel-profitiert-deutlich-von-europa-erholung/
It is a study by “IHS Automotive” that tells that in case of a recovery of the European car market (which is expected to begin in 2016) Opel sales will profit much more than the ones of Chevrolet!
So the gap between Opel and Chevrolet is not only huge currently but it’s expected even to increase in the future!
So the question is: Are GM’s massive investments for pushing Chevrolet really justified? Or wouldn’t it better to invest in Opel which is still established and which has a greater potential?
I think that GM should not have introduced Chevy to Europe. The only vehicle, that I think would do well in Europe is the ATS. The Caddy could be rebadged as an Opel… Opel Cadillac… Nice ring to it.
It would definitely shake up BMW.
Well, could GM have avoided to “introduce Chevy to Europe”?
The facts are:
1. The Korean car manufacturer Daewoo was present in Europe already for many many years.
2. GM has gradually taken control of Daewoo Motors and owns now slightly more than 70% of the company. The name evolved from “Daewoo Motors” via “GM DAT” = “GM Daewoo Automobiles and Technology” to now “GM Korea” eliminating the name Daewoo from the company.
So what did GM finally do? They announced that all Daewoos exported to Europe would carry the Chevrolet brand from January 1st, 2004 on. That was the “introduction of Chevy to Europe”. The Daewoo dealers would become Chevrolet dealers over night, without being involved in that decision.
Maybe you would have preferred if GM would relabel all the Daewoos as Opel? Sell GM’s share in Daewoo Motors to, say VW or Suzuki, or Toyata?
Let us know, please.
On what planet do you live? If GM does not need Opel, why didn´t they sold the company to Magna? Do you know why, because they are dependent on German engineering! GM needs more Opel than the other way around! GM says Opel is making losses more than a decade, but why are they still keeping the brand?? To me they lie or otherwise they have to be stupid.
I am tired of hearing about Opel loosing money because it is only true on paper. If Opel were actually paid byBuick for Regal, a host of other cars and an array of platforms, the company would be in the black.
GM needs to merge Opel and Buick and create a global brand already. Also, since all US made cars seembto be Euro based, Chevy should be sharing in the cost of platform development.
Clearly all the divisions are GM but Opel getting financial credit will aid the brand and quell inveators
All GM’s company’s need each other & should understand individual markets, one size dose not fit all & never will. Why would GM get rid of established marques with sales ensuring they are No1 in the world to risk being insignificant both regionally & globally
These numbers are just feel good number. They are positives but when you sales are down it is easy to gain 18 and 33 percent.
Now if GM has increased percentages like this over a year or two then we may be talking.
the numbers that matter is profits. GM can sell more cars and if they are not making money these percentages mean little.
With new models coming I expect to see more long term gains and growth in this market with both. This should return better profits.
What gm did to daewood is what they need to do for opel vauxhall holden! Just do it one at a time one region at a time and soon chevy buick and Cadillac will be a truly global brand!
If you don’t think gm wants this to happen in the future then you can’t read between the lines
How about this GM should stop rebadging Opel cars as Buicks and replace the Buick brand in North America and China with Opel.
To put percentages in perspective: the increase in sales of Opel from July ’12 to July ’13 amounts to approx. 1.827 units, which is two thirds of the overall sales volume of the Chevrolet brand in July ’13 of 2.752 units.
Sales of VW branded cars dropped by 21.9% from July ’12 to July ’13, or roughly 15.570 units, which comes near to Opel’s full month sales in July ’13 of 18.591 units.
Still meaningless and it makes the numbers look all that smaller.
What was the profits increase? I know you do not have this figure but at the end of the quarter GM will post it and if it positive then we dance.
For a mainstream brand like Opel, numbers are not meaningless! Concerning profit increase: In Q2 Opel reduced its losses by 3/4 compared to Q2 2012.
That is a start now turn a negative into a positive and then things will get better.
You can sell all the cars you like but no profits you will not be around long.
GM sold Millions of cars here in the states for years some models out sold all of Opel but they still lost money and went bankrupt.
The bottom line is Opel will have to find a way to be profitable or changes and some not bery nive ones will occur.
GM and Opel are a business and the basic principal is you make a profit and survive or you lose money and die. The market is very difficult and challenging today and companies need to learn and remain profitable first and then grow market share while remaining profitable.
If they continue to lose money how long do you think GM would continue to pump money in and see it lost with out changes?
They cut Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile, Hummer etc. and Opel could be sold, cut or modified very easy. The upscale approach is going to be tried and I hope it works. Opel is fast becoming like Buick only alive due to China and the needs there. If it were not for China Buick and Opel both may not have survived.
You are absolutely right that profit is much more important than the numbers! Opel has still began to cut costs and currently it seems with sucess! But you can’t completely seperate both! They have to go on cutting costs AND increase sales, than they have a very good chance to make money by 2016!
The key will be going more upscale.
Luxury cars make 60 plus percent of the profits of the car lines. They are the pickup trucks of the automotive markets. They generally only have a increase in cost with the components but the mark up is even greater than the investment. Then the shared engines and platforms writer off the development cost even faster. This is where GM has a great advantage.
Also of late the development buy Cadillac has also benefited cars like the Impala and the coming Camaro as they will be better refined and be bless with things they would never have gotten if they were just a Chevy project.
I fully would never turn away an increase in sales but the percentage of sales and the numbers it translates to are very small in the real world in this case. It is easy to turn a 33% increase coming off a bad year when the volume of cars is this small.
Now if we were speaking of Pick up trucks and a 33% increase of 1.5 Million vehicles that would be very impressive. Hell 3% of that number is impressive.
We still discussed this in another thread: According to the new Opel CEO K. T. Neumann, Opel will NOT move upscale. Opel will stay a mainstream brand! Opel is far away of having the image to compete with BMW or Mercedes at least in Western Europe. People would never buy an Opel for the same price as an Audi for example. Unfortunately this is the reality! This can perhaps change in the very long run but the next generations of Opel cars will stay “in the center of the society” as Neumann said!
In my opinion moving Opel upscale does mean that Opel will offer premium LOOKING and stunning cars like the Cascada or the Monza! It’s about revising Opel’s image.
I mean upscale a little more than they are now. They will pretty much drop the entry level to Chevy an focus more the where some of their cars are to a little higher in the likes of the better VW model.
They are taking that low up market segment just as Buick is with the same cars. This is not BMW and Benz territory. Upper VW, lower Audi and a mix of Volvo, Saab, Lexus, Accura/Honda others in this mid ground segment.
Opel will move away from any entry level. Even cars like the Adam and other similar will not be cheap base models and will offer more at a little higher price.
The like Buick they will not be expected to sell in great numbers but will be expect to pull more profit per unit.
Chevy will be the volume car for the masses. Some Opel models are there and others will move up with the Buick models as they will improve in content, quality and refinement.
Let me make this clear. I am not saying Opels are bad cars now as they are very good. But I do expect them to improve in all areas in the coming models as will all the shared Buicks.
You have to remember Cadillac it the one that will in time to return to Europe to challenge the BMW and Benz as they do else where. They are moving up in price as you will see with the coming CTS. This leave a no mans land in between them and Chevy. This is where Buick ands Opel depending on the market will be charged to fill. Opel and Buick are on the low end of this segment and will better fill the entire segment with the new models. I hope this is clear what I am saying.
In other words so not expect them to use it as the Reasonably priced car in the future on Top Gear. It will be the moderately priced car if anything.
I expect the new cars to ride and drive better and to be much more quieter. The level of interior options quality feel will be greater and the cars will be in a wider range of models. There will be a few models to one segment not shared but few.
I am hoping more of the OPC line this time will be shared with Buick.
I also expect them to offer more AWD models in the future here too.
So given that opel will cost more and chevys will be cheaper wont they be easier to sell? And if that’s the case then at some point in the future chevy will out sell opel just like chevy out sells buick in the states!
GM would like Chevy to easily out sell Opel at some point but that is years off. Like I said this is a marathon and Chevy has to build its market.
But given that Chevy is the Global Value leader and they make profits with higher volume cheaper cars so yes they need to sell more cars.
Opel can focus on being more driven to quality and or performance and take the people to the next level in cars.
Then if Cadillac can finally find its market in Europe it will give people a place to move up from Opel.
The new GM model it three levels in most markets and one or two in others. Each brand will be more focused and tailored to each. GM no longer needs 5-6 brands to do the work 2-3 can easily do. Now they may have more names but the models will all be narrowed down to 3 segments.
Too much equity in names to call Buick an Opel or an Opel a Buick in their markets where they do best. Same for the Holden and not calling it a Chevy.
But for Holden there has been a debate to when the Camaro goes to Australia will it be a Holden Camaro or Chevy Camaro. From one GM speaker he stated it would remain a Chevy. This may be part of the tie in with Holden speaking of the Chevy SS in the commercials of late.
It may be interesting to see how this works. Many Austrailians love Chevy and import many. I have many customers with American Chevelles and Camaros and love the Chevy brand.
No wonder! The Chevrolet Trax is a newest vehicle in the Chevy lineup but the real challange is to maintain or expand the sales. The Opel Adam is selling like hotcakes in Europe, but how are the sales figures in two or three years? Volkswagen sells a 10 year old compact MPV named the Touran, which is still the class leader in its class in Europe.
The problem gm runs into is the euro govt when it comes to cutting or removing jobs from europe!
Gm has nothing to fear when it comes to competition from with in it’s own ranks!
There was a time when china had no idea what buick is or was and look at them now! Buick is the sells leader along with gm in China!
This also happened in Korea India and South America!
So your idea that a region that doesn’t know a product will never by it is absurd!
All these reports have you hoping that these changes work and gm starts turning a profit in your region, cuz if in 5 years gm is still losing billions then your beloved local name plates will canned!
Do you think your better than other people around the world that have no problem buying chevys buicks and Cadillac s? If so then you better start supporting these name plates you love so much or they might just disappear!
And last thing, how can gm make opel dealerships sell chevys buicks and Cadillac s? That’s easy gm tells each dealership either you except and sell these new chevys or we will not give any updates to your beloved opels and watch them just sit on the lots while people flock to the new chevys being sold across the street!
Remember all this has happened before in other countries around the world you think your country will be any different?
When did china not love Buick?
In 1930 1 car out of 6 was a Buick.
Incase you have forgot we have Chevy here, they are competing if that’s the right word with other rivals as are our local brands with over many years of experience & marketing knowledge. These brands you’d like to disappear have many loyal customers built up over many years of being happy with the products it makes. Please don’t disrespect our marques & country’s we have as much pride in them as you have in yours.
“So your idea that a region that doesn’t know a product will never by it is absurd!” I didn´t say or think that.
“And last thing, how can gm make opel dealerships sell chevys buicks and Cadillac s? That’s easy gm tells each dealership either you except and sell these new chevys or we will not give any updates to your beloved opels and watch them just sit on the lots while people flock to the new chevys being sold across the street!” I see more Dacias, KIAs and Hyundais on the streets thans Chevys. If I want to buy a budget brand then I take a new Skoda, where I can expect a professional appearance and a good car. So you admit that GM can build on its success only if they kill Opel. How pathetic is that. In India GM made a discount promotion for Opel customers to replace their car with a new Chevrolet some years ago.
“Do you think your better than other people around the world that have no problem buying chevys buicks and Cadillac s? If so then you better start supporting these name plates you love so much or they might just disappear!” Koreans bought Daewoos and GM has replaced the brand. I could buy 1,000,000 cars and it would not change anything. GM wants to see Chevrolet everywhere not matter what happens and go for it in their own company over corpses in this case Opel, Vauxhall,…. The German brands Audi, MB, Porsche and BMW rule the luxury segment worldwide with over 50%. Mercedes-Benz could sell its cars at the end of the world and they will find customers who buys them. Is there any luxury segment where American cars are strong in the world? The Germans sell even in the U.S. more luxury cars than local American brands (Cadillac or Lincoln). Cadillac sells most of its cars in the US thanks to patriotic buyers and nothing else.
“This also happened in Korea India and South America!” You forgot to mention that GM already had an established business strucure in India and Korea and they had nothing to do than to replace the former brands with Chevrolet. GM would otherwise never sell around 100,000 units in Korea.
It’s funny cuz the truth hurts! Adding chevy sells to chevys sheet by replacing opel vauxhall and holdens only helps gm in the long run when they put those numbers against ford toy!
The writing is on the wall you just can’t see it!
Good boy! Good boy! Just be aware: you are no longer in Kansas, and your name is not even Alice.
And the world doesn’t stand still at your will.
What we need is a list of sales figures or a graph showing Daewoo v Chevy European sales over the years, this would indicate wether sales are in decline, stagnant or on the rise. My gut feeling is that they are stagnant at around 12,000 a year in the UK, Suzuki here sells around double that. As a good indicator of like for like cars the Volt sales are just in double figures whilst Ampera sales are almost into four figures.
At the German KBA, the numbers for new car registrations are available for download back to 2005. Interesting would be going back further to 1990.
Another interesting figure is the actual stock of registered cars, and how this stock is moving, increasing or decreasing.
At the beginning of this year 2013, KBA registered 43.431.121 passenger cars, out of which 9.276.012 or 21.4% were VW branded. Opel cars come second place with 5.050.495 cars, 11.6% of the total. 3rd are Mercedes with 4.042.316 units, or 9.3% of the total. VW and Mercedes show increases of slightly over 1%, and Opel a decrease of 2.9% compared to the New Years day 2012.
Then come three brands with a stock around 3 million: Ford with 3.38 million, BMW with 2.87 and Audi with 2.82 million registered passenger cars. Renault, Toyota, Fiat, Skoda and Peugeot can count more than a million.
The fastest growing is Dacia (+20.5%) , followed by Hyundai (12.4%) and Mini (11.8%). Daewoo/Chevrolet was growing by 7.5%, from a low basis of 230.432 units at 2012-01-01, but part of this increase might result be rebooking the US Chevrolets no longer as “GM”, but together with the Daewoo-Chevrolets. This might also be the cause for the sharpest decline of all brands in that year, GM by 28.4% from 37.080 to 26.538 units. I can’t believe that these are all scrappages and 2nd hand exports.
Gm is saying good by to opel in Australia Germany England might be next
Yes they did not sell in Australia. Hopefully GM did not lose too much money in a futile exercise to please Opel.
Maybe this move is the correction of the error of introducing the Daewoo-cars into Australia as rebadged Holden instead of as rebadged Chevrolet, as they did in Europe and all other parts of the world.
Before, most Holden cars were based on Opel developments. The Holden Commodore, for example, started from the basis of the Opel Commodore, so I was told.
It would have been easier to introduce Chevrolet as a second brand on the side of Holden instead of Opel.
So maybe the abrupt end of sales of Opels under their own name in Australia signifies the inclusion of Holden in the “hybrid global brand”, expanding the brand trio Opel, Vauxhall and Buick to a quartet.
The Australian case might make you realize, Mr. Ritter, that it is not such an easy cake to introduce a new automobile brand, as you imagine in your flamboyant fantasies.
“England might be next” – Perhaps you could help me here, in this surreal environment called “Ritterworld” can you explain how getting rid of Vauxhall (sales to June this year 132,640 & 11.4% market share with sales up 14.4%) and replacing it with Chevrolet (sales to June 6,764 & 0.58% market share with sales down 23.23%) is going to help General Motors? Sorry I am not good with “Ritternomics”. Thanks ever so much
Do you think the numbers for chevy will stay the same if vauxhall and opel we’re not present in England and europe? If people in Europe will buy ford cars then they will buy chevys too!
Opel and vauxhall sell many more cars at the moment and they are bleeding money, so if vauxhall and opel move up market and cost more then thier sales numbers are going to go down which will leave more people to buy cheaper priced chevys!
You people in Europe pat yourself on the back and say your a vauxhall and opel die hard fan, then why did you let gm buy your beloved company?
Gm has control of the company and you complain how they run it, you had a chance to run your local company and you couldn’t so you begged gm to help just like what’s going on at psa right now!
You want your beloved vauxhall opel and holded to be run as separate companies without gm telling them what to do all the while making gm pay the millions and billions in loses every year! That’s like saying the child tells the parent what the rules in the house are going to be!
It’s sad you think you should get the right to choose what cars you get and where they come from, you as a local gave up that right when you didn’t support your local company many years ago and allowed gm to take control of the company you say you love so much!
You want to make all the calls and not have to be responsible when loses have to be posted!
I hear it all the time, it’s not our fault gm owns us! If gm wasn’t covering the billions you lose every year vauxhall opel and holden would be in business anymore! So maybe a thank you should be given to gm instead of bashing them every chance you get!
“Do you think the numbers for chevy will stay the same if vauxhall and opel we’re not present in England and europe?”
Yes they wouldn’t change much! As some other writers still said: people would buy Hyundai, Kia and Skoda because these cars are better in terms of quality and design!
“If people in Europe will buy ford cars then they will buy chevys too!”
Do you really compare Ford with Chevrolet??? Again, Chevys in Europe are seen as low cost value cars. Some would call them ‘crap’. Ford is a quality mainstream brand with cars mainly designed and built in and for Europe. So Ford Europe is seen as a European, in Germany even as a German car maker!! Ford is much more upscale than Chevy in Europe (Can’t see why you don’t understand this!?) Chevy is competing with Dacia and even this without success! Ford is second in Europe, Opel is third! Chevrolet will never reach that rank in Europe, NEVER!
Concerning GM: GM made a lot of mistakes in the past 30 years in Europe which are the reason for the current problems! Opel/Vauxhall are in trouble mainly because of quality problems in the 80’s and early 90’s caused by a GM manager (Lopez) who desperately wanted to cut costs. Before that, Opel was competing with Mercedes and BMW, now Opel is competing with Ford, VW …!!! Over the last decades there were a lot of tries by Opel to become a global brand. All these efforts were finished by GM. Without that Opel wouldn’t burn money! Think of that!
Brian Ritter asks:
“Do you think the numbers for chevy will stay the same if vauxhall and opel we’re not present in England and europe?”
Yes. Besides the huge conflict to overcome for simply declaring bankriuptcy of GM’s main business in Europe and the very very low probability of such a sudden demise of Opel/Vauxhall, sure, the sales figures for Chevrolet would stay more or less the same, Why would anybody looking for a new car just single out Chevrolet? There are many other brands much more successful than Chevrolet, VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Skoda, Peugeot, Renault, Ford, Toyota, Fiat, Hyundai and Kia and many others.
At best, Chevrolet would get its proportional part of the former Opel sales based on the market share. Chevrolet had a market share of 0.9% in the first half of 2013 in Germany, so it would be able to reap 0.9% of the 105.587 new car registrations of Opel in that half year, i.e. 950 cars added to the 13.349 Chevrolet new car registrations in that period.
More probable is that Chevrolet sales would plunge to near zero because of the political effects of such a gross act of economic war by GM against the working people here.
Brian Ritter asks “why did you let gm buy your beloved company” — well apart from the fact that I do not love any company, this sale has happened in 1925 (Vauxhall) and 1929 (Opel), so looooong time ago before any of those people voicing their opinions on this forum have come to life, and long time before the automobile became a mass phenomenon in Europe.
Brian Ritter asks: “You want your beloved vauxhall opel and holded to be run as separate companies without gm telling them what to do all the while making gm pay the millions and billions in loses every year! That’s like saying the child tells the parent what the rules in the house are going to be!”
Well, Adam Opel AG is a separate company, registered at the Darmstadt judiciary as a public stock company according to German law. As such, it has to do its own bookkeeping, public reports, pay taxes etc, all according to the low of the land.
As to the “millions and billions” which you imagine GM to pay every year, I may want to draw your attention to other US corporations who recently were cause of scandals because, while they were conducting successfull businesses in Europe, they declared no profits there and arranged the flow of “management fees” and “service charges”, “licences” etc etc to pay to their parent company in the USA in such a way that they did not pay taxes at all, nowhere. So before I can scrutinize the Opel bookkeeping myself, I refuse to simply accept all those claims about losses as the eternal truth.
As to the “child [telling] the parent what the rules in the house are going to be”, may I remind you that the Opel CEO sits on the GM Executive Committee; he had demand such a position as a precondition for signing the contract to serve as Opel’s CEO.
So, reality is much more complex than you imagine.
Excuse me please for saying that I got the impression that you have no clue of what you are talking about.
The only clue I need is to look around the world at how gm has put chevy band Cadillac and those brands have flourished since!
So you think because a car is made or designed in another region not Europe that it’s low quality or bad design?
This is where you lose your respect, if this is the case then tell me why the cruze sonic and spark are selling so well in the states? (That’s the USA for you lesser countries) These cars were not designed or began production in north America but they are flying off the lots here! Which goes to show you cars can be built and designed from different parts of the world and still sell in your sensitive area of the world!
What do you think the people of Europe and a Australia have the privilege of buying only cars that are made and designed in your area? You do realize that we live in a global world now days!
So given your thought process if chevy buick and Cadillac desinged and built cars for the European market within Europe’s boarders then those cars would then be on par with ford?
Then there’s GM’s answer, built chevys buicks and Cadillacs in europe and Australia give them euro touches to make them happy if that’s even possible and then you will have nothing to complain about!
If what you say is the truth, your prople don’t buy certain cars cuz they are not built and or designed for the euro market! Then what will be your excuse now not to buy a chevy buick or Cadillac?
See you act as if people in Europe and Australia are smarter then other people around the world and in all reality you as a region are trying to valid the fact that your still a major power in this world but that is just not the case anymore the usa changed than about 400 years ago! The people of europe are trying to hold on to there last bit of pride they have
Sigh! If only 10% of life would be so easy as you think, dear Brian Ritter, the world would be paradise.
Life is only complicated cuz people try to please everybody and you just cant do that
“(That’s the USA for you lesser countries)”
Oh, should I be as rude, or should I let him keep digging his own grave?
Ritter’s jingoism is wearing thin. He can’t really hide it either.
Vauxhall opel holden wouldn’t be in business anymore! Sorry type o !
GM started off with Buick, Oakland, Oldsmobile & Cadillac in attempt to be of similar size as Ford, later came Chevrolet to the group. Chevrolet tried to sell here in England but couldn’t gain a foothold (7 times they’ve tried over the years) hence in 1925 they purchased their first overseas company Vauxhall. Opel & Bedford came in 1931 with Holden 1948. This gave GM what they required to achieve the sales numbers they wanted.
That’s a nice history lesson I do find it funny that the people of europe and Australia tend to refer back on history when it benefits there cause but they never bring up the fact that if it wasn’t for the good ol usa your region’s would be under the rule of a more evil country! Any of you remember WWI WWII ? Or the cold war that had europe in fear for decades, or the wall between east and west Germany?
See not only should you not be bashing the American company that owns your local opel vauxhall and holdens you should be thanking them everyday along with every American that has given you the chance to live where you do today cuz without the usa your regions would of been speaking german or Japan!
The fact is you don’t like us Americans because we are better people, a better nation, and without us your country would not exist anymore!
So maybe a little respect should be given, cuz we have done more than our part to deserve it! When’s the last time you saved the usa’s back side?
Yea never!
“The fact is you don’t like us Americans because we are better people, a better nation, and without us your country would not exist anymore!”
There is nothing enviable of an American theocracy…or its jingoism.
Really go ask your grandpa or someone that grew up in europe during ww 2
I see it now – in “Ritterworld” all Germans are Nazis, Australians are all criminals and England won world war 1 AND 2 thanks to your country hmmmmm but what about all those Commie bastards in Russia building Chevrolets for your GM? The trouble with stereotypes…………….oh never mind!!
The us never had to save Russia s butt or come to their rescue, they took care of their home land unlike England france and Germany Italy Australia ect!
Yes those wars were won because of the usa, face it the US doesn’t get into the war all of europe falls to Germany! This is how you thank all those dead soldiers who made it possible for you to be alive today in your place you call a country cuz you wouldn’t have it other wise!
Keep bashing Americans maybe next time we won’t rush over to save you again!
“Really go ask your grandpa or someone that grew up in europe during ww2”
Not even that. I just have to see how you behave in your church. I’ll bet mirrors your behaviour on GMA.
When’s the last time you saved the usa s back side? Yea never! How many times have you come crawling to the USA begging for our help with the big evil man next door? To many to mention!
Like I said better people better country!
“When’s the last time you saved the usa s back side?”
Something about a war where the yanks couldn’t win…
“How many times have you come crawling to the USA begging for our help with the big evil man next door?”
Never, actually. We’ve not made our public image that of a oil-hungry, war-mongering theocrats.
I still don’t think you’re any better, but I don’t think for a second that you speak for all of America.
Europe has never asked the US to help them when they were attacked by a near by country?
We’ve had world wars over this issue!
As for the rest of the American s they all think just like me we hate that you dont respect and thank the usa for saving your butts in wars and conflicts!
I really think that GM should focus on what works, and which markets are more appropriate for the particular brand.
e.g, GM should have never rebadged old Daewoos as Chevys. That was a very dumb move. It destroyed Chevys credibility right from the start.
Solution: Where certain GM brands ( Opel, Vauxhall and holden are already established in their respective markets, all GM have to do is to improve these products ( reliability, attractiveness, fuel efficiency, performance and technilogical innovation and advancement) to increase market share.
Solution: 2 GM should continue platform sharing, so that where these other GM brands are not sold, e.g India, South and Central America and Russia, GM can improve Chevys image by offering highly competitive products brand as Chevys. Hence, Chevys global market share would increase by offering good quality products in these highly populated countries.
Solution: 3 GM should try and enter these said market with true Chevys such as the Tahoe, Tranverse, Colorado, Captiva Cruz, Suburban and Silverado in right-hand drive form where necessary, and available with Diesel engines. This would give the Chevy brand a much needed boost in sales and market share worldwide.
I agree with solution 2 and 3 but my problem is with one! A chevy is a chevy no matter where they are or where they come from period. Do I think less of chevys coming from Australia? Nope nor do I think less of the spark coming from Korea!
The second thing I disagree with is when people say chevys won’t sell in a certain market! Thats bull!
People 40 years said the same thing in America about Japanese cars and look what happen now you can’t get people out of them!
The point that I was making all along is this if these people really love these local cars then why don’t they support them better? If there is so much love for opel vauxhall and holdens then why are they bleeding money? If these areas are bleeding money they might as well bleed it with GM’s true offerings chevy buick and Cadillac!
The fact that they wont buy a chevy cuz it’s not built and designed in or near Europe or Australia explains what these people are really saying it’s not about the cars themselves it’s about protecting their little ego!
All I keep hearing is these people saying why does American have to have everything can’t we have a slice all to our own!
This thought process makes these people bitter and really just sad!
Americans are like people around the world, they want manufacturing production to be in their own country. Parts, and home base are secondary.
If the major assembly to be done in their state, province, region, or country, they are more apt to buy the product. Especially if the product is well made. This type of home grown sharing of the pie, is essential for any brand to be successful.
Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Hundai… All of them are accepted by the American people as good companies… Because they assemble good products, made by Americans…, in America.
I’m sure Australians, Canadians, or any other country, without a doubt, feels the same way.
Just for information the July figures are now out for car sales in the UK
Vauxhall = 11.20% market share / up 0.92% vs 2012 YTD = 150,805 units 11.37% market share / up 12.60% vs 2012
Chevrolet = 0.43% market share / down 17.4% vs 2012 YTD = 7,465 units 0.56% market share / down 22.70% vs 2012
Be mindful that July is traditionally not a good month for Vauxhall, but consider this – Dacia have only been selling cars in the UK for 8 months now and have spent very little on advertising compared to Chevrolet’s $550m on football sponsorship and in July Dacia sold 1303 units to Chevys 701 units – and its been 10 years in the market. Says it all really!
Figures from SMMT or vauxpedia.com