Chevrolet isn’t a volume seller in Europe. That was the job of GM’s former European divisions, Opel and Vauxhall. However, Chevrolet does hold a sliver of presence on the old continent, but “sliver” could be an understatement. Chevrolet reported it sold one new car in the United Kingdom during January 2018.
The sales announcement came in a Top Gear report published on Monday, which proclaimed UK consumers bought fewer cars last month. For Chevrolet, business was booming… since it didn’t sell a single car in January 2017.
Chevrolet only offers the 2018 C7 Corvette in Stingray, Grand Sport and Z06 variants, and the 2018 Camaro in the UK. Neither car is fitted for the right-hand-drive market, either.
Recall, Chevrolet was present in major European markets until General Motors pulled the brand’s mainstream offerings in 2016. The decision was to help better define Opel and Vauxhall’s place in the UK and the rest of Europe. Around its peak, Chevy sold just under 12,000 cars in 2013.
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Saw a bit of a UK soccer game recently. One team had a Chevy logo on the front . Brought to mind GM spending many millions to sponser soccer . MANAGEMENT staff should be forced to have the amount taken from their pay over the next ten years ! Unbelievably stupid waste of money .
Well, on the plus side, Man Utd is reportedly the world’s most popular team. Asian cab drivers wear their jerseys, etc..
On the negative side, that was (reportedly) a non-approved, $600m deal engineered by the subsequently-dismissed CMO Joel Ewanick during the govt bailout days. They also gave LHD Camaros and Corvettes to the team.
The team – mostly rich guys driving RHD Lambos and Range Rovers – gave them to the grounds crew & trainers to use.
Was that monster pricetag agreed upon by the gent who gave us ‘Chevy Runs Deep’ worth it?
Time will tell ..,
500M over five years, way to go GM.
That team also plays in Asia where GM sells thousands of autos.
Friendlies, yes.
And they do follow the Premier League; lots of Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U fans –
Popular team going through a rough patch, though – I suspect the kit-maker’s the one who’s making the dosh.
A couple of points here:
– Manchester United has more followers globally than any other team regardless of sport … it is the biggest club in the world bar none.
– The English Premier League (football/soccer) is shown by 80 broadcasters in 212 countries around the world.
– The EPL season runs from August through to May … 10 months.
– Each team (Man Utd. included) plays twice a week.
– Every match is broadcast live and is available on catch-up TV.
– The players (11 per team) are on the pitch for 90 minutes each match. Together with all the bow-tie pitch-side advertising hoardings, that’s one heck of a lot of Chevy logos in your face for the full 90 minutes.
– Each match attracts on average more than 12 million viewers globally, so for Man Utd that’s probably 25-30 million viewers per week.
– Against the cost of Buick’s 1-minute advertising slot during half-time at Super-Bowl, Chevy’s $500m p/a cost in sponsoring Man Utd could be argued as great value!
– There are always red Corvettes, Camaros and the odd Suburban parked-up outside the front entrance to Old Trafford (Man Utd’s stadium) in Manchester. My guess is that this latest Camaro addition replaced one in which coffee had been spilt on the daily Starbuck’s drive-thru coffee run. Remember these Chevy’s are all LHD and the serving window at a UK drive-thru is on the right!
– Finally, Manchester United just happens to be owned by the American Glazer brothers.
In all, quite a shrewd move by both Chevrolet and the Glazer’s!
Right on all counts – especially shrewd of the Glazers.
But the bow-tie on the front of their kit isn’t an endorsement – it’s exposure; buying pitch-side signage would arguably accomplish the same thing.
Anyway, maybe Chevy overpaid for what they got out of it, maybe not.
At any rate, I think we’ve beaten this one into the ground (!). Cheers.
Most countries support their own companies, this doesn’t happen in America the big reason why we have a big trade imbalance. Look at all the Joint ventures with Japanese Auto manufacturers and all fail to get sales in Japan. Now GM is having problems with their S Korea investments. I do think GM needs to shake up its P/R Dept.
“Most countries support their own companies, this doesn’t happen in America the big reason why we have a big trade imbalance.”
It’s bizarre how many times this talking point has emerged on this site in 24 hours.
FORD, GM, and CHRYSLER do not make the most reliable cars.
I know that’s a mean broad brushstroke but THAT is why many American buyers have gone Asian. I also know there have been domestic improvements over the years but America is too ready and willing to make a crap car and hope nobody notices until the class action lawsuits hit.
Until the perception changes and, say, GM makes VERY reliable cars — sales will always be strained. GM really ought to do what KIA did — offer 6-10 year bumper to bumper warranties. This would FORCE them to make the cars EXTREMELY.
John Hart, Kelly Blue has given the Chev’s Impala the best buy award 4 years in a row. I think you are living in the past.
“I know that’s a mean broad brushstroke”
I think you’re skimming in the present 😉
People in America stopped trying to fix their cars decades ago, now people feel that the factory Nd dealership should handle any and all problems that come up.
It use to be if something on a car broke people brought the parts and fixed it! Wow what a concept! People just expect a mechanical device to operate with zero problems for 10 plus years. While driving the car like a mad man, and not keeping the car serviced properly. Then complain when it fails as if they were not part of the problem.
Cars should be rated by how they perform, handling, braking, powertrain, styling. Not how many miles you can drive without doing one once of maintenance.