Built in the same plant as the late, unlamented Chevrolet Vega, the Cruze is light years ahead of previous GM small cars.
General Motors Co. posted sales of more than 2.36 million during Q1 of 2013, an increase of 3.6%, in a global auto industry that was up 1.5%, compared with the same period in 2012.Chevrolet sold more than 1.18 million vehicles around the world in the first quarter, its 10th consecutive quarter of record global sales.
The increase was led by the compact Cruze sedan, which surpassed the 2 million mark in total global sales since its launch in 2009. The Cruze introduction in the U.S. was delayed for more than a year because of the GM bankruptcy, but now a Cruze diesel engine model will debut in the U.S. later this year.
During Q1, Chevrolet U.S. sales totaled more than 469,000, up nearly 5%. Sales of the updated Traverse were up 22% for the quarter, and helped to boost GM’s total share of the U.S. crossover market 2.5 points.
Other markets posting sales increases include Brazil with sales of 141,000 up more than 3% primarily on the strength of the Onix, which accounted for nearly 24% of first quarter sales; China with sales of 165,000, up 2.5%; and Thailand with sales of 17,000, up 14%.
“Chevrolet is growing around the world by leveraging GM’s global engineering and design expertise to deliver the right products in the right markets,” said Mark Reuss, GM president of North America.
In the first quarter, Chevrolet U.S. sales totaled more than 469,000, up nearly 5%. Sales of the updated Traverse were up 22% for the quarter, and helped to boost GM’s total share of the U.S. crossover market 2.5 points.
Other markets posting sales increases include Brazil with sales of 141,000 up more than 3% primarily on the strength of the Onix, which accounted for nearly 24% of first quarter sales; China with sales of 165,000, up 2.5%; and Thailand with sales of 17,000, up 14%.
| Chevrolet |
Q1 2013 |
% Change |
| United States |
469,000 |
4.8 |
| China |
165,000 |
2.5 |
| Brazil |
141,000 |
3.2 |
| Mexico |
44,000 |
5.9 |
| Argentina |
37,000 |
(11.0) |
Chevrolet is in the midst of a revised global product rollout with 25 new or what GM claims are significantly redesigned, including the Corvette Stingray, Silverado and Impala in the United States and the Spin, Tram, Orlando and Colorado in major markets around the world.
On a corporate basis, GM first quarter 2013 sales in North America were up more than 8% and nearly 7% throughout its International Operations.
| General Motors Global Sales | 2013 | 2012 | % Change |
% Industry |
% Industry |
| North America |
761,616 |
704,159 |
8.2 |
17.1 |
16.7 |
| Europe |
372,634 |
397,977 |
(6.4) |
8.3 |
8.2 |
| South America |
234,474 |
247,582 |
(5.3) |
17.2 |
18.3 |
| International Operations* |
992,234 |
928,474 |
6.9 |
9.6 |
9.4 |
| Total Global |
2,360,958 |
2,278,192 |
3.6 |
11.4 |
11.2 |
| GM North America = United States, Canada, Mexico and other North American markets
GM in Europe = Western, Central and Eastern Europe plus Russia/ CIS GM International Operations = Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East Note: Iran, North Korea, Syria and Sudan are excluded from sales volume and market share calculations |
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