GM Sales Fall 20 Percent

Unlike Chrysler, GM reaped substantial increases in small-car sales from Uncle Sam’s short-lived Cash For Clunkers program. And yet, Chrysler-like, the boost still couldn’t give GM a month-on-month sales increase. A 160 percent jump in Aveo sales can’t hurt; volume topped 12k units. The equally reviled (at leastin these parts) Chevrolet Cobalt was also up by 13.8 percent. The hecho en Mexico HHR up 26 percent. Malibu sales rose by 11.1 percent. The new Equinox got off to a hot start, moving 13,157 units. The last of the Pontiac G6s were hustled out the door, as volume rose nearly 26 percent to 13,133 units (Vibe up 38 percent). Otherwise? You better have plenty of room set aside in the “not so good” column.

Buick is still waiting for a LaCrosse-led turnaround. The brand shed 51.7 percent of its sales between its two models. Cadillac is similarly effed, losing 55 percent of its sales volume (with only the SRX increasing, by nearly 30 percent). Pontiac saw its sales increase on strong Vibe and G6 volume. But one assumes the profit margins for the dead brand walking are minuscule. At best.

Chevy’s Camaro continues to sell well at 8,680 units. Corvette made up for the increase by falling off a cliff; only 746 units were sold in August, an 82 percent drop. Chevy and GMC’s compact pickups got a C4C shot in the arm, increasing 12.3 and 34.9 percent respectively. But full-sized pickups suffered, with Sierra, Avalanche and Silverado lines dropping by 40 percent or more.

Lambda CUVs were mixed, with the newest version, the Traverse, gaining 11,465 units. The established Acadia dropped 25 percent to 5,497, while the Enclave dropped 31.7 percent and the Saturn Outlook fell 66 percent.