General Motors U.S. Sales Decrease 3.3 Percent To 308,539 Units In December 2017

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General Motors Company reported 308,539 new vehicle deliveries for December 2017 in the U.S. market, a 3.3 percent decrease compared to December 2016. Sales decreased at Chevrolet and Cadillac while increasing at Buick and GMC.

Notably, there was one less selling day in December 2017 than there was in December 2016.

“We are winning customers in the fastest-growing parts of the market, and our momentum continues to grow because we have strengthened our brands, grown our Commercial and Government business, sharply reduced rental sales and successfully transitioned to a crossover- and truck-focused business,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. “We are starting 2018 with very lean inventories for such a strong industry, and we see more room to grow because Chevrolet, Buick and GMC will have a full year of sales of their all-new crossovers, and we are going to launch the industry’s best full-size pickups.”

GM continues its focus on crossovers, a segment that is growing in volume and also carries higher margins than passenger cars. GM is now offering customers the U.S. industry’s newest and broadest lineup of crossovers, including the 2018 Chevy Equinox, 2018 GMC Terrain, 2018 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 in 2018.

Sales Summary - December 2017 - General Motors - USA

SalesSales Mix
Total308,539319,108-3.3%-10,569100.0%100.0%
Sale TypeDecember 2017December 2016December 2017 / December 2016December 2017 - December 2016December 2017December 2016
Retail254,449249,983+1.8%+4,46682.5%78.3%
Fleet54,09069,125-21.8%-15,03517.5%21.7%

GM U.S. December 2017 Sales Notes

General Motors sales overview:

Sale types:

  • Total sales volume decreased 3.3 percent to 308,539 vehicles or 10,569 units:
    • Chevrolet cumulative sales decreased 2.9 percent to 206,804 units
    • Cadillac cumulative sales decreased 28.6 percent to 15,304 units
    • GMC cumulative sales increased 1.2 percent to 64,146 units
    • Buick cumulative sales increased 4.7 percent to 22,285 units
  • Retail sales volume increased 1.8 percent or 4,466 vehicles to 254,449 units, representing 82.5 percent of total December 2017 sales compared to 78.3 percent in December 2016:
    • Chevrolet retail sales decreased 1.5 percent to 160,938 units
    • Cadillac retail sales decreased 16.3 percent to 14,287 units
    • GMC retail sales increased 13.8 percent to 57,587 units, increasing the brand’s retail share an estimated 0.6 percentage points to 4.1 percent
    • Buick retail sales increased 14.6 percent to 21,637 units
    • GM’s retail market share is expected to surpass 18 percent, up one percentage point for the company’s best month of the year
  • Fleet sales volume decreased 21.8 percent or 15,035 vehicles to 54,090 units, accounting for 17.5 percent of total December 2017 sales compared to 21.7 percent in December 2016:
    • Commercial and government deliveries were up a combined 7 percent
    • Daily rental deliveries were down 40 percent

Average Transaction Prices (ATPs) & Incentive Spending:

  • GM’s incentive incentive spending during December averaged 14.8 percent, higher than its own average of 13.3 percent in the fourth quarter
  • GM’s incentive spending as a percentage of Average Transaction Prices (ATPs) in the fourth quarter of 2017 averaged 13.3 percent, in line with the fourth quarter of 2016, according to J.D. Power PIN estimates.

Inventory:

December month-end inventory was 752,554 units for a 63 days supply, representing:

  • A decrease of 66,773 units from the 819,327 units at the end of November 2017
  • A decrease of 20 days from the 83 days supply at the end of November 2017
  • A decrease of 92,388 units from the 844,942 units at the end of December 2016
  • A decrease of 8 days from the 71 days supply at the end of December 2016

SAAR:

  • The seasonally adjusted annual selling rate (SAAR) for light vehicles was estimated to be 18.2 million vehicles in December 2017. The SAAR was estimated at 17.3 million units for 2017 calendar year.

Chevrolet sales decreased 2.9 percent to 206,804 units:

Cadillac sales increased 28.6 percent to 15,304 units:

Buick sales increased 4.7 percent to 22,285 units:

GMC sales increased 1.2 percent to 64,146 units for the brand’s best sales month in over 12 years:

  • GMC Acadia sales decreased 11.09 percent to 10,837 units; retail sales increased 1 percent
  • GMC Canyon sales decreased 14.35 percent to 3,467 units
  • GMC Savana sales decreased 54.73 percent to 1,954 units
  • GMC Sierra sales increased 13.51 percent to 26,436 units; retail sales increased 18 percent
  • GMC Terrain sales decreased 12.63 percent to 6,500 units
  • GMC Yukon sales increased 35.93 percent to 8,531 units; retail sales increased 54 percent
  • GMC Yukon XL sales increased 9.65 percent to 6,421 units; retail sales increased 51 percent
  • GMC’s December ATPs were the highest on record at approximately $47,500
  • Denali deliveries set a monthly record, with penetration approaching 40 percent

In the complete 2017 calendar year, General Motors U.S. sales decreased 1.3 percent to 3,002,242 vehicles. Retail sales during the same time frame decreased 0.9 percent to 2,424,419 units.

Sales Results - December 2017 - USA - Chevrolet

MODELDEC 2017 / DEC 2016DECEMBER 2017DECEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
BOLT EV+457.34% 3,227579+3,923.66%23,297 579
CAMARO-45.69% 3,8027,000-6.55%67,940 72,705
CAPRICE-85.48% 18124-32.13%693 1,021
CAPTIVA SPORT* 0**4 *
COLORADO+2.07% 9,6269,431+3.93%112,996 108,725
COMMERCIAL TRUCK+26.61% 923729+18.93%8,348 7,019
CORVETTE-15.91% 2,2782,709-16.39%25,079 29,995
CRUZE-22.62% 13,40617,324-2.18%184,751 188,876
EQUINOX+20.55% 32,78427,195+19.93%290,458 242,195
EXPRESS-18.90% 6,2967,763+1.70%69,164 68,007
IMPALA-24.02% 8,20110,794-21.78%75,877 97,006
MALIBU-26.95% 16,62822,764-18.44%185,857 227,881
SILVERADO+24.70% 67,67654,272+1.91%585,864 574,876
SONIC-69.47% 1,9466,375-45.18%30,290 55,255
SPARK-27.67% 3,0794,257-36.39%22,589 35,511
SS-55.32% 4294+34.58%4,055 3,013
SUBURBAN-23.57% 5,7887,573-5.94%56,516 60,082
TAHOE-13.67% 10,27111,897-4.21%98,961 103,306
TRAVERSE+18.61% 12,31310,381+5.83%123,506 116,701
TRAX-18.03% 6,5638,007+0.35%79,289 79,016
VOLT-47.52% 1,9373,691-17.75%20,349 24,739
CHEVROLET TOTAL-2.89% 206,804212,959-1.46%2,065,883 2,096,508

Sales Results - December 2017 - USA - Cadillac

MODELDEC 2017 / DEC 2016DECEMBER 2017DECEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
ATS-52.31% 1,0932,292-39.08%13,100 21,505
CT6-34.96% 8411,293+14.97%10,542 9,169
CTS-52.56% 8051,697-34.99%10,344 15,911
ELR-100.00% 03-96.82%17 534
ESCALADE-14.96% 2,8813,388-2.58%22,994 23,604
ESCALADE ESV-24.62% 1,5712,084-5.09%14,700 15,488
SRX-99.19% 1124-99.30%156 22,139
XT5-7.37% 6,8887,436+73.01%68,312 39,485
XTS-60.88% 1,2243,129-26.59%16,275 22,171
CADILLAC TOTAL-28.64% 15,30421,446-7.98%156,440 170,006

Sales Results - December 2017 - USA - Buick

MODELDEC 2017 / DEC 2016DECEMBER 2017DECEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
CASCADA-35.14% 408629-21.78%5,595 7,153
ENCLAVE+40.16% 5,3263,800-6.66%48,564 52,028
ENCORE+3.83% 8,0527,755+12.05%88,035 78,565
ENVISION+54.06% 6,0563,931+189.16%41,040 14,193
LACROSSE-50.99% 1,3852,826-26.91%20,161 27,582
REGAL-23.22% 1,0051,309-41.72%11,559 19,833
VERANO-94.89% 531,038-85.87%4,277 30,277
BUICK TOTAL+4.68% 22,28521,288-4.53%219,231 229,631

Sales Results - December 2017 - USA - GMC

MODELDEC 2017 / DEC 2016DECEMBER 2017DECEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
ACADIA-11.09% 10,83712,189+26.29%111,726 88,466
CANYON-14.35% 3,4674,048-14.27%32,106 37,449
SAVANA-54.73% 1,9544,316+44.02%29,679 20,607
SIERRA+13.51% 26,43623,290-1.69%217,943 221,680
TERRAIN-12.63% 6,5007,440-2.83%85,441 87,925
YUKON+35.93% 8,5316,276-7.98%49,183 53,447
YUKON XL+9.65% 6,4215,856-5.38%35,059 37,054
GMC TOTAL+1.15% 64,14663,415+2.57%560,687 546,628

Sales Results - December 2017 - USA - GM Totals

BRANDDEC 2017 / DEC 2016DECEMBER 2017DECEMBER 2016YTD 2017 / YTD 2016 YTD 2017YTD 2016
CHEVROLET TOTAL-2.89% 206,804212,959-1.46%2,065,883 2,096,508
CADILLAC TOTAL-28.64% 15,30421,446-7.98%156,440 170,006
BUICK TOTAL+4.68% 22,28521,288-4.53%219,231 229,631
GMC TOTAL+1.15% 64,14663,415+2.57%560,687 546,628
GM USA TOTAL-3.31% 308,539319,108-1.33%3,002,241 3,042,773

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to GM December 2016 sales, except as noted
  • There were 26 selling days in December 2017 and 27 selling days in December 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

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    13 Comments

    1. CuriousObserver says:
      January 3, 2018 at 9:25 am

      Very impressed with Chevy’s quality: I rented a new Impala for the second time Christmas week and my parents just replaced their 2009 Malibu with a 2018. Superior vehicles to what GM was building the last couple of decades. Too bad fewer people are buying these vehicles.

      Reply
    2. God/Bacardi says:
      January 3, 2018 at 10:53 am

      What’s interesting is if we look at Chevy and Buick virtually every increase comes in the form of a Truck/SUV/CUV/Crossover…GM considers the Bolt EV a crossover and there were some SUVs that did decrease…Yet every single GM “car”, regardless of GM brand (GMC doesn’t have any), has decreased…

      December is generally a bad month, collectively, for all automakers…

      Reply
    3. Dennis says:
      January 3, 2018 at 11:22 am

      There was also some other exciting news that I think is worth noting…Chevrolet’s ATP was 34,000 dollars for the month; Denali penetration was approaching ** 40%** for the month and OVER 30% for the year, with GMC’s ATP at approximately 47,500 dollars for the month (a monthly record) and 43,700 dollars for the year (yearly record) and Denali ATP was about 25% higher than overall GMC ATP; Cadillac’s ATP for the month was it’s highest ever at 58,300. GM had a very nice year.

      Reply
    4. David says:
      January 3, 2018 at 11:24 am

      Cadillac down almost 30% in December! Down 8% for the year! It’s like they aren’t even trying. Limited marketing. Lackluster service. Quality concerns. No new vehicles. They have truly reached the bottom before the “product offensive” that is to come. These new vehicles need to exceed the competition and have the marketing and service to back them up. Cadillac needs change.

      Reply
      • Silent says:
        January 3, 2018 at 12:51 pm

        The change is already in place… we just haven’t seen it yet. This is the calm before the storm and is part of a strategy that took two quarters to plan… with people working dawn to dusk all over the globe.

        Reply
        • Brian W. says:
          January 3, 2018 at 3:14 pm

          Wow! Those geniuses working dawn to dusk have come up with a brilliant plan. Run the company completely into the ground so that any uptick in the future will look like the “strategy”. In the mean time, all the other competing manufacturers, Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Audi, and now even Genesis aka Hyundai, are producing superior products and increasing sales and production. Record year for AMG, ATP over $100,000, can’t keep them in stock.

          Reply
          • Dennis says:
            January 3, 2018 at 3:24 pm

            Ok lets take into consideration where Cadillac is and what is actually going on. Cadillac isn’t growing in sales because it hasn’t got a full crossover lineup, not due to the lack of advertising, and even with the drop in sales ATPs for the month of Dec hit a record of 58,000 dollars. Cadillac isnt being ran down to the ground and sales arent the only measure for success. Calm down we are going to see new models this year. Amd also AMG is more of a performance arm, with vehicles that cost over 100,000 not the best comparison, rather compare Mercedes to Cadillac not a small division of the brand.

            Reply
    5. Captain Carl says:
      January 4, 2018 at 6:12 am

      Something tells me this lovely January weather isn’t going to help matters, unfortunately.

      Reply
    6. Henry says:
      January 4, 2018 at 6:13 pm

      Can Someone please explain the “inventory supply” thing to me in basic terms. what do the days mean? Does GM really still have 700,000+ 2017 models to sell? How do they calculate the number of days they have left? Whats the deal?

      Reply
    7. Dennis says:
      January 5, 2018 at 11:33 am

      So Day to turn from my basic understanding is about the average amount of time it takes to sell off inventory. So it will take about 63 days for GM to move all 752,000 units( which is not all 2017 models, remember 2018 model were being sold during the summer time). Which gets pretty interesting when ur looking at attractive new products, like with the new Navigator and Expedition their days to turn is about 6 days which is really fast. But with like the Buick Lacrosse that is sitting at nearly 300 days to move all inventory. Just for an example. Hopefully that helped.

      Reply
      • German says:
        January 5, 2018 at 11:40 am

        Typically they say for a full line manufacturer “Days to turn” should be between 60 and 70 days during great economic times.

        Reply
    8. Captain Carl says:
      January 6, 2018 at 3:48 pm

      Kinda sad/desperate to watch GMC go full-on retail during NFL wildcard games … not alternating brand/retail, just heavy $9000-off stuff.

      Not exactly pro grade, but I guess they have their reasons (2017s/bad weather everywhere, etc).

      Reply
    9. Captain Carl says:
      January 6, 2018 at 3:55 pm

      GMC on again – now $9130-off.

      It’s like watching Bloomberg and stock droppage.

      Reply

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