October Sales: The Final Numbers

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

October sales data are coming in, and most are below forecast. Chrysler, Ford, and GM sold less than analysts predicted. Analysts had higher hopes for Toyota also. Volkswagen, up 23 percent, more or less met expectations. We have the final sales table, courtesy of Automotive News [sub].

Chrysler and GM pointed fingers at Sandy. Chrysler said it made its numbers “In spite of Hurricane Sandy.” GM said it had a solid October “in a month that was marked by a devastating national tragedy.” Even Volkswagen mentioned that over 25 percent of its U.S. dealerships were affected by the storm along the eastern United States. Ford did not mention the storm in its sales release.

AutomakerOct. 2012Oct. 2011Pct. chng.10 month


201210 month


2011Pct. chng.BMW Group32,37127,31819%267,587246,9028% BMW division26,45121,87321%212,848199,5527% Mini5,8885,4159%54,41947,05016% Rolls-Royce32307%3203007%BMW Group32,37127,31819%267,587246,9028%Chrysler Group126,185114,51210%1,376,8551,123,92323% Chrysler Division22,22221,2445%263,688178,79548% Dodge40,61133,73420%432,523379,17514% Dodge/Ram66,22055,57019%677,492589,77615% Fiat3,7201,96589%36,46215,826130% Jeep34,02335,733–5%399,213339,52618% Ram25,60921,83617%244,969210,60116%Chrysler Group126,185114,51210%1,376,8551,123,92323%Daimler AG26,64524,4539%241,019210,74714% Maybach34–25%393126% Mercedes-Benz25,64424,1226%232,671206,63213% Smart USA998327205%8,3094,084104%Daimler AG26,64524,4539%241,019210,74714%Ford Motor Co.167,947167,5020%1,853,0151,767,2135% Ford division162,793161,4081%1,783,9811,696,0305% Lincoln5,1546,094–15%69,03470,935–3% Mercury–––%–248–100%Ford167,947167,5020%1,853,0151,767,2135%General Motors195,764186,8955%2,163,4792,089,0444% Buick13,38411,68715%150,646151,779–1% Cadillac13,50511,79515%117,017124,985–6% Chevrolet135,305131,8043%1,555,6881,485,7375% GMC33,57031,6096%340,128326,5434%General Motors195,764186,8955%2,163,4792,089,0444%Honda (American)106,97398,3339%1,173,431958,13023% Acura12,16311,1159%127,936100,26128% Honda Division94,81087,2189%1,045,495857,86922%Honda (American)106,97398,3339%1,173,431958,13023%Hyundai Group92,72390,0923%1,067,451950,41112% Hyundai division50,27152,402–4%590,085545,3168% Kia42,45237,69013%477,366405,09518%Hyundai Group92,72390,0923%1,067,451950,41112%Jaguar Land Rover3,8284,795–20%45,05239,76013% Jaguar699909–23%10,24910,2240% Land Rover3,1293,886–20%34,80329,53618%Jaguar Land Rover3,8284,795–20%45,05239,76013%Maserati24018728%2,2241,89218%Maserati24018728%2,2241,89218%Mazda18,62218,3262%228,104209,6419%Mazda18,62218,3262%228,104209,6419%Mitsubishi3,9814,378–9%50,10370,253–29%Mitsubishi3,9814,378–9%50,10370,253–29%Nissan79,68582,346–3%946,169856,42511% Infiniti8,7576,86228%95,35379,04321% Nissan Division70,92875,484–6%850,816777,3829%Nissan79,68582,346–3%946,169856,42511%Saab Cars North America–337–100%–4,984–100%Saab–337–100%–4,984–100%Subaru26,11920,08130%271,582215,63126%Subaru26,11920,08130%271,582215,63126%Suzuki2,0391,9475%21,18822,231–5%Suzuki2,0391,9475%21,18822,231–5%Toyota155,242134,04616%1,726,6661,328,56930% Lexus19,85018,09210%190,840153,73924% Scion5,8873,95249%62,37741,55950% Toyota division129,505112,00216%1,473,4491,133,27130% Toyota/Scion135,392115,95417%1,535,8261,174,83031%Toyota155,242134,04616%1,726,6661,328,56930%Volkswagen49,49240,71522%500,294385,33230% Audi11,70810,22515%112,40295,20618% Bentley22216237%1,8661,42231% Lamborghini402938%40028242% Porsche3,2112,27042%28,22624,93413% VW division34,31128,02922%357,400263,48836%Volkswagen49,49240,71522%500,294385,33230%Volvo Cars NA4,2004,899–14%55,82657,054–2%Volvo Cars NA4,2004,899–14%55,82657,054–2% Other (estimate)2382284%2,3802,2775%TOTAL1,092,2941,021,3907%11,992,42510,540,41914%
Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Philadlj Philadlj on Nov 01, 2012

    - Considering Sandy took a good 5+ sales days away from car buyers in the most densely-populated region of the country (essentially making October the shortest sales month of 2012), these numbers don't look that bad. - Volt Life Watch: 2,961 more Volts left showrooms in the U.S., besting September and August before it as its best month yet, and leaving it 691 sales shy of 20K (not counting Canada's 927 sales). - Also of note: The CTS falls as the ATS rises, while the Verano continues to mop the floor with its Regal big brother, outselling it more than 2-to-1. - Finally, the Chevy Spark city car "no one will buy" found more than 2,000 more takers, upping it's abbreviated 2012 total to 8,447 sales. Combined with strong Octobers for the Cruze and Sonic, Chevy is excelling in the small car segment like never before.

    • See 5 previous
    • Freddy M Freddy M on Nov 02, 2012

      @Freddy M Changing the model name over and over in an attempt to hope people will disassociate the new model from the old model is very tricky. I was one of the skeptics who said "yeah right, it's an Aveo." Luckily, it so wasn't. I think they made the right move in renaming and re-branding it. Had it stayed as an Aveo, it would have been a much harder sell. And would probably not have been enjoying the success it is now instead being on a very slow crawl up the ladder as word started to spread that it was actually a good car.

  • Danio3834 Danio3834 on Nov 01, 2012

    Good to see Lambo sales are up 38% or... 11 more cars.

  • 28-Cars-Later So Honda are you serious again or will the lame continue?
  • Fred I had a 2009 S-line mine was chipped but otherwise stock. I still say it was the best "new" car I ever had. I wanted to get the new A3, but it was too expensive, didn't come with a hatch and no manual.
  • 3-On-The-Tree If Your buying a truck like that your not worried about MPG.
  • W Conrad I'd gladly get an EV, but I can't even afford anything close to a new car right now. No doubt if EV's get more affordable more people will be buying them. It is a shame so many are stuck in their old ways with ICE vehicles. I realize EV's still have some use cases that don't work, but for many people they would work just fine with a slightly altered mindset.
  • Master Baiter There are plenty of affordable EVs--in China where they make all the batteries. Tesla is the only auto maker with a reasonably coherent strategy involving manufacturing their own cells in the United States. Tesla's problem now is I think they've run out of customers willing to put up with their goofy ergonomics to have a nice drive train.
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