GM December 2016 Sales Up 10.0% with 319,108 Vehicles sold, Down 1.3% For the Year + Bolt Preview

More profitable retail sales push and fleet decline is working.

Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – Jan. 5, 2016

2017 Chevrolet Bolt - $37,495 to start incl. the $875 D&H charge. Subtract the $7,500 tax credit if you qualify plus any state incentives and you can drive one for < $30k. 238 miles of all-electric range help move the bar as well.

It has already won Motor Trends Car of the Year at the 2016 LA Auto Show this past November and the North American Car of the Year at the 2017 North American Auto Show in Detroit earlier this month.

Standard features include Regen on Demand steering wheel paddle and 10.2-inch-diagonal color touch screen. The top-trim Premier model adds leather-appointed seats, front and rear heated seats, Surround Vision, and Rear Camera Mirror.

The BoltEVs premium attributes include the opportunity to charge from a very clean and 100 percent domestic power source and on-paper performance. Its Achilles heel? Charging times, charging costs – especially in Southern Calif., its small B/C segment size, and price for a car this small.

As we have already posted numerous times before, the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt is a clean-sheet design with crossover-like proportions despite appearing like a refreshed Sonic. It is powered by a single, 200 hp and 266 lb.-ft. of torque electric motor. Capable of launching the Bolt from 0 to 60 mph in < 7 seconds.

Powering the motor is a large 60 kWh Li-Ion battery pack able to be charged from the onboard 7.2 kW for Level-1 (120V) and Level-2 (240V) charger from flat in 60 or 9 hours respectively.

An optional SAE DC Fast Charging system can charge the battery from flat to 38 percent – 90 miles of range – in approximately 30 minutes.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt

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Inside, a large 10.2-inch-diagonal color touch-screen display with “flip-board” operation, rear camera mirror, and Surround Vision are standard.

LED headlamps and taillamps are also standard.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt Safety

Ten standard air bags including front, side, side curtains plus both driver and passenger front knee and outboard side airbags. A first in the B-Segment.

Optional active safety features including Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Alert and Forward Pedestrian Alert.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt ready for a drive near you…

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GM December Sale Overview

GM sold 319,108 vehicles in the U.S. in December, up 10 percent over the 290,230 sold in Dec. of 2015. With the excellent December sales results, GM gained 1.2 points of market share, at 18.9 percent. Of the big 14, this result was by far the largest. A significant point given the size of GMs operations here in the U.S.

GM achieved its best U.S. December retail sales performance since 2007.

YTD sales of 3,042,775 vehicles was down 1.3% vs 3,082,366 sold in 2015. Regarding the year over year market share, GM lost .3 percent.

GM’s average transaction prices (ATPs), retail transaction prices after sales incentives, and reached $36,386 in December, more than $4,000 above the industry average and up $740 from last month.

For the year, GM ATPs were $35,371, more than $4,260 above the industry average and up $720 over the 2015 average.

In December, GM’s incentive spending as a percent of ATP was 13.0 percent. For the year, GM’s incentive spending as a percent of ATP was 11.9 percent, below the incentive spending of its domestic and many global competitors.

GM December 2016 Brand Sales Highlights

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Chevrolet’s December retail sales were up 8 percent, keeping Chevrolet the industry’s fastest-growing brand. Chevrolet posted its best December retail sales performance since 2005 and its best calendar year retail performance since 2006.

December sales of Colorado, Trax, Equinox, and Traverse were up 20 percent, 43 percent, 38 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Spark, Impala, Volt, Sonic, Corvette and Malibu were up 210 percent, 95 percent, 76 percent, 50 percent, 10 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

The new in 2016 Chevrolet Volt achieved its best month and year ever and Equinox had its best month ever.

GMC’s December average transaction price (ATP) reached a December record of $45,209 and a calendar year record of $43,088.

Buick had its best year since 2005.

Cadillac’s December ATPs were $56,949, the highest monthly ATP in history.

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Consider the rankings, the Rogue climbed from outside the Top 10 in October, to 8th in November to 4th in December. Given the Star Wars "Rogue One" ties, this will surely become an MBA Marketing Case Study in the future.

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U.S. December 2016 Sales vs. December 2015 Sales Ranks and Results for the top 18 Automobile Manufacturers

GM December 2016 Sales of 319,108 Vehicles was up 10.0% vs 290,230 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Toyota December 2016 Sales of 243,229 Vehicles was up 2.0% vs 238,352 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Ford December 2016 Sales of 239,854 Vehicles was up 0.3% vs 239,242 sold in Dec. of 2015.
FCA December 2016 Sales of 192,519 Vehicles was down 10.0% vs 213,923 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Honda December 2016 Sales of 160,477 Vehicles was up 6.4% vs 150,893 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Nissan December 2016 Sales of 152,743 Vehicles was up 9.7% vs 139,300 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Subaru December 2016 Sales of 63,177 Vehicles was up 12.3% vs 56,274 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Hyundai December 2016 Sales of 62,305 Vehicles was down 1.9% vs 63,508 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Kia December 2016 Sales of 54,353 Vehicles was up 0.2% vs 54,241 sold in Dec. of 2015.
BMW December 2016 Sales of 37,493 Vehicles was down 5.4% vs 39,634 sold in Dec. of 2015.
VW December 2016 Sales of 37,229 Vehicles was up 20.3% vs 30,956 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Mercedes-Benz December 2016 Sales of 37,057 Vehicles was down 4.8% vs 38,918 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Mazda December 2016 Sales of 28,754 Vehicles was down 1.8% vs 29,294 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Audi December 2016 Sales of 23,195 Vehicles was up 13.7% vs 20,399 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Jaguar/Land Rover December 2016 Sales of 12,573 Vehicles was up 30.5% vs 9,638 sold in Dec. of 2015
Volvo December 2016 Sales of 10,129 Vehicles was up 8.4% vs 9,341 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Mitsubishi December 2016 Sales of 7,383 Vehicles was down 6.4% vs 7,887 sold in Dec. of 2015.
Porsche December 2016 Sales of 4,015 Vehicles was up 2.0% vs 3,936 sold in Dec. of 2015.

In December, Toyota moved ahead of Ford, Subaru moved ahead of Hyundai, and VW moved ahead of Mercedes-Benz in December.

--- 2016 U.S. Automobile Sales Details ---







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U.S. Total Sales for 2016 vs. 2015 Ranks and Results for the Top 18 Automobile Manufacturers

GM 2016 Sales of 3,042,775 Vehicles was down 1.3% vs 3,082,366 sold in 2015.
Ford 2016 Sales of 2,614,697 Vehicles was up 0.1% vs 2,613,162 sold in 2015.
Toyota 2016 Sales of 2,449,630 Vehicles was down 2.0% vs 2,499,319 sold in 2015.
FCA 2016 Sales of 2,244,315 Vehicles was down 0.3% vs 2,252,877sold in 2015.
Honda 2016 Sales of 1,637,942 Vehicles was up 3.2% vs 1,586,551 sold in 2015.
Nissan 2016 Sales of 1,564,423 Vehicles was down 5.4% vs 1,484,918 sold in 2015.
Hyundai 2016 Sales of 775,005 Vehicles was up 1.7% vs 761,710 sold in 2015.
Kia 2016 Sales of 647,598 Vehicles was up 3.5% vs 625,818 sold in 2015.
Subaru 2016 Sales of 615,132 Vehicles was up 5.6% vs 582,675 sold in 2015.
Mercedes-Benz 2016 Sales of 380,752 was up 0.1% vs 380,461 sold in 2015.
BMW 2016 Sales of 365,204 Vehicles was down 9.7% vs 404,537 sold in 2015.
VW 2016 Sales of 322,948 Vehicles was down 7.6% vs 349,440 sold in 2015.
Mazda 2016 Sales of 297,773 Vehicles was down 6.7% vs 319,183 sold in 2015.
Audi 2016 Sales of 210,213 Vehicles was up 4.0% vs 202,202 sold in 2015.
Jaguar/Land Rover 2016 Sales of 105,104 Vehicles was up 23.5% vs 85,048 sold in 2015.
Mitsubishi 2016 Sales of 96,267 Vehicles was up 1.0% vs 95,342 sold in 2015.
Volvo 2016 Sales of 82,724 Vehicles was up 18.1% vs 70,047 sold in 2015.
Porsche 2016 Sales of 54,280 Vehicles was up 4.9% vs 51,756 sold in 2015.

For the year, Mercedes moved ahead of BMW.

The auto industry posted strong December 2016 sales of more than 1.69 million vehicles, up 3.0 percent over the 1.64 million sold in December of 2015.

For the 8th consecutive year, 2016 YTD sales were up over the previous year as the automotive industry reached a record 17.49 million vehicles sold. That result surpassed 2015s sales record of 17.41 million vehicles delivered.

The seasonally-adjusted annual selling rate (SAAR) for light vehicles was an estimated 18.3 million units in December. This is the first time in History that the December SAAR has been over 18 million units.

The highly profitable Light Truck segment accounted for more than 60 percent of the overall market in 2016.