WASHINGTON (MNI) – The following is an initial summary of the
August U.S. sales performance of select auto manufacturers announced
Thursday:
* General Motors Co. Thursday reported total sales of 218,479
vehicles in August, an 18% increase compared with August 2010. Retail
deliveries were up 22% compared with the same month a year ago and
accounted for 74% of GM sales. Deliveries to fleet customers increased
8%. In August, year-over-year passenger car sales increased 18%,
crossover sales increased 17% and truck sales increased 18%. GM
continues to expect that the full-year seasonally adjusted annual rate
for U.S. vehicle sales will be in the low end of a 13.0 million to 13.5
million unit range.
* Ford’s August sales totaled 175,220, up 11% versus a year ago
– driven by 16% higher Ford brand sales and 25% higher sales for
Lincoln. Year-to-date, Ford brand car sales totaled 484,072, up 22%.
Ford truck sales were higher than a year ago in August and year-to-date.
August truck sales totaled 67,282, up 5%. Year-to-date, Ford truck sales
totaled 509,544, up 8%.
* Chrysler Group LLC Thursday reported U.S. sales of 130,119, a
31% increase compared with sales in August 2010 (99,611 units), and the
best August sales since 2007. Chrysler Group’s 31% sales increase was
well above the industry average in August. Chrysler Group’s car sales
increased 23% in August, while the group’s truck sales were up 33%
compared with the same month a year ago. Chrysler Group finished the
month with a 59-day supply of inventory (294,347 units).
* Nissan North America Thursday reported August U.S. sales of
91,541 units versus 76,827 units a year earlier, an increase of 19.2%.
Nissan vehicles posted August sales of 82,517 units, an increase of
22.4% over the 67,399 units sold in August 2010. Infiniti sales totaled
9,024 units for the month of August, a decrease of 4.3% versus 9,428 a
year earlier.
* Volkswagen of America Thursday reported 25,232 units sold in
August 2011, a 10.4% increase over prior year sales. Year-to-date sales
are up 20.7%. Volkswagen Jetta sales (including SportWagen) totaled
10,667 units, a 35.9% increase over last year.
* Kia Motors America Thursday announced best-ever August sales
of 41,188 units, a 26.9% increase over the same period last year and the
company’s 12th straight monthly sales record. Year-to-date sales were up
39.4%.
* Porsche Cars North America Thursday announced August 2011
sales of 2,184 vehicles, an increase of 7% compared to the same period
last year, when it sold 2,032 vehicles. To date in 2011, the company has
sold 20,494 cars. In the same eight-month period last year, Porsche
sales were 15,719; thus, with August results Porsche U.S. sales
increased 30% year-to-date.
* Subaru of America, Inc. Thursday announced August 2011 sales
of 20,837 and 174,616 year-to-date.
** Market News International Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **
[TOPICS: M$U$$$,MAUDS$]