AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

June Sales Mixed
Car Sales up - Trucks Down

The traditional domestic automakers were hampered by a continued decline of the truck market. Car and crossover sales were generally good across brands, but trucks and truck-based SUV trucks were down.

For General Motors, the news was mixed. GM spinmeisters were happy to say that GM had the best month of the year in number of units sold. The press still reported that GM sales were down almost 26% from the same period last year. You remember last year don't you? That's the year GM lost $10 billion.

There were clear winners and losers. Suzuki was the big winner, with sales up 38% thanks to a redesigned Grand Vitara. (Too bad GM just divested itself of Suzuki stock.) Saab was the big loser with sales down 50%. Saab only sold 3,295 cars in the U.S. last month. That's about a fourth of DaimlerChrysler's Dodge Caliber sales alone. GM is keeping Saab. On the other hand, Pontiac sales were up 12% thanks to an expansion of the G6 line. Buick sales were down almost 37% What's up with that? The Lacrosse is just two years old, and the Lucerne is just finishing its first year.

The biggest winner was Toyota which continues to steamroll over the industry with a 16% sales increase. Contrary to the industry pattern. Toyota's truck and car sales were both up, although I have a hunch that truck sales were boosted by the Rav4 crossover, which might as well be a car.

Here's the scorecard from autoblog.com.