May Auto Sales: Growth Hits The Brakes

Analyst forecasts for May were perhaps a little bearish on Ford and a little too bullish on GM, as the two remaining American automakers saw their volumes drop by 3% and 1% respectively (year-over-year) last month. Pickups seem to have been the highest hurt by high gas prices, as GM’s full-sizers dropped 14%, while Ford’s F-Series dropped 15% despite a 55% mix of Ecoboost V6-powered F-150s. But the real losers in May’s downturn were probably the Japanese automakers, whose numbers are just starting to come in, while the biggest winners appear to be the luxury brands, with Porsche up 50% and Maserati up 36%. Check back often as we update our developing table of US auto sales in May.

AutomakerMay 2011May 2010Pct. chng.5 month

20115 month

2010Pct. chng.BMW Group*26,49622,13520%116,87698,46519%BMW division20,65117,85916%92,06881,45013%Mini5,8014,23337%24,58816,80446%Rolls-Royce44432%2202114%BMW Group26,49622,13520%116,87698,46519%Chrysler Group LLC115,363104,81910%519,538434,73720%Chrysler Division16,36420,699–21%79,53990,233–12%Dodge40,20042,242–5%186,497163,47114%Dodge/Ram61,66761,1721%284,048238,46419%Fiat1,759––%3,141––%Jeep35,57322,94855%152,810106,04044%Ram21,46718,96013%97,55174,99330%Chrysler Group LLC115,363104,81910%519,538434,73720%Daimler AG**20,80219,8775%97,70890,7758%Maybach45–20%2428–14%Mercedes-Benz20,30619,1776%95,45887,9759%Smart USA492695–29%2,2262,772–20%Daimler AG20,80219,8775%97,70890,7758%Ford Motor Co.***191,529196,671–3%876,321805,6629%Ford division184,130175,1295%841,431703,32720%Ford/Lincoln/Mercury191,529192,0120%876,321782,45112%Lincoln7,3997,755–5%34,64237,444–8%Mercury–9,128–100%24841,680–99%Volvo–4,659–100%–23,211–100%Ford Motor Co.191,529196,671–3%876,321805,6629%General Motors****221,192223,410–1%1,046,275882,88519%Buick15,57912,58224%78,73156,89938%Cadillac11,62312,328–6%65,26252,99723%Chevrolet161,401167,023–3%747,700639,98117%GMC32,58929,9609%154,582122,61626%Hummer–1,290–100%–2,626–100%Pontiac–181–100%–815–100%Saab–––%–608–100%Saturn–46–100%–6,343–100%General Motors221,192223,410–1%1,046,275882,88519%Honda (American)†90,773117,173–23%523,550487,2827%Acura9,00011,766–24%51,97250,2783%Honda Division81,773105,407–22%471,578437,0048%Honda (American)90,773117,173–23%523,550487,2827%Hyundai Group††107,42680,47634%463,648342,74035%Hyundai division59,21449,04521%263,588204,57729%Kia48,21231,43153%200,060138,16345%Hyundai Group107,42680,47634%463,648342,74035%Jaguar Land Rover4,1623,67113%19,16116,40717%Jaguar1,27196232%5,0214,23319%Land Rover2,8912,7097%14,14012,17416%Jaguar Land Rover4,1623,67113%19,16116,40717%Maserati20615236%90873224%Maserati20615236%90873224%Mazda17,87522,605–21%103,07297,4816%Mazda17,87522,605–21%103,07297,4816%Mitsubishi7,5684,73760%35,81622,29261%Mitsubishi7,5684,73760%35,81622,29261%Nissan†††76,14883,764–9%433,032375,76215%Infiniti6,3898,091–21%40,98638,9965%Nissan Division69,75975,673–8%392,046336,76616%Nissan76,14883,764–9%433,032375,76215%Porsche2,8171,87350%12,9968,84247%Porsche2,8171,87350%12,9968,84247%Saab Cars North America‡385174121%3,150520506%Saab Cars North America385174121%3,150520506%Subaru20,03623,667–15%112,255104,3598%Subaru20,03623,667–15%112,255104,3598%Suzuki2,2901,90320%11,1249,51417%Suzuki2,2901,90320%11,1249,51417%Toyota‡‡108,387162,813–33%701,851705,938–1%Lexus12,30522,216–45%77,23790,098–14%Scion4,6964,11214%23,16517,26234%Toyota division91,386136,485–33%601,449598,5781%Toyota/Scion96,082140,597–32%624,614615,8401%Toyota108,387162,813–33%701,851705,938–1%Volkswagen‡‡‡40,78332,88224%172,204145,37219%Audi10,4579,20514%45,85839,83915%Bentley22613469%66557216%VW division30,10023,54328%125,681104,96120%Volkswagen40,78332,88224%172,204145,37219%Volvo Cars North America‡‡‡‡7,359––%29,203––%Volvo Cars North America7,359––%29,203––%Other (estimate)2442411%1,2201,2041%TOTAL1,061,8411,103,043–4%5,279,9084,630,96914%