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GM Trucks Retail Market Share Up 3 Percent In Q2 2019

The retail market share of GM’s light-duty pickup trucks – the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 – saw a three percent uptick during the second quarter of 2019 compared to the first quarter of 2019. That places the total retail market share for light-duty GM trucks at 36.5 percent, currently the highest in the industry.

That much is according to GM Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Dhivya Suryadevara, who broke the good news during the recent Q2 2019 earnings call.

“We’ve done this with a very thoughtful launch strategy and a disciplined use of incentives with share growth concentrated in the over 50,000 average transaction price segment,” Suryadevara said during the call. “We have a leading retail share in the Crew Cab segment. And as we continue the light-duty truck rollout in Q3 and Q4, we expect share in the high value and high volumes of the market to increase. We also see opportunity for share improvement as we tap into profitable fleet business and launch diesel models later this year.”

As we reported yesterday, Suryadevara also stated that the automaker’s rollout cadence of the all-new GM trucks, which started with more premium trim levels in the Crew Cab body style and then expanded to other cabs, trim levels, and engines, is working. Though GM’s Chevy Silverado ceded its second best-selling position in the sales charts to the Ram Pickup during the first half of 2019, it’s obvious that the circumstance was caused by limited availability of high-volume pickups that are starting to roll into showrooms en masse during the second half of the year. To that end, GM expects even more upside in the pickup truck space during that period.

The GM Authority Take

Remember all those criticisms of the all-new 2020 Chevrolet Silverado and 2020 GMC Sierra, that they had uncompetitive interiors, underpowered engines, and undesirable features, and that that new Ram pickup would eat the two GM trucks for breakfast? Well, looks now like the tables have turned.

At the end of the day, retail sales (as opposed to fleet sales) are matter the most to an automaker, as those are what deliver the most money by a significant margin. The fact that the new GM trucks are now enjoying the largest retail market share in the industry, at a whopping 36.5 percent, tells us The General is indeed doing something right in this business-critical and highly-competitive segment.

Further good news followed GM’s recent Q2 earnings report, with a three-percent rise in GM stock right after the news broke. Unfortunately, the rally was not sustained thanks to the ongoing political skirmish between the U.S. and China.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Interior does need work on the High Country and Denali. It’s fine on LTZ and lower.

    But otherwise it’s a great truck. A year ago I didn’t like the design but it’s grown on me, especially after seeing them in person. Whereas the Ram is already looking kinda boring.

    I’m surprised they’re already scooping up market share. Which is good of course. I’ve been saying since the spring that I see more 2019 GMs 1500s than I do 2019 Rams.. and Rams sales are manipulated since the 2018 carryover as the 2019 Classic has skewed sales and perception of how well the real 2019 is doing. And now Mike Manly at Ram is saying they will continue selling the Classic model and even update it. Why make a midsize (Jeep Gladiator is too niche to count) when you can continue making the old generation fullsize and sell it for midsize money.

    Reply
    1. I think the new trucks are great. I don’t know about the High Country or Denali because I don’t buy high dollar half-tons for $60k. The LTZ I was in was pretty nice. I wish it had adaptive cruise control but other than that, it had a ton of payload capacity, solid tow rating, and the powertrain was super smooth. DFM is worlds better than any AFM/DOD/MDS system I’ve ever driven. So smooth I can’t tell its even doing anything, you just see the fuel economy average climb higher and higher. The front suspension is great, way better than the old IFS design they’ve been using for decades. Nice tight turn radius and a planted feeling when going around corners. The whole truck is way better than the 2014-18 design.

      Reply
      1. DFM is amazing. I can’t even tell when it’s shutting cylinders off. I just see 24-25 MPG highway with the cruise set at 60 mph. I wish the 2019 trucks had adaptive cruise too.

        Reply
  2. “At the end of the day, retail sales (as opposed to fleet sales) are matter the most to an automaker, as those are what deliver the most money by a significant margin. The fact that the new GM trucks are now enjoying the largest retail market share in the industry, at a whopping 36.5 percent, tells us The General is indeed doing something right in this business-critical and highly-competitive segment.”

    I guess if GM is gaining retail market share, the F-series sales numbers in the first two quarters of this year are losing retail sales and making up for that loss with extra fleet sales?

    Reply
    1. That’s how I understand it. Same for Ram.

      Ram specifically is pushing hard into fleets… which make little profit. This is the case for all of FCA, actually.

      Commercial, which is also fleet, can make decent money… but ram isn’t making much of a dent in that sector from what I have seen.

      Reply
      1. It seemed a bit odd that Ford stopped breaking down sales numbers by retail and fleet. In the past that data was provided. Must not want to highlight their retail/fleet split now that interest rates are putting the brakes on auto sales. I didn’t know that Ram was pushing into fleet sales so aggressively either.

        Reply
  3. So GM is now gaining market share in the highest profit segment as the auto industry is facing what could turn out to be the biggest transition in history!

    With Ford continuing to chase the fleet queen sales numbers and Dodge chasing market share with what was previously reported to be 60% of sales going to the discounted “classic” Ram? HAH!

    It’s starting to look like GM has it’s finger squarely on the pulse of the future of the industry.

    So yeah, Jonathan Lopez “Remember all those criticisms”, I hear there’s a special going on for “crow” at most “Nay-Sayers” Buffet’s nation wide!

    LMFAO! Can’t wait to see the C8 shame the supercar segment as well!

    Reply
  4. I’m a naysayer on GM giving what the customer wants. A $50,000 truck that lacks the standard content an ’18 model had is nothing to brag about.
    Neither is this”news”. Anyone familiar with the auto industry knows that Ford has pushed fleet sales over the years to claim their “#1 seller” title. Followers of the industry realize FCA’s strategy to gain market share. People who know always knew GM led retail sales. What GM does not get is we, the buyers, are not stupid and despite the spin they are placing with losing overall market share with boasts of the roll out going according to plan, they have built a sub par Chevrolet/GMC truck with this current next gen design………
    and the RETAIL buyers know that!

    Reply
    1. I agree with Chevy Guy I am a current Chevy owner and I am glad I bought an 18 and not a 19. Truth be told the Dodge and Ford seem better than the 19’s. I sure hope Chevy can pull it out of the ditch.

      Reply
  5. Oh, and all you mid level GM managers that get on here when a fluff story like this goes out, you are not fooling anyone either.
    So “thumbs down” that all you want.

    Reply
    1. I think it’s also curious that they’re combining Chevy/GMC 1500 sales. We know GM as a corporation sells piles of trucks altogether but this article combines the two brands as though it’s one vehicle. The article lacks specific industry numbers across the board to paint a complete picture of sales and market share.

      GM will sell tons of Silverado and GMC T1’s this year and I’m seeing them on the road more and more but I’ll wait for actual year end numbers to see what has happened in the industry and not make judgment on a vague fluff piece one way or the other.

      Reply
      1. They combine them because it was information provided to investors. They just want to know how many trucks they sold. They are not so intensely concerned about how one badge is selling compared to the other version of the same truck with a different badge.

        Reply
  6. Another thing I have noticed is that GM has destroyed the Blazer name my marketing it as a metrosexual vehicle . Meanwhile Ford is bringing back the Bronco and Jeeps are flying off the shelves. Maybe they need to do like Ram and put truck people in charge and quit pussyfooting around with sissified versions of what truck buyers love!!

    Reply
  7. Another thing I have noticed is that GM has destroyed the Blazer name my marketing it as a metrosexual vehicle . Meanwhile Ford is bringing back the Bronco and Jeeps are flying off the shelves. Maybe they need to do like Ram and put truck people in charge and quit messing around with wimpy versions of what truck buyers love!!

    Reply
    1. LOL so you’re implying that the Ram 1500 is built to appeal to truck buyers but the Silverado and Sierra aren’t? ALL of the things that the 2019 Ram 1500 is getting praise for are distinctly NOT characteristics important to a truck. It get’s praised for its CAR like ride quality (hence why it has a car like payload capacity). It gets praised for it’s car like luxurious interior (complete with a minivan shift knob). Just because they dress the Ram 1500 up with a truck-like exterior doesn’t mean it isn’t built like a car. It’s a Dodge Charger with a bed attached. Note how Ram totally ignored any improvements to the bed and still doesn’t have any true answer to the Ford tailgate step or GM bumper steps. The interior of the bed is the least useful when it comes to tie downs and has the least volume of the three. They sacrificed strength by replacing the forged aluminum control arms with plastic control arms (oh right “composite” — extra thin sheetmetal relying on plastic to help hold its shape). As much as Ram bragged about payload ratings, the nice trims that guys would actually want to own have just as low of payload ratings as ever. I literally laughed out loud when I saw the truck review article by Car and Driver in December 2018. The 2019 Ram 1500 Limited they tested had a 7,100 pound gross vehicle weight rating but due to it’s obesity and extra soft suspension, had a payload rating of less than 1,000 pounds. I’m pretty sure my neighbor’s Tacoma has a higher payload rating than that.

      The Blazer was never a prestigious off-road SUV. It had a little credibility way back when it first came out but old GM ruined the name in the 90’s. Same with Ford and the Bronco. The Bronco II was also terrible and really hurt its legacy. Judging by all the information out so far on the Bronco 3, it’s going to be an mediocre off-roader and will fail to even match up with the Toyota 4Runner let alone the Jeep Wranglers. No solid front axle, 2.3 ecoboost as the main engine option, and knowing Ford, they’ll using that same weak unreliable vacuum actuated 4WD plastic hubs that have been failing left and right on 2015-present F-150’s. It’ll be a watered down RWD SUV with a bloated price tag and underwhelming off-road capability.

      Reply
  8. Even with that I still say the missed an opportunity. Think where they could be with better looks and better interior.

    I know looks are subjective but most people I know and read about think they could and should have done better on the interior.

    Reply
  9. The sad thing and its evident with this site is that liberalism has come to the truck world. A lot of America still owns guns, drives trucks , hunts and fishes and hauls hay. Its a shame that we are trying to make trucks to appease a small portion of the buyers and not listening to the masses. Hopefully with some better non democrat sponsored management GM will get better.

    Reply
    1. If GM began offering hybrid truck models, they will gain the “environmentalists” market.

      Reply
    2. The biggest truck market is the people who use them as commuters. Not second amendment militia.

      FYI, i hunt, i fish, i tow a 21ft boat, but my truck is still more of a commuter vehicle for me and that’s why it has leather, a sun roof, and premium infotainment-audio packages.

      Reply
    3. What? Now truck design is based on political affiliation? Dumbest comment ever.

      Reply
    4. The libs are buying Ram’s because they soak up the pot holes on their shopping trips downtown.

      Reply
  10. Looks like a few other folks were not fooled by this “story”.

    Reply
  11. GM has a lot to catch up when Ford begins to market the new F-150 hyrbid models for 2020. That alone will kill new GM truck sales, as the hybrid model will increase its HP and torque numbers, yet gain better MPG, and add value to supply 120 VAC power for remote applications.

    The electric model will gain even more torque. Search for the YouTube video showing a prototype electric F-150 pulling a train loaded with 42 conventional F-150 trucks as cargo.

    Reply
    1. Too bad a big chunk of their profits will go to Rivian, that’s what happens when you buy someone else’s tech.

      Think Cummins or Aisin!

      Reply
    2. That moving the rail cars with a load and a truck is not really that impressive. We used to move loaded grain cars with two men and a manual car mover lever. Loaded, they were up to 143 tons, and two of us would use the tool under the wheels to move it down the track to make room for the next rail car to be loaded. It wasn’t easy by any stretch, but two people as opposed to a few hundred horsepower, well, the hp should do it with ease.

      Reply
      1. Agreed. Car & Driver just got into this and steel wheels on rails has the lowest coefficient of drag of all other systems. That’s why trains use them. Put all that weight on rubber tires and it won’t budge an inch.

        Reply
  12. Raymond Ramirez
    I agree but somewhat disagree at the same time.Here is why.
    GM already offered a Hybrid Sierra and SIlverado and even Tahoe and Escalade. They didn’t sell well. Now it’s been sometime ago when they offered this so it might do better now and with that thinking I agree with you.
    The truth is I don’t think there is a huge mainstream demand for electrification or autonomy. A hybrid powertrain in a truck does make sense but it is still expensive and complex.
    Kind of goes against the grain of the “simple and reliable” feeling people got with pickups.

    Reply
    1. Those eAssist hybrids weren’t widely available and weren’t marketed well (they actually were offered up to 2018). I think you’re referring to the older system though, that was paired specifically to the 6.2 and didn’t really save much fuel.
      That eAssist is more like what Ram has now with the eTorque than it is a conventional hybrid.

      Reply
  13. Ill take the second amendment militia as a compliment . Trucks are commuter vehicles due to their expense I can not afford a second car to drive back and forth to work in. The thing that wrong with the trucks is an every emerging trend in America. What was once built for people in blue jeans and overalls , is often ruined by people in suit . I feel that GM just needs to listen to people who are passionate about trucks and SUV’s.

    Reply
    1. How haven’t listened to people passionate about trucks? The 2019 Silverado and Sierra are the most “truck like” trucks on the market. Leaf spring rear suspension, average payload ratings ranging from 1800-2100 pounds, 500 MPa high strength steel bed that’s stronger than Ram’s 350 MPa HSS bed and Ford’s aluminum foil bed, IFS that doesn’t use plastic control arms like the Ram 1500, 4WD that doesn’t use plastic hub locks like the F-150, two V8’s and an I6 diesel coming soon, etc. They designed the new trucks to do work, not worry about getting it to ride like a car or making commercials talking about “military grade” aluminum foil.

      Reply
  14. Let the butt hurt begin. My kids didn’t play soccer , we don’t ride bicycles on roads meant for cars either. Also we do not drink expensive coffee. We use our trucks for everything , from driving to work to going to church to being in the woods hunting. The ones on here who actually use trucks and need them speak from experience , not from scientific standpoints. GM has stepped up to the plate and swung and missed a lot lately . I think its time for new management , better ideas, mixed with some retro flair.

    Reply
  15. I`ve seen a lot of naysayers on this site regarding the new GM trucks. But apparently the buying public has taken a liking to them. I personally thought they would catch on with time.

    Reply
  16. Well if they all perform like my 17 Silverado they can stay on the lot. V8 to v4 is an absolute joke. I named mine Herkey Jerkey. Hit a small bump in a parking lot and the power steering went out. Fuel Management System is a complete disaster. Just as it was in the 80s on cars. I want my 04 pickup back. Do the new ones do the BS v8 to v4?

    Reply
    1. Yes and no. The AFM does the V8 to V4, the Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM) can shut down different cylinders in 17 different combinations, down to one cylinder. Having driven a DFM vehicle, you can’t feel the cylinders dropping in and out, and wouldn’t know if you’re on eight cylinders or two while cruising. DFM is available on higher trim levels.

      Reply
      1. Yeah you can’t tell DFM is even doing anything. 100 times better than AFM, DOD or MDS.

        Reply
  17. More BS they trying to make a turd shine again saying they are doing so good with there light duty trucks

    Reply
  18. The 2 major issues I have with these trucks are the interiors on LTZ/High Country and Denali trim levels and the de-contenting to fund Mary’s triple zero future. I live in the here and now and don’t want to feel ripped off after having spent 45-50K for a truck that is missing things it had in the past or what its competitors had.

    I have no issues with the 5.3 as they are a good all around engine that despite what many want to believe give equivalent and sometimes better performance than the Ram’s old 5.7 Hemi and better real world fuel economy despite the EPA’s attempts to downgrade there mileage ratings with the silly frontal area increasing bull crap story. I also find little wrong with exterior styling especially now that the Silverado rounded off the wheel wells and the GMC looks noticeably different now. They have more pizazz than the outgoing trucks which look like they are from another generation 10 years ago.

    Reply
  19. The 2020 diesel is gonna kill it, end of story

    Reply
    1. The 6.2 and 10-speed being available in the Trail Boss, RST, and Custom Trail Boss is going to kill it even more.

      Reply

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