Sales of GM’s premium vehicle brand, Buick, increased in the United States and decreased in Canada in July 2016.
Buick July 2016 Sales Numbers – United States
In the U.S., Buick sales increased 10.43 percent to 22,960 units:
Retail sales were up 12.7 percent, or 2,319 units, year-over-year to 20,628 units, representing 89.8 percent of total Buick sales for the month. That compares to 18,309 retail sales in July 2015, which was 88 percent of total Buick sales. GM’s continued focus on profitable retail sales allowed Buick to gain 0.2 percentage points in retail market share in July.
Fleet sales were down 6 percent year-over-year to 2,332 units, representing 10.2 percent of total Buick sales for the month. That compares to 2,482 fleet sales in July 2015, which represented 11.9 percent of total Buick sales.
Buick Sales Summary - July 2016 - USA
| Sales | Sales Mix | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 22,960 | 20,791 | +10.4% | +2,169 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 0% |
| Sale Type | July 2016 | July 2015 | July 2016 / July 2015 | July 2016 - July 2015 | July 2016 | July 2015 | July 2016 - July 2015 |
| Retail | 20,628 | 18,309 | +12.7% | +2,319 | 89.8% | 88.1% | +1.7% |
| Fleet | 2,332 | 2,482 | -6% | -150 | 10.2% | 11.9% | -1.7% |
Individual model sales performance was as follows:
- Buick Cascada sales totaled 633 units
- Buick Enclave sales increased 9.93 percent to 7,249 units, its best July ever
- Buick Encore sales increased 1.42 percent to 6,923 units, its best month ever
- The Encore has now achieved 31 consecutive months of year-over-year sales gains
- Buick Envision sales totaled 1,421 units with a “days to turn” at 21 days
- Buick LaCrosse sales decreased 31.64 percent to 2,359 units
- Buick Regal sales increased 49.71 percent to 2,307 units, its best July since 2011
- Buick Verano sales decreased 13.07 percent to 2,068 units
- The year-to-date results represent Buick’s best year-to-date sales since 2005
Sales Results - July 2016 - USA - Buick
| MODEL | JUL 2016 / JUL 2015 | JULY 2016 | JULY 2015 | YTD 2016 / YTD 2015 | YTD 2016 | YTD 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASCADA | * | 633 | * | * | 4,704 | * |
| ENCLAVE | +9.93% | 7,249 | 6,594 | -9.12% | 31,503 | 34,664 |
| ENCORE | +1.42% | 6,923 | 6,826 | +15.97% | 43,344 | 37,375 |
| ENVISION | * | 1,421 | * | * | 2,947 | * |
| LACROSSE | -31.64% | 2,359 | 3,451 | -32.44% | 16,322 | 24,161 |
| REGAL | +49.71% | 2,307 | 1,541 | +5.78% | 11,560 | 10,928 |
| VERANO | -13.07% | 2,068 | 2,379 | -15.97% | 16,787 | 19,977 |
| BUICK TOTAL | +10.43% | 22,960 | 20,791 | +0.05% | 127,167 | 127,105 |
Buick July 2016 Sales Numbers – Canada
In Canada, Buick sales decreased 15.32 percent to 1,249 units:
- Buick Enclave sales decreased 56.1 percent to 162 units
- Buick Encore sales decreased 24.51 percent to 388 units
- Buick Envision sales totaled 97 units
- Buick LaCrosse sales decreased 41.46 percent to 24 units
- Buick Regal sales increased 19.35 percent to 37 units
- Buick Verano sales increased 4.04 percent to 541 units
Sales Results - July 2016 - Canada - Buick
| MODEL | JUL 2016 / JUL 2015 | JULY 2016 | JULY 2015 | YTD 2016 / YTD 2015 | YTD 2016 | YTD 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENCLAVE | -56.10% | 162 | 369 | -1.24% | 2,078 | 2,104 |
| ENCORE | -24.51% | 388 | 514 | +8.53% | 3,027 | 2,789 |
| ENVISION | * | 97 | * | * | 136 | * |
| LACROSSE | -41.46% | 24 | 41 | -2.08% | 518 | 529 |
| REGAL | +19.35% | 37 | 31 | -19.47% | 488 | 606 |
| VERANO | +4.04% | 541 | 520 | +28.72% | 4,504 | 3,499 |
| BUICK TOTAL | -15.32% | 1,249 | 1,475 | +12.85% | 10,751 | 9,527 |
About The Numbers
- There were 26 selling days in July 2016 and 25 selling days in July 2015
Further Reading
- Buick news
- July 2016 GM U.S. sales results
- July 2016 Chevrolet sales results (coming soon)
- July 2016 GMC sales results
- July 2016 Cadillac sales results (coming soon)
- July 2016 GM Canada sales results
- July 2016 GM China sales results
- Global Cadillac July 2016 sales results
Comments
Buick has so much potential as a premium brand and shouldbhave an Avista-influenced line positioned against Lexus.
GM can own more than one luxury brand, something that has worked well for VW. GM should be positioning Buick up against Audi which Cadillac does battle with BMW.
GM, as well every US business school, treats the “One Ford” single focus as the ideal while ignoring the success off Hyundai Group and Nissan-Renault in Europe.
You’re spot on about GM having potential to leverage two luxury brands in Buick and Cadillac. But the positioning you refer to is off.
The better and more distinct/clear positioning should be:
1. Cadillac: prestige sport luxury.
Key rivals: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar and to some extent Lexus (in some segments), Infiniti and Maserati plus Alfa Romeo. Yes, Audi is part of the prestige sport-luxury segment. In some demos, it’s even perceived to be more sporty than the other two German rivals.
The key deliverables here are a sporty/engaging driving experience, performance, luxury, style, and major sex appeal. Red-blooded luxury. Mostly RWD and AWD (or performance-oriented FWD-based AWD) are vital here.
2. Buick: “pure” comfort luxury.
Key rivals: Lexus (the “soft” Lexus of the 90s and early 2000s) and Lincoln.
The key deliverables here are beautiful, soft-spoken, and very comfortable luxury cars in every size and body configuration. Think the all-new LaCrosse, in the form of compact, midsize, and full-size sedans and crossovers. This can be done with either RWD, FWD, or AWD cars. Buick can continue on its current FWD-focused implementation.
You are also right regarding the One Ford plan. Though highly successful, it’s by far the end-all-be-all strategy. It just so happens that it’s a common sense plan that works for a single global brand to successfully develop, market, and support cars sold all over the world. What those business schools don’t mention is that Ford is weak, if not nearly non-existent, in the luxury car space where margins are fat and money is plentiful, thereby negatively impacting their top-line earnings potential.
The biggest irony to me is that business schools all over the (developed) world were using GM’s multi-brand segmentation-based strategy as the bona-fide example in the 70s and 80s. So much for that!