February Sales Final Table: Strongest Month In 4 Years

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

February sales are coming in stronger than expected, indicating a post-Presidents Day boom. Chrysler and Volkswagen lead the charts with a 40 and 43 percent gain over February 2011.

February 2012 New Car Sales

AutomakerFeb. 2012Feb. 2011Pct. chng.2 month


20122 month


2011Pct. chng.BMW Group26,21619,94931%45,98738,63519% BMW division21,20416,41629%37,60932,32116% Mini4,9803,50342%8,3146,25433% Rolls-Royce32307%64607%BMW Group26,21619,94931%45,98738,63519%Chrysler Group133,52195,10240%234,670165,22042% Chrysler Division27,00812,628114%44,61222,333100% Dodge42,69233,56127%74,14657,87528% Dodge/Ram65,97453,85523%115,89891,18927% Fiat3,227––%5,138––% Jeep37,31228,61930%69,02251,68934% Ram23,28220,29415%41,75233,31425%Chrysler Group133,52195,10240%234,670165,22042%Daimler AG19,68316,66318%41,41334,29721% Maybach4333%8633% Mercedes-Benz18,91016,17617%40,14033,44920% Smart USA76948459%1,26584250%Daimler AG19,68316,66318%41,41334,29721% Ford Motor Co. 178,644156,23214%314,938283,21311% Ford division171,732150,28414%302,905271,45912% Lincoln6,9125,94816%12,03311,5065% Mercury–––%–248–100%Ford178,644156,23214%314,938283,21311%General Motors209,306207,0281%377,268385,925–2% Buick14,02315,807–11%24,23129,076–17% Cadillac11,50515,768–27%20,42928,349–28% Chevrolet151,197142,9196%275,061268,3083% GMC32,58132,5340%57,54760,192–4%General Motors209,306207,0281%377,268385,925–2%Honda (American)110,15798,05912%193,166174,32811% Acura11,25810,7964%19,63918,7575% Honda Division98,89987,26313%173,527155,57112%Honda (American)110,15798,05912%193,166174,32811%Hyundai Group96,18976,33926%174,400141,34223% Hyundai division51,15143,53318%93,84580,74716% Kia45,03832,80637%80,55560,59533%Hyundai Group96,18976,33926%174,400141,34223%Jaguar Land Rover4,2773,24732%8,4676,45331% Jaguar1,02269248%2,0071,62723% Land Rover3,2552,55527%6,4604,82634%Jaguar Land Rover4,2773,24732%8,4676,45331%Maserati19115920%34527326%Maserati19115920%34527326%Mazda25,65119,38732%49,64733,65448%Mazda25,65119,38732%49,64733,65448%Mitsubishi4,7366,893–31%9,44712,607–25%Mitsubishi4,7366,893–31%9,44712,607–25%Nissan106,73192,37016%186,044164,21713% Infiniti9,2399,1441%16,03516,549–3% Nissan Division97,49283,22617%170,009147,66815%Nissan106,73192,37016%186,044164,21713%Porsche2,1492,0196%4,6994,4196%Porsche2,1492,0196%4,6994,4196%Saab Cars North America–581–100%–1,239–100%Saab–581–100%–1,239–100%Subaru25,37421,68317%48,18140,54119%Subaru25,37421,68317%48,18140,54119%Suzuki2,4251,64348%3,9304,205–7%Suzuki2,4251,64348%3,9304,205–7%Toyota159,423141,84612%283,963257,70210% Lexus16,67813,81421%28,95226,6749% Scion4,9383,94425%8,4737,21917% Toyota division137,807124,08811%246,538223,80910% Toyota/Scion142,745128,03212%255,011231,02810%Toyota159,423141,84612%283,963257,70210%Volkswagen39,23429,31634%75,91555,61037% Audi8,5317,75310%17,88515,56515% Bentley12610125%24418333% VW division30,57721,46243%57,78639,86245%Volkswagen39,23429,31634%75,91555,61037%Volvo Cars NA5,2634,79510%9,7249,0717%Volvo Cars NA5,2634,79510%9,7249,0717%Other (estimate)2622553%5245103%TOTAL1,149,432993,56616%2,062,7281,813,46114%

February shapes up to be the strongest month in almost four years, says Automotive News [sub], which also supplied this table.

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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  • Getacargetacheck Getacargetacheck on Mar 01, 2012

    Something doesn't seem right about 480% and 315% increases for the Chrysler 300 and 200 respectively. Major fleet sales push? Incentives?

    • See 2 previous
    • Th009 Th009 on Mar 01, 2012

      Part of the reason the increases are astronomical is because last year's numbers were bad. And that 315% doesn't include Sebring in the 2011 count. 300: -- Feb 2010: 4487 -- Feb 2011: 1323 -- Feb 2012: 7670 (up 70% over 2010, up 480% over 2011) 200/Sebring: -- Feb 2010: 3160 -- Feb 2011: 3000 -- Feb 2012: 9717 (up 208% over 2010, up 224% over 2011)

  • Monty Monty on Mar 02, 2012

    SAAB? Hello? Are you there?

  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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