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General Motors U.S. Sales Decrease 2.9 Percent To 245,387 Units In November 2017

General Motors Company reported 245,387 new vehicle deliveries for November 2017 in the U.S. market, a 2.9 percent decrease compared to November 2016. Sales decreased at all four brands – Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick.

“More vehicles are sold in December than any other month and we are very well positioned because we have momentum in so many segments, but especially in crossovers,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. “When we close the books on 2017, GM will show very healthy inventory levels, significantly lower daily rental sales for the third year in row, and the best year in our history for crossover deliveries by far.”

“U.S. economic growth has stepped up and we expect the momentum will carry over to 2018,” added GM Chief Economist Mustafa Mohatarem. “Employment continues to grow at a solid pace, wage growth will accelerate and consumer confidence just hit a 17-year high, so industry sales should remain strong.”

GM continues its focus on crossovers, a segment that is growing in volume and also carries higher margins than passenger cars. By the end of 2017, GM will offer customers the U.S. industry’s newest and broadest lineup of crossovers, including the 2018 Chevy Equinox2018 GMC Terrain2018 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2018 Buick Enclave along with the Buick Regal TourX ruggedized wagon. An all-new Cadillac XT4 compact crossover will launch in 2018 to grow Cadillac’s crossover lineup. And though not officially confirmed, GM is also expected to introduce a new Chevrolet Blazer as a midsize crossover next year.

Sales Summary - November 2017 - General Motors - USA

SalesSales Mix
Total245,387252,644-2.9%-7,257100.0%100.0%
Sale TypeNovember 2017November 2016November 2017 / November 2016November 2017 - November 2016November 2017November 2016
Retail197,340197,609-0.1%-26980.4%78.2%
Fleet48,04755,035-12.7%-6,98819.6%21.8%

GM U.S. November 2017 Sales Notes

General Motors sales overview:

Sale types:

  • Total sales volume decreased 2.9 percent to 245,387 vehicles or 7,257 units:
    • Chevrolet cumulative sales decreased 1.1 percent to 167,777 units
    • Cadillac cumulative sales decreased 12.8 percent to 13,359 units
    • GMC cumulative sales decreased 5.8 percent to 46,277 units
    • Buick cumulative sales decreased 3.0 percent to 17,974 units
  • Retail sales volume was essentially flat (down 0.1 percent) or 269 vehicles to 197,340 units, representing 80.4 percent of total November 2017 sales compared to 78.2 percent in November 2016:
    • Chevrolet retail sales increased 1.9 percent to 128,485 units
    • Cadillac retail sales decreased 9.9 percent to 11,605 units
    • GMC retail sales decreased 1.9 percent to 40,417 units
    • Buick retail sales decreased 3.5 percent to 16,833 units
  • Fleet sales volume decreased 12.7 percent or 6,988 vehicles to 48,047 units, accounting for 19.6 percent of total November 2017 sales compared to 21.8 percent in November 2016:
    • The fleet sales decrease was mostly a result of a 24 percent reduction in daily rental deliveries
    • Commercial and government deliveries were up a combined 7 percent, driven by a 30 percent increase in full-size pickup sales and a 35 percent increase for the Chevrolet Tahoe PPV (Police Pursuit Vehicle)

Average Transaction Prices (ATPs) & Incentive Spending:

  • Customer demand for crossovers, strong SUV sales, and a record November for GMC Denali sales helped GM’s Average Transaction Prices (ATP) for surpass $37,000 for the first time ever. GM’s ATPs were about $4,500 above industry average and nearly $2,000 higher than any domestic competitor.
  • GM’s November incentive spending as a percentage of average transaction prices (ATP) was an estimated 12.9 percent of ATP, per JD Power PIN, which is in line with the industry average. Spending was down 0.3 percentage points from October and 0.8 points year-over-year.

Inventory:

November month-end inventory was 819,327 units for an 83 days supply, representing:

  • An increase of 5,679 units from the 813,648 units at the end of October 2017
  • An increase of 3 days from the 80 days supply at the end of October 2017
  • A decrease of 54,835 units from the 874,162 units at the end of November 2016
  • A decrease of 4 days from the 87 days supply at the end of November 2016

SAAR:

  • The seasonally adjusted annual selling rate (SAAR) for light vehicles was 17.4 million vehicles in November 2017. The SAAR is 17.2 million units for 2017 calendar-year-to-date.

Chevrolet sales decreased 1.1 percent to 167,777 units:

Cadillac sales decreased 12.8 percent to 13,359 units:

Buick sales decreased 3.0 percent to 17,947 units:

GMC sales decreased 5.8 percent to 46,277 units:

In the first 11 months of 2017, General Motors U.S. sales decreased 1.1 percent to 2,693,702 vehicles. Retail sales during the same time frame decreased 1.2 percent to 2,169,970 units.

Sales Results - November 2017 - USA - Chevrolet

MODELNOV 2017 / NOV 2016NOVEMBER 2017NOVEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
BOLT EV* 2,987**20,070 *
CAMARO-3.19% 4,7374,893-2.38%64,138 65,705
CAPRICE-85.11% 28188-24.75%675 897
CAPTIVA SPORT* 0**4 *
COLORADO+19.34% 10,3468,669+4.10%103,370 99,294
COMMERCIAL TRUCK+129.92% 584254+18.04%7,425 6,290
CORVETTE+32.15% 2,5651,941-16.44%22,801 27,286
CRUZE-33.09% 10,98216,414-0.12%171,345 171,552
EQUINOX-8.95% 19,66721,600+19.85%257,674 215,000
EXPRESS-14.26% 4,3165,034+4.36%62,868 60,244
IMPALA+54.06% 9,3706,082-21.50%67,676 86,212
MALIBU-27.76% 13,42018,577-17.50%169,229 205,117
SILVERADO+2.56% 46,44145,280-0.46%518,188 520,604
SONIC-11.71% 2,7213,082-42.01%28,344 48,880
SPARK+146.45% 3,7141,507-37.58%19,510 31,254
SS+316.04% 882212+37.48%4,013 2,919
SUBURBAN-16.03% 5,5236,577-3.39%50,728 52,509
TAHOE+5.65% 9,9669,433-2.97%88,690 91,409
TRAVERSE+22.16% 11,2319,194+4.58%111,193 106,320
TRAX-19.64% 6,5958,207+2.42%72,726 71,009
VOLT-32.75% 1,7022,531-12.52%18,412 21,048
CHEVROLET TOTAL-1.12% 167,777169,675-1.30%1,859,079 1,883,551

Sales Results - November 2017 - USA - Cadillac

MODELNOV 2017 / NOV 2016NOVEMBER 2017NOVEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
ATS-44.23% 8311,490-37.51%12,007 19,213
CT6-33.53% 7771,169+23.17%9,701 7,876
CTS-37.04% 6561,042-32.89%9,539 14,214
ELR-100.00% 05-96.80%17 531
ESCALADE+5.77% 2,2182,097-0.51%20,113 20,216
ESCALADE ESV-5.81% 1,3141,395-2.05%13,129 13,404
SRX-98.20% 2111-99.30%155 22,015
XT5+4.83% 5,6235,364+91.66%61,424 32,049
XTS-26.95% 1,9382,653-20.96%15,051 19,042
CADILLAC TOTAL-12.83% 13,35915,326-5.00%141,136 148,560

Sales Results - November 2017 - USA - Buick

MODELNOV 2017 / NOV 2016NOVEMBER 2017NOVEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
CASCADA-14.99% 312367-20.49%5,187 6,524
ENCLAVE+87.69% 6,5843,508-10.35%43,238 48,228
ENCORE-12.76% 6,2487,162+12.95%79,983 70,810
ENVISION+24.82% 2,2281,785+240.91%34,984 10,262
LACROSSE-28.55% 1,7342,427-24.16%18,776 24,756
REGAL-55.27% 7811,746-43.03%10,554 18,524
VERANO-94.33% 871,535-85.55%4,224 29,239
BUICK TOTAL-3.00% 17,97418,530-5.47%196,946 208,343

Sales Results - November 2017 - USA - GMC

MODELNOV 2017 / NOV 2016NOVEMBER 2017NOVEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
ACADIA-5.66% 8,6499,168+31.68%100,439 76,277
CANYON-26.39% 2,5103,410-14.26%28,639 33,401
SAVANA+4.71% 1,7121,635+70.19%27,725 16,291
SIERRA-4.04% 18,13618,900-3.47%191,507 198,390
TERRAIN+22.25% 7,5986,215-1.92%78,941 80,485
YUKON-25.97% 4,5676,169-13.82%40,652 47,171
YUKON XL-14.13% 3,1053,616-8.21%28,638 31,198
GMC TOTAL-5.77% 46,27749,113+2.76%496,541 483,213

Sales Results - November 2017 - USA - GM Totals

BRANDNOV 2017 / NOV 2016NOVEMBER 2017NOVEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
CHEVROLET TOTAL-1.12% 167,777169,675-1.30%1,859,079 1,883,551
CADILLAC TOTAL-12.83% 13,35915,326-5.00%141,136 148,560
BUICK TOTAL-3.00% 17,97418,530-5.47%196,946 208,343
GMC TOTAL-5.77% 46,27749,113+2.76%496,541 483,213
GM USA TOTAL-2.87% 245,387252,644-1.10%2,693,702 2,723,667

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to GM November 2016 sales, except as noted
  • There were 25 selling days in November 2017 and 25 selling days in November 2016
  • Starting in September 2016, GM began reporting sales of the Chevrolet City Express and Low Cab Forward on a single line entitled Commercial Truck

Further Reading & Sales Reporting

GM Authority Executive Editor with a passion for business strategy and fast cars.

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Comments

  1. Did you see the growth of Avenir on GMs official page! 30% of 2018 Enclaves were Avenir’s. I know they said the ramp up of Avenir would be high but my god! That’s says a lot about Buick’s brand image more than anything. Overall a very impressive month…although no figure on Denali penetration and GMC ATP…a little disappointed they didn’t but its probably closing in at 30% of overall GMC sales. Like I said overall a great month.

    Reply
  2. Here comes the gloom and doom! But in reality GM sold just as many vehicles retail just less on the fleet side!

    Now I don’t have a problem with fleet sales but some people lose their minds over it!

    Reply
  3. What I see very fascinating is that the YTD sales of the Chevy Bolt EV has passed the Chevy Volt.And I expect the Bolt EV YTD to stay ahead for December as it reaches its first year of sales.

    Reply
  4. New crossovers are still in transition. Traverse,Enclave and Terrain are still in inventory ramp up mode. Then there was a reduced inventory situation for the new Equinox, due to the strike.

    I think we will see the new FNR-X in the January Auto show. This is a great looking sports crossover.

    We should also see more of that Cadillac Escala treatment being applied to all of the Cadillac models. Some may preview at the January auto show. Also, a larger, full sized crossover, to fit between the XT5 and the Escalade.

    Profit margins are also much better, due to the fact that GM spent $35 billion over the last 8 years to replace or upgrade most of their production equipment.

    Reply
    1. The smaller XT4 will come first, Cadillac has confirmed this. The bigger crossover will probably come in 2019, along with a sedan to replace one or more of the ATS/CTS/XTS sedans.

      Reply
  5. It’s interesting that in GM Authority, there’s no article discussing how GM CEO Mary Barra’s decision to acquire Strobe Inc will reduce the cost of Lidar in a vehicle to $10K and make autonomous driving vehicles more affordable.

    Reply
  6. I’m unimpressed. Cadillac is its usual tire fire; maybe it will get fixed in coming years, but there are no guarantees.

    Other than that, a mixed bag. Traverse and Enclave are way up, but it’s worrisome that Equinox and Acadia are not.

    Credit to the Bolt team. Those are actually getting in thousands of customer hands, as opposed to the Model 3.

    Reply
  7. Impala is doing better than the boring Malibu. This is great!
    If only GM showed some love for that car…

    Reply

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