General Motors U.S. dealers delivered 249,875 new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles in March 2015, a decrease of 2.4 percent compared to March 2014.
“As the economy gained steam throughout 2014, we knew 2015 would be a strong year for trucks,” said Kurt McNeil, General Motors’ U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. “Higher demand dovetailed perfectly with the launches of our new full-size pickups and large SUVs. Low fuel prices and the successful launches of the Chevrolet Colorado and Trax made us even more bullish.
“Our foresight and disciplined approach to incentives is being rewarded with very strong truck sales and record average transaction prices.”
March 2015 highlights (vs. March 2014, except as noted):
- Fleet deliveries were up 5 percent and retail deliveries declined 5 percent
- Strong pickup sales helped drive robust gains with commercial customers. Through March, commercial deliveries have grown year over year for 17 consecutive months. Commercial deliveries were up 39 percent in March, and full-size pickups were up 41 percent.
- Chevrolet sales dropped 3.2 percent to 173,886 units:
- Colorado sales were up an unwieldy 330 percent to 6,621 units, taking only 7 “days to turn”
- Corvette sales were up 8.8 percent to 3,785 units
- Silverado sales were up 7 percent to 45,193 units, making for Chevrolet’s best March pickup sales since 2007
- Suburban sales were up 10.9 percent 3,310 units
- Equinox sales were up 22 percent to 24,335 units
- Traverse sales were up 17.9 percent to 11,103 units
- Trax sold 4,026 units
- The crossover results represent Chevrolet’s best-ever March for crossover sales
- City Express sold 675 units
- All other Chevy models posted year-over-year sales drops
- Cadillac sales dropped 6.8 percent to 13,756 units:
- ELR sales increased 13.6 percent to 92 units
- Escalade sales increased 125 percent to 1,673 units
- Escalade ESV sales increased 113.6 percent to 1,085 units
- XTS sales increased 11.3 percent to 2,367 units
- All other Cadillac models posted year-over-year sales drops
- Cadillac continues to evolve its business with new products and brand positioning in the luxury market. Through the end of the first quarter, nearly 60 percent of customers were new to the brand.
- In March, Cadillac’s average transaction prices (ATPs) approached $54,000, near the top of the brand’s competitive set, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates. ATPs are up more than $9,000 per unit from a year ago.
- Buick sales increased 0.5 percent to 20,526 units:
- Encore sales increased 7 percent to 5,650 units
- LaCrosse sales increased 24.6 percent to 4,425 units
- All other Buick models posted year-over-year sales drops
- GMC sales increased 1.3 percent to 41,707 units:
- Sierra sales were up 3.2 percent to 17,395 units. Approximately 40 percent of Sierra customers purchasing heavy-duty models are choosing the high-end Denali trim series. This has helped Sierra earn the highest average transaction prices for any full-size pickup line
- Yukon XL sales were up 16 percent to 1,977 units
- Canyon sold 2,434 units
- All other GMC models posted year-over-year sales drops
- GMC had its best first quarter sales since 2005 and its best March pickup sales since 2006.
Incentives
According to PIN estimates, GM’s incentive spending as a percentage of ATPs was 9.2 percent in March, down 1.6 percentage points month over month due in part to successful new product launches. Industry average spending was 10.0 percent of ATPs, up 0.4 percentage points.
Average Transaction Prices (ATPs)
ATPs were $35,200, according to PIN estimates through March 22, up more than $1,200 per unit compared to a year ago and up $725 compared to February 2015.
Retail Industry Segmentation
Trucks, including pickups, SUVs and vans, accounted for about 17 percent of the industry, according to PIN estimates, up 2 percentage points. Large pickups alone represented more than 12 percent of the industry, up 1 percentage point.
- Crossovers represented approximately 39 percent of the market, up 2 percentage points.
- Cars represented about 44 percent of the industry, down 4 percentage points.
Fleet And Commercial
Total fleet sales were up 5 percent during the month and they were up 15 percent in the first quarter. Government sales were up 19 percent and rental deliveries were down 6 percent.
Industry Sales
GM estimates that the seasonally adjusted annual selling rate (SAAR) for light vehicles in March was 16.9 million units.
Sales Results - March 2015 - USA - Chevrolet
| MODEL | MAR 2015 / MAR 2014 | MARCH 2015 | MARCH 2014 | YTD 2015 / YTD 2014 | YTD 2015 | YTD 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEVROLET TOTAL | -3.2% | 173,886 | 179,681 | +5.3% | 476,556 | 452,683 |
| CAMARO | -30.9% | 5,956 | 8,624 | -11.5% | 17,320 | 19,568 |
| CAPRICE | -38.9% | 151 | 247 | -51.5% | 373 | 769 |
| CAPTIVA SPORT | -99.7% | 13 | 4,637 | -99.7% | 36 | 12,854 |
| CITY EXPRESS | * | 675 | 0 | * | 1,865 | 0 |
| COLORADO | +330950% | 6,621 | 2 | +112405.9% | 19,126 | 17 |
| CORVETTE | +8.8% | 3,785 | 3,480 | +4.1% | 8,517 | 8,179 |
| CRUZE | -11% | 23,598 | 26,521 | -7% | 60,592 | 65,185 |
| EQUINOX | +22% | 24,335 | 19,939 | +17% | 65,613 | 56,073 |
| EXPRESS | -32.8% | 3,709 | 5,517 | -25.9% | 10,513 | 14,185 |
| IMPALA | -31% | 8,942 | 12,952 | -26.1% | 27,221 | 36,858 |
| MALIBU | -12.3% | 16,552 | 18,866 | -11.9% | 42,401 | 48,136 |
| SILVERADO | +7% | 45,193 | 42,247 | +17.6% | 126,694 | 107,757 |
| SONIC | -51.4% | 4,894 | 10,060 | -53.3% | 11,315 | 24,233 |
| SPARK | -36.3% | 3,260 | 5,117 | -4.6% | 9,104 | 9,541 |
| SUBURBAN | +10.9% | 3,310 | 2,984 | +76.6% | 11,876 | 6,724 |
| SS | -24.6% | 264 | 350 | -31.3% | 594 | 865 |
| TAHOE | -5.1% | 6,860 | 7,228 | +32.9% | 20,877 | 15,703 |
| TRAVERSE | +17.9% | 11,103 | 9,421 | +38.4% | 30,959 | 22,362 |
| TRAX | * | 4,026 | 0 | * | 9,686 | 0 |
| VOLT | -56.8% | 639 | 1,478 | -48% | 1,874 | 3,606 |
Sales Results - March 2015 - USA - Cadillac
| MODEL | MAR 2015 / MAR 2014 | MARCH 2015 | MARCH 2014 | YTD 2015 / YTD 2014 | YTD 2015 | YTD 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CADILLAC TOTAL | -6.8% | 13,756 | 14,765 | -6.1% | 37,175 | 39,588 |
| ATS | -31.6% | 2,039 | 2,982 | -20.4% | 5,824 | 7,318 |
| CTS | -48.6% | 1,500 | 2,918 | -39.5% | 4,636 | 7,659 |
| ELR | +13.6% | 92 | 81 | +72.8% | 311 | 180 |
| ESCALADE | +125.2% | 1,673 | 743 | +117.1% | 4,826 | 2,223 |
| ESCALADE ESV | +113.6% | 1,085 | 508 | +122.2% | 3,073 | 1,383 |
| ESCALADE EXT | * | 0 | 8 | -95.2% | 2 | 42 |
| SRX | -7.4% | 5,000 | 5,399 | -17.5% | 12,294 | 14,903 |
| XTS | +11.3% | 2,367 | 2,126 | +5.6% | 6,209 | 5,880 |
Sales Results - March 2015 - USA - Buick
| MODEL | MAR 2015 / MAR 2014 | MARCH 2015 | MARCH 2014 | YTD 2015 / YTD 2014 | YTD 2015 | YTD 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUICK TOTAL | +0.5% | 20,526 | 20,428 | -4.5% | 50,497 | 52,898 |
| ENCLAVE | -3.4% | 5,684 | 5,886 | -13% | 12,801 | 14,714 |
| ENCORE | +7% | 5,650 | 5,279 | +30.9% | 14,036 | 10,723 |
| LACROSSE | +24.6% | 4,425 | 3,550 | -3.1% | 10,199 | 10,522 |
| REGAL | -21.6% | 1,901 | 2,424 | -27.7% | 4,382 | 6,058 |
| VERANO | -12.9% | 2,866 | 3,289 | -16.6% | 9,079 | 10,881 |
Sales Results - March 2015 - USA - GMC
| MODEL | MAR 2015 / MAR 2014 | MARCH 2015 | MARCH 2014 | YTD 2015 / YTD 2014 | YTD 2015 | YTD 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMC TOTAL | +1.3% | 41,707 | 41,173 | +14.7% | 119,811 | 104,468 |
| ACADIA | -11.1% | 7,410 | 8,339 | -1% | 20,369 | 20,582 |
| CANYON | +243300% | 2,434 | 1 | +357500% | 7,152 | 2 |
| SAVANA | -6.6% | 1,800 | 1,927 | -12.7% | 5,288 | 6,057 |
| SIERRA | +3.2% | 17,395 | 16,863 | +7% | 45,173 | 42,213 |
| TERRAIN | -11.4% | 8,030 | 9,059 | +9.1% | 27,733 | 25,419 |
| YUKON | -18.9% | 2,661 | 3,280 | +24.4% | 8,106 | 6,516 |
| YUKON XL | +16% | 1,977 | 1,704 | +62.8% | 5,990 | 3,679 |
Sales Results - March 2015 - USA - GM Total
| BRAND | MAR 2015 / MAR 2014 | MARCH 2015 | MARCH 2014 | YTD 2015 / YTD 2014 | YTD 2015 | YTD 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GM US TOTAL | -2.4% | 249,875 | 256,047 | +5.3% | 684,039 | 649,637 |
| CHEVROLET | -3.2% | 173,886 | 179,681 | +5.3% | 476,556 | 452,683 |
| CADILLAC | -6.8% | 13,756 | 14,765 | -6.1% | 37,175 | 39,588 |
| BUICK | +0.5% | 20,526 | 20,428 | -4.5% | 50,497 | 52,898 |
| GMC | +1.3% | 41,707 | 41,173 | +14.7% | 119,811 | 104,468 |
About The Charts
- 25 selling days for March 2015, and 26 for March 2014.
- Totals contain discontinued Chevrolet Avalanche.
Comments
Equinox up, Terrain down — fleet sales maybe? Both compete in the same segment
Wow, CTS and ATS sales are an unmitigated disaster.
Makes me worried about the CT6, which shares a lot of design cues with CTS. Generally speaking, I think the design works in person and it has grown on me (the more I see them, the more I appreciate that they look luxurious), but I’m worried they are too sedate. Cadillac has traditionally done best with designs that say, “Hey, look at me.” (see Escalade which is crushing it; I can’t believe how many ESV sales they have — those must sell for $80k plus).
But Cadillac has a *lot* of work to do. The $12 billion Johan is definitely going to need to be spent, and spent right. Hopefully the CT8 has a more exciting design that grabs people.
The Cadillac sales slump has nothing to do with design. It’s all about marketing (or lack thereof compared to the competition), and the brand not competing in key market segments, specifically crossovers. Cadillac has one — the SRX. Mercedes-Benz, by comparison, has five and about to have six as well. BMW has five and about to have six. The same with Audi.
Not a good month for sedans, Everyone seems to love the Impala, but what happened here?
Impala moved classes and pricing. No longer a fleet queen, as the last-gen model was.