US Apr 2008 Sales Report: BMW, MB, Audi, Porsche etc
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April Car Sales: U.S. Consumers Flock to Cars, Gouging Detroit Three
Americans rushed to swap their thirsty trucks and SUVs for fuel-efficient cars in April, making the month a turning point for the industry’s biggest segment shift in memory.
The stampede to cars left in the dust a Detroit Three that simply weren’t ready for its magnitude because of their reliance on truck-based vehicles, while it lifted Japanese automakers whose traditional strength has remained in small cars.
As U.S. consumers definitively reacted to $3.50-a-gallon gasoline, passenger cars outsold truck-based vehicles for the first time in at least 20 years. The move comprised a shift of six percentage points for the industry compared with last April, to 54 percent car sales.
Demand for cars rose 5 percent, to at least 655,000 units in April, compared with 2007, while sales of light trucks – including pickups, traditional SUVs, car-based crossovers, and minivans – plummeted by more than 17 percent, to about 716,000 from 591,000.
Meanwhile, the dismal general sales pace continued. Overall new-vehicle sales dropped by 7 percent in April, logging a seasonally adjusted rate of just 14.4 million vehicles for the month – the worst since 1995.
And more OEM economists downgraded their expectations for the full year, creating a gloomy consensus that 2008 auto sales would come in at around 15.5 million units, which would be the worst showing in more than a decade.
Americans’ growing demand for cars rather than trucks was so strong in April that it overwhelmed glimmers of hope that the U.S. economy may have reached its trough in the current cycle.
“The reason is rising oil prices,” said Mike DiGiovanni, executive director of global market and industry analysis at General Motors Corp. “Everything else we’ve been tracking is pretty much on target in terms of the [expected positive effects] of the [tax] stimulus package and interest-rate cuts by the Fed. The economy will strengthen in the second half of the year.
“But we didn’t count on oil hitting highs of almost $120 a barrel,” he said.
Jesse Toprak, chief industry analyst for Edmunds.com, noted that the shift “appears to be a permanent situation. These new products have become more fashionable, just like small, fuel-efficient cars are in Europe.”
In addition, Toprak pointed out that in this tough economic environment, consumers are belt-tightening anyway they can, not only with fuel-efficient small cars but small cars with lower monthly payments and lower overall ownership costs.
Among other things, the transition to cars is obliterating the once-robust “lifestyle” market for pickup trucks. Customers who don’t actually need a truck for their work or for particular avocational reasons appear to be abandoning the segment in droves.
Now at last one pickup is on the top-10 trade-in list for nearly every small car model, according to George Pipas, chief U.S. sales analyst for Ford. “This calls into question whether the full-size truck segment could ever again reach 2.5 million sales as it did in 2004 and 2005,” he said, “because clearly some people trading [a truck] for a small car didn’t need the capability of the truck – the torque and horsepower and payload capability – and their needs are better met under today’s environment with a small car.”
This is bad timing for the Detroit Three. Not only do they rely on pickup trucks for their most robust profits, but they’re in the midst of introducing new versions of their mainstay models. Chevrolet launched a new Silverado last fall; Ford will introduce a new version of America’s best-selling vehicle, the F-150 truck in the fall; and Chrysler will bring out a new Dodge Ram later this year.
Meanwhile, small cars are benefiting, with sales of Toyota’s Yaris subcompact, Honda’s small Fit, Ford’s Focus compact and the new version of the Chevrolet Malibu all posting record months.
GENERAL MOTORS
GM got hit hard not only by the segment shift but also by the continuation of the American Axle strike, which gutted GM’s crucial truck fleet business in April.
Overall, GM’s April sales declined by 16 percent, to 261,000 vehicles from 312,000 a year earlier. For the year to date, GM’s sales sank by nearly 13 percent. April retail sales were down only 12 percent, reflecting GM’s continued determination to pare back fleet sales to daily-rental companies as well as the American Axle walkout.
Consumers’ change in preferences was profound for GM, comprising a 10 percent shift to cars so far this year compared with 2007, DiGiovanni said. At retail, car sales in April rose 14 percent, he said; including crossover vehicles, which GM still officially classifies as trucks, the rise in retail sales for the month was 9 percent.
The Good
Cars sold for GM as well as for everyone else. “We think our portfolio is in the right place at the right time,” DiGiovanni said. Of course, all that means is that GM does have car models to sell – but it would still prefer to move its high-profit trucks and SUVs.
Sales of the new Malibu continued to surge, gaining three percentage points in the mid-size car segment, to 17.5 percent in April from 14.5 percent a year ago, according to Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “And dealers are ordering it at four times the current build rate,” he said, “so there’s a lot of upside.”2008_chevrolet_aveo_248_2
The smallest Chevrolet, Aveo, picked up 23 percent more sales in April than a year earlier, precipitously reversing an early-2008 trend that still left year-to-date sales down by 9 percent for the model compared with 2007.
Other big gainers for GM included Chevrolet Cobalt, up 25 percent in April and 17 percent for the year, as well as Cadillac CTS, whose sales gained 16 percent in April after a new version was introduced last fall – and a whopping 43 percent for the year to date.
The Bad
Almost anything big that GM sells didn’t move in April. Silverado sales plunged nearly 25 percent for the month, and have fallen 21 percent for the year to date. Hummer posted its worst month since 2005.
Even GM’s previously hot-selling crossovers began losing some steam. GMC Acadia sales fell 9 percent in April, while Saturn’s Outlook trailed by 34 percent in April compared with a year earlier. And LaNeve said that a local strike at GM’s plant in Lansing, where the crossovers are made, had cost the company more than 7,000 units of production – though not appreciable sales – so far.
The strike by American Axle, the sole supplier of major components for many GM trucks and SUVs, robbed GM of 15,000 fleet sales in April, LaNeve said. “We like to think that the vast majority of those will be retimed to future months,” he said. But with retail inventories of the affected models ranging anywhere from 60 to 120 days, he added, “I can’t say that we’ve lost any retail business” yet to the effects of the strike.
FORD
Ford’s overall sales fell by 12 percent, to 201,000 units, while year-to-date sales have slid by 10 percent.
The company’s retail sales fell by a total of 7 percent for the month, while fleet sales dropped off by 20 percent – including a 32 percent reduction in daily-fleet sales, which in part reflected Ford’s strategy to de-emphasize the daily-rental market.
Company executives were thankful that a lineup of relatively new cars and crossovers was available to help ford offset a 36 percent April plunge in SUV sales and a 19 percent drop in total truck sales. “To think that we could manage to get back most [of the losses] with cars and crossovers would have been unthinkable three years ago,” Pipas said.
The Good
Ford’s “newish, small vehicles are bright spots,” reported Jessica Caldwell, sales analyst 2008_ford_focus_240_2 for Edmunds.com.
None is so more than Focus, the subcompact whose recent sales results continue to buoy Ford. Sales rose 44 percent in April and are up 29 percent for the year to date. April was the best sales month for Focus since 2000, Pipas said. Moreover, the car’s share of its segment was more than 9 percent, an improvement of three percentage points from a year ago, said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of marketing and communications.
Farley said that Focus transaction prices “haven’t deteriorated” in large part because so many consumers are opting for the high-end SES version and for Sync by Microsoft, the electronic-interface system.
Sales of the Fusion mid-size sedan continued their slow but steady rise, posting a 22 percent increase for April and 6 percent year-to-date.
In an important bright spot, sales of the Ford Edge crossover rose 13 percent in April and are up 38 percent year-to-date.
The Bad
F-series sales fell by 21 percent in April and are off nearly 16 percent year-to-date. Pipas said that the woes of the F series and of pickup trucks in general are indicating that, for the long term, the segment seems to be shifting down to 11 to 12 percent of overall vehicle sales, comparing badly with its peak of 15 percent of sales in 2004 and 2005.
Meanwhile, sales of SUVs suffered greatly as well. Explorer sales fell 39 percent in April and are off 25 percent for the year. Expedition sales declined 35 percent in the month and are down 27 percent for the year.
“In retail sales,” Farley said, “Ford sold more passenger cars than pickups and traditional SUVs combined – a dramatic shift in our mix that has tremendous impact in our manufacturing, dealer profitability and our own profitability goals as we look to 2009.”
TOYOTA
Toyota squeaked out a 3 percent increase in overall sales for April, though year-to-date sales have declined by 3 percent.
The company relied on its strong lineup of fuel-efficient cars and hybrids to post results that could only be called strong against a dismal industry backdrop.
“Smaller vehicles are going over big,” said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. “With oil prices at record levels, compact cars and hybrids continue to lead the way.”
The Good
Like the rest of the industry, new models and new versions of small cars proved to be the underpinnings of the success that Toyota enjoyed in April.
Yaris subcompact sales, for example, rose by 58 percent in April and have spiraled upward2008_toyota_yaris_240_2 by 58 percent for the year as well. April was the second-best month ever for Yaris, which was introduced last year as a replacement for the Echo subcompact. The fact that consumers can get up to 40 miles a gallon with a standard-transmission Yaris is providing a huge lure in important Toyota markets such as California, where $4-a-gallon gasoline already has been spotted.
Just as significant is the fact that sales of the Prius hybrid, no longer supply-constrained, continue to post impressive increases. They rose 67 percent in April and are up 23 percent year to date. For the second month in a row, Prius sales were at least 20,000 units. One illustration of the growing volume importance of Prius, noted Caldwell of Edmunds.com, is that it has outsold the Toyota Tundra pickup truck so far in 2008.
Toyota’s Scion line of small, youth-oriented models posted increased sales in April as well.
Meanwhile, sales of Camry – the midsize that has ranked as America’s best-selling car for several years running – rose by 6 percent for the month.
The Bad
Despite the strong performance of Toyota cars overall, some of the company’s “old guard” of sedans didn’t pull their weight in April, continuing a significant recent trend. Sales of the venerable Corolla subcompact, for example, were flat in April.
Sales of Tundra got caught in April in the overall tough conditions for the pickup truck segment. Its sales fell by 6 percent, though Tundra sales remain ahead of last year for 2008 to date.
The Lexus luxury division continues to provide the biggest drag on Toyota’s results, prompting some analysts to wonder if the woes of Lexus go beyond the economic woes of American consumers these days.
“Lexus results are starting to look like Acura’s” in the sense of suggesting a long-term decline, said Caldwell. Honda’s luxury division has been facing sales woes for some time. Last month was the worst April for Lexus sales since 2003, she noted. “The only model to show any sort of increase was LX – but it only sold 799 units.”
CHRYSLER
Chrysler had it by far the worst of any of the major automakers in April, with its sales plummeting 23 percent compared with a year ago. For the year to date, Chrysler sales are off 18 percent.
The devastating results left Chrysler executives almost visibly scratching for the bottom of the market’s current rough treatment of their vehicle lineup.
“The overall decrease in April sales, particularly of pickup trucks, demonstrates that the auto industry continues to be under pressure from the national economy,” said Vice Chairman and President Jim Press. “Our plan is to continue to focus on meeting customers’ needs, and managing our overall inventory to best weather this slowdown.”
Chrysler executives also pointed to the fact that fleet sales alone were down 33 percent for April, underscoring the consequences of their strategic decision to leave low-margin fleet business on the table. “It’s tough when you make the commitment that you’re going to be down every month of the year because of reducing fleet sales,” said Steven Landry, executive vice president of North American sales.
But Landry and his colleagues also cast an eye toward this fall’s crucial launch of their new Dodge Ram pickup. “We’re not nervous,” Landry professed. “We actually think the timing might be perfect. Since the segment is off a bit now, there might be some pent-up demand when our new truck hits as we get into the fall.”
The Good
The timing for the introduction of the new Dodge Journey crossover couldn’t have been2009_dodge_journey_240_2 much better for Chrysler. In just its third month on the market, Journey sales totaled nearly 7,000 units in April. In addition to tapping into torrid consumer demand for crossovers in general, Chrysler executives are counting on Journey to pick up some sales from former customers of the company’s short-wheelbase minivans, which they discontinued with the introduction of new minivans last year.
Chrysler also patted itself on the back for its decision a few months ago to initiate a campaign to give consumers richer mixes of options on vehicles for significantly discounted prices. Called New Day, the effort is paying off. “The turn rate on New Day packages continues to be much better than for non-New Day packages, Landry said.
The Bad
Spring traditionally has been the strongest selling season for minivans, the vehicle form that Chrysler pioneered in 1984. Last year, Chrysler introduced new long-wheelbase versions of its Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan including major innovations in interior amenities.
But April was a bloodbath for Chrysler minivans: Sales of Caravan fell off the table, down a whopping 37 percent, while Town & Country sales declined by 32 percent. “It was the worst April we have on record for Twon & Country,” Edmunds.com’s Caldwell said.
Jeep division sales fell by 18 percent in April, while Chrysler division sales fell by 40 percent.
HONDA
A technical glitch kept Honda from reporting final April sales down to the unit, but there was no mistaking the trend: The company that is most tightly tied to the performance of its fuel-efficient small cars shone through strongly amid the month’s gloom, posting at least a 6 percent sales increase.
Honda reported that its sales at least would exceed 134,000 units compared with sales of 126,419 vehicles a year ago.
“Selling conditions are certainly tough, but at Honda we see this as an opportunity,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. “In difficult times, consumers make very rational , thoughtful purchase decisions, which play into Honda’s core brand strengths of outstanding fuel economy, safety and quality.”
Individual April records for the Fit, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V pushed Honda division sales to an all-time April record of more than 121,500 units, compared with year-ago sales of 111,226 units.
However, Honda continued to be dogged by its underperforming Acura luxury division in April. The division sold more than 12,900 vehicles in April compared with year-ago sales of 15,193 units.
NISSAN
Nissan continued its gritty performance of 2008 with a sales increase of 7 percent in April, again posting the best number for the main OEMs. Nissan sold 75,855 units in April, an increase of 4,731 sales over April 2007. 2008_nissan_versa_240
Like the rest of the industry, Nissan was led by the sales of its passenger cars. Nissan brand car sales increased 23 percent in April, including strong double-digit gains by its relatively new Versa subcompact, its aging but overhauled Sentra nameplate, and its staple Altima mid-size sedan.
On the other hand, Nissan’s pickup truck, Titan, posted among the worst results for its segment for April, and it’s difficult to conclude that the nameplate isn’t endangered. Titan sales were just 2,407 units in April, down more than 51 percent compared with a year earlier.
Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti, also continued to struggle, with April sales of 9,537 units just slightly under last year’s April sales of 9,945 units.
HYUNDAI
Hyundai managed to squeeze out sales of 143 more vehicles nationwide in April than a year earlier, a total of 39,280 units for the month of 2008.
“In a pretty tough economy, we are pleased,” said Dave Zuchowski, vice president of national sales for Hyundai Motor America.
Buyers showed “strong interest,” he said, in Hyundais’ most fuel-efficient vehicles, with Accent, Sonata and Elantra all posting sales incrases for the month.
Sales of Hyundai SUVs, including Tucson, and its Entourage minivan declined, however.
BMW
The highest-volume luxury-car seller in the U.S. market managed to generate an increase of nearly 10 percent in April sales of its BMW and Mini brands, to 31,448 units. For the year, however, BMW Group sales are still down 4 percent.
The company said that a raft of new products launched this spring – BMW M3, X6 and 1 Series, and the Mini Clubman – helped its April results.
MAZDA
Mazda continued its recent surge with the strongest April showing among mainstream OEMs operating in the United States, with sales of 23,760 units, a 13 percent increase over April 2007.
The company credited Mazda3, whose April sales rose by 15 percent, as well as Mazda5, its “multi-activity” vehicle whose monthly sales were 66 percent higher than a year earlier.
CX-7 and CX-9 crossover vehicles also displayed strong momentum, combining for a year-to-date sales increase of 25 percent. “Having the right vehicles at the right price, at the right time, is driving our sales success,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations.
MERCEDES-BENZ
The luxury-car pacesetter reported April sales that were about flat and has posted a 1 percent sales increase for the year to date, 77,918 units versus 76,880 through the first four months of 2007.
C-Class models posted a 34 percent gain for April and a 38 percent jump for the year to date. Mercedes-Benz also bucked trends and posted increases for its SUVs, both the M-Class and GL-Class models.
SUBARU
Subaru reported record sales for April of 16,771 units, a gain of 22 percent over year-earlier levels. For all of 2008, Subaru sales are up about 2 percent.
The company reported that its all-new 2009 Forester crossover “is off to a great start,” according to Tim Colbeck, vice president of sales for Subaru of America. Forester sales of 5,339 units were 49 percent over year-earlier sales of the previous version of the vehicle.
MITSUBISHI
Mitsubishi posted April sales of 8,878 units, down a whopping 26 percent compared with April of 2007 despite the fact that the automaker’s lineup consists largely of small cars. The company called this result “consistent with the overall U.S. market.”
But Lancer sales in April, at 2,598 units, were the best in seven months, Mitsubishi reported. And Galant sales are up 17 percent year-to-date.
AUDI
U.S. sales for Audi in April were 7,730 units, a decrease of about 5 percent from year-earlier sales of 8,106 units.
The company said that luxury-car buyers “considered the tightening economy and rising gas price as they shopped.”
For the year, Audi sales overall are down about 3 percent. Its A4/S4/RS 4 series of small cars posted a 10 percent sales increase in April and is up 7 percent for the year, while its A6/S6 series is up 5 percent for the year. But the Q7 SUV has posted 33 percent fewer sales for the year to date.
April Car Sales: U.S. Consumers Flock to Cars, Gouging Detroit Three - AutoObserver
M
Americans rushed to swap their thirsty trucks and SUVs for fuel-efficient cars in April, making the month a turning point for the industry’s biggest segment shift in memory.
The stampede to cars left in the dust a Detroit Three that simply weren’t ready for its magnitude because of their reliance on truck-based vehicles, while it lifted Japanese automakers whose traditional strength has remained in small cars.
As U.S. consumers definitively reacted to $3.50-a-gallon gasoline, passenger cars outsold truck-based vehicles for the first time in at least 20 years. The move comprised a shift of six percentage points for the industry compared with last April, to 54 percent car sales.
Demand for cars rose 5 percent, to at least 655,000 units in April, compared with 2007, while sales of light trucks – including pickups, traditional SUVs, car-based crossovers, and minivans – plummeted by more than 17 percent, to about 716,000 from 591,000.
Meanwhile, the dismal general sales pace continued. Overall new-vehicle sales dropped by 7 percent in April, logging a seasonally adjusted rate of just 14.4 million vehicles for the month – the worst since 1995.
And more OEM economists downgraded their expectations for the full year, creating a gloomy consensus that 2008 auto sales would come in at around 15.5 million units, which would be the worst showing in more than a decade.
Americans’ growing demand for cars rather than trucks was so strong in April that it overwhelmed glimmers of hope that the U.S. economy may have reached its trough in the current cycle.
“The reason is rising oil prices,” said Mike DiGiovanni, executive director of global market and industry analysis at General Motors Corp. “Everything else we’ve been tracking is pretty much on target in terms of the [expected positive effects] of the [tax] stimulus package and interest-rate cuts by the Fed. The economy will strengthen in the second half of the year.
“But we didn’t count on oil hitting highs of almost $120 a barrel,” he said.
Jesse Toprak, chief industry analyst for Edmunds.com, noted that the shift “appears to be a permanent situation. These new products have become more fashionable, just like small, fuel-efficient cars are in Europe.”
In addition, Toprak pointed out that in this tough economic environment, consumers are belt-tightening anyway they can, not only with fuel-efficient small cars but small cars with lower monthly payments and lower overall ownership costs.
Among other things, the transition to cars is obliterating the once-robust “lifestyle” market for pickup trucks. Customers who don’t actually need a truck for their work or for particular avocational reasons appear to be abandoning the segment in droves.
Now at last one pickup is on the top-10 trade-in list for nearly every small car model, according to George Pipas, chief U.S. sales analyst for Ford. “This calls into question whether the full-size truck segment could ever again reach 2.5 million sales as it did in 2004 and 2005,” he said, “because clearly some people trading [a truck] for a small car didn’t need the capability of the truck – the torque and horsepower and payload capability – and their needs are better met under today’s environment with a small car.”
This is bad timing for the Detroit Three. Not only do they rely on pickup trucks for their most robust profits, but they’re in the midst of introducing new versions of their mainstay models. Chevrolet launched a new Silverado last fall; Ford will introduce a new version of America’s best-selling vehicle, the F-150 truck in the fall; and Chrysler will bring out a new Dodge Ram later this year.
Meanwhile, small cars are benefiting, with sales of Toyota’s Yaris subcompact, Honda’s small Fit, Ford’s Focus compact and the new version of the Chevrolet Malibu all posting record months.
GENERAL MOTORS
GM got hit hard not only by the segment shift but also by the continuation of the American Axle strike, which gutted GM’s crucial truck fleet business in April.
Overall, GM’s April sales declined by 16 percent, to 261,000 vehicles from 312,000 a year earlier. For the year to date, GM’s sales sank by nearly 13 percent. April retail sales were down only 12 percent, reflecting GM’s continued determination to pare back fleet sales to daily-rental companies as well as the American Axle walkout.
Consumers’ change in preferences was profound for GM, comprising a 10 percent shift to cars so far this year compared with 2007, DiGiovanni said. At retail, car sales in April rose 14 percent, he said; including crossover vehicles, which GM still officially classifies as trucks, the rise in retail sales for the month was 9 percent.
The Good
Cars sold for GM as well as for everyone else. “We think our portfolio is in the right place at the right time,” DiGiovanni said. Of course, all that means is that GM does have car models to sell – but it would still prefer to move its high-profit trucks and SUVs.
Sales of the new Malibu continued to surge, gaining three percentage points in the mid-size car segment, to 17.5 percent in April from 14.5 percent a year ago, according to Mark LaNeve, vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “And dealers are ordering it at four times the current build rate,” he said, “so there’s a lot of upside.”2008_chevrolet_aveo_248_2
The smallest Chevrolet, Aveo, picked up 23 percent more sales in April than a year earlier, precipitously reversing an early-2008 trend that still left year-to-date sales down by 9 percent for the model compared with 2007.
Other big gainers for GM included Chevrolet Cobalt, up 25 percent in April and 17 percent for the year, as well as Cadillac CTS, whose sales gained 16 percent in April after a new version was introduced last fall – and a whopping 43 percent for the year to date.
The Bad
Almost anything big that GM sells didn’t move in April. Silverado sales plunged nearly 25 percent for the month, and have fallen 21 percent for the year to date. Hummer posted its worst month since 2005.
Even GM’s previously hot-selling crossovers began losing some steam. GMC Acadia sales fell 9 percent in April, while Saturn’s Outlook trailed by 34 percent in April compared with a year earlier. And LaNeve said that a local strike at GM’s plant in Lansing, where the crossovers are made, had cost the company more than 7,000 units of production – though not appreciable sales – so far.
The strike by American Axle, the sole supplier of major components for many GM trucks and SUVs, robbed GM of 15,000 fleet sales in April, LaNeve said. “We like to think that the vast majority of those will be retimed to future months,” he said. But with retail inventories of the affected models ranging anywhere from 60 to 120 days, he added, “I can’t say that we’ve lost any retail business” yet to the effects of the strike.
FORD
Ford’s overall sales fell by 12 percent, to 201,000 units, while year-to-date sales have slid by 10 percent.
The company’s retail sales fell by a total of 7 percent for the month, while fleet sales dropped off by 20 percent – including a 32 percent reduction in daily-fleet sales, which in part reflected Ford’s strategy to de-emphasize the daily-rental market.
Company executives were thankful that a lineup of relatively new cars and crossovers was available to help ford offset a 36 percent April plunge in SUV sales and a 19 percent drop in total truck sales. “To think that we could manage to get back most [of the losses] with cars and crossovers would have been unthinkable three years ago,” Pipas said.
The Good
Ford’s “newish, small vehicles are bright spots,” reported Jessica Caldwell, sales analyst 2008_ford_focus_240_2 for Edmunds.com.
None is so more than Focus, the subcompact whose recent sales results continue to buoy Ford. Sales rose 44 percent in April and are up 29 percent for the year to date. April was the best sales month for Focus since 2000, Pipas said. Moreover, the car’s share of its segment was more than 9 percent, an improvement of three percentage points from a year ago, said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president of marketing and communications.
Farley said that Focus transaction prices “haven’t deteriorated” in large part because so many consumers are opting for the high-end SES version and for Sync by Microsoft, the electronic-interface system.
Sales of the Fusion mid-size sedan continued their slow but steady rise, posting a 22 percent increase for April and 6 percent year-to-date.
In an important bright spot, sales of the Ford Edge crossover rose 13 percent in April and are up 38 percent year-to-date.
The Bad
F-series sales fell by 21 percent in April and are off nearly 16 percent year-to-date. Pipas said that the woes of the F series and of pickup trucks in general are indicating that, for the long term, the segment seems to be shifting down to 11 to 12 percent of overall vehicle sales, comparing badly with its peak of 15 percent of sales in 2004 and 2005.
Meanwhile, sales of SUVs suffered greatly as well. Explorer sales fell 39 percent in April and are off 25 percent for the year. Expedition sales declined 35 percent in the month and are down 27 percent for the year.
“In retail sales,” Farley said, “Ford sold more passenger cars than pickups and traditional SUVs combined – a dramatic shift in our mix that has tremendous impact in our manufacturing, dealer profitability and our own profitability goals as we look to 2009.”
TOYOTA
Toyota squeaked out a 3 percent increase in overall sales for April, though year-to-date sales have declined by 3 percent.
The company relied on its strong lineup of fuel-efficient cars and hybrids to post results that could only be called strong against a dismal industry backdrop.
“Smaller vehicles are going over big,” said Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. “With oil prices at record levels, compact cars and hybrids continue to lead the way.”
The Good
Like the rest of the industry, new models and new versions of small cars proved to be the underpinnings of the success that Toyota enjoyed in April.
Yaris subcompact sales, for example, rose by 58 percent in April and have spiraled upward2008_toyota_yaris_240_2 by 58 percent for the year as well. April was the second-best month ever for Yaris, which was introduced last year as a replacement for the Echo subcompact. The fact that consumers can get up to 40 miles a gallon with a standard-transmission Yaris is providing a huge lure in important Toyota markets such as California, where $4-a-gallon gasoline already has been spotted.
Just as significant is the fact that sales of the Prius hybrid, no longer supply-constrained, continue to post impressive increases. They rose 67 percent in April and are up 23 percent year to date. For the second month in a row, Prius sales were at least 20,000 units. One illustration of the growing volume importance of Prius, noted Caldwell of Edmunds.com, is that it has outsold the Toyota Tundra pickup truck so far in 2008.
Toyota’s Scion line of small, youth-oriented models posted increased sales in April as well.
Meanwhile, sales of Camry – the midsize that has ranked as America’s best-selling car for several years running – rose by 6 percent for the month.
The Bad
Despite the strong performance of Toyota cars overall, some of the company’s “old guard” of sedans didn’t pull their weight in April, continuing a significant recent trend. Sales of the venerable Corolla subcompact, for example, were flat in April.
Sales of Tundra got caught in April in the overall tough conditions for the pickup truck segment. Its sales fell by 6 percent, though Tundra sales remain ahead of last year for 2008 to date.
The Lexus luxury division continues to provide the biggest drag on Toyota’s results, prompting some analysts to wonder if the woes of Lexus go beyond the economic woes of American consumers these days.
“Lexus results are starting to look like Acura’s” in the sense of suggesting a long-term decline, said Caldwell. Honda’s luxury division has been facing sales woes for some time. Last month was the worst April for Lexus sales since 2003, she noted. “The only model to show any sort of increase was LX – but it only sold 799 units.”
CHRYSLER
Chrysler had it by far the worst of any of the major automakers in April, with its sales plummeting 23 percent compared with a year ago. For the year to date, Chrysler sales are off 18 percent.
The devastating results left Chrysler executives almost visibly scratching for the bottom of the market’s current rough treatment of their vehicle lineup.
“The overall decrease in April sales, particularly of pickup trucks, demonstrates that the auto industry continues to be under pressure from the national economy,” said Vice Chairman and President Jim Press. “Our plan is to continue to focus on meeting customers’ needs, and managing our overall inventory to best weather this slowdown.”
Chrysler executives also pointed to the fact that fleet sales alone were down 33 percent for April, underscoring the consequences of their strategic decision to leave low-margin fleet business on the table. “It’s tough when you make the commitment that you’re going to be down every month of the year because of reducing fleet sales,” said Steven Landry, executive vice president of North American sales.
But Landry and his colleagues also cast an eye toward this fall’s crucial launch of their new Dodge Ram pickup. “We’re not nervous,” Landry professed. “We actually think the timing might be perfect. Since the segment is off a bit now, there might be some pent-up demand when our new truck hits as we get into the fall.”
The Good
The timing for the introduction of the new Dodge Journey crossover couldn’t have been2009_dodge_journey_240_2 much better for Chrysler. In just its third month on the market, Journey sales totaled nearly 7,000 units in April. In addition to tapping into torrid consumer demand for crossovers in general, Chrysler executives are counting on Journey to pick up some sales from former customers of the company’s short-wheelbase minivans, which they discontinued with the introduction of new minivans last year.
Chrysler also patted itself on the back for its decision a few months ago to initiate a campaign to give consumers richer mixes of options on vehicles for significantly discounted prices. Called New Day, the effort is paying off. “The turn rate on New Day packages continues to be much better than for non-New Day packages, Landry said.
The Bad
Spring traditionally has been the strongest selling season for minivans, the vehicle form that Chrysler pioneered in 1984. Last year, Chrysler introduced new long-wheelbase versions of its Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan including major innovations in interior amenities.
But April was a bloodbath for Chrysler minivans: Sales of Caravan fell off the table, down a whopping 37 percent, while Town & Country sales declined by 32 percent. “It was the worst April we have on record for Twon & Country,” Edmunds.com’s Caldwell said.
Jeep division sales fell by 18 percent in April, while Chrysler division sales fell by 40 percent.
HONDA
A technical glitch kept Honda from reporting final April sales down to the unit, but there was no mistaking the trend: The company that is most tightly tied to the performance of its fuel-efficient small cars shone through strongly amid the month’s gloom, posting at least a 6 percent sales increase.
Honda reported that its sales at least would exceed 134,000 units compared with sales of 126,419 vehicles a year ago.
“Selling conditions are certainly tough, but at Honda we see this as an opportunity,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda. “In difficult times, consumers make very rational , thoughtful purchase decisions, which play into Honda’s core brand strengths of outstanding fuel economy, safety and quality.”
Individual April records for the Fit, Civic, Civic Hybrid and CR-V pushed Honda division sales to an all-time April record of more than 121,500 units, compared with year-ago sales of 111,226 units.
However, Honda continued to be dogged by its underperforming Acura luxury division in April. The division sold more than 12,900 vehicles in April compared with year-ago sales of 15,193 units.
NISSAN
Nissan continued its gritty performance of 2008 with a sales increase of 7 percent in April, again posting the best number for the main OEMs. Nissan sold 75,855 units in April, an increase of 4,731 sales over April 2007. 2008_nissan_versa_240
Like the rest of the industry, Nissan was led by the sales of its passenger cars. Nissan brand car sales increased 23 percent in April, including strong double-digit gains by its relatively new Versa subcompact, its aging but overhauled Sentra nameplate, and its staple Altima mid-size sedan.
On the other hand, Nissan’s pickup truck, Titan, posted among the worst results for its segment for April, and it’s difficult to conclude that the nameplate isn’t endangered. Titan sales were just 2,407 units in April, down more than 51 percent compared with a year earlier.
Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti, also continued to struggle, with April sales of 9,537 units just slightly under last year’s April sales of 9,945 units.
HYUNDAI
Hyundai managed to squeeze out sales of 143 more vehicles nationwide in April than a year earlier, a total of 39,280 units for the month of 2008.
“In a pretty tough economy, we are pleased,” said Dave Zuchowski, vice president of national sales for Hyundai Motor America.
Buyers showed “strong interest,” he said, in Hyundais’ most fuel-efficient vehicles, with Accent, Sonata and Elantra all posting sales incrases for the month.
Sales of Hyundai SUVs, including Tucson, and its Entourage minivan declined, however.
BMW
The highest-volume luxury-car seller in the U.S. market managed to generate an increase of nearly 10 percent in April sales of its BMW and Mini brands, to 31,448 units. For the year, however, BMW Group sales are still down 4 percent.
The company said that a raft of new products launched this spring – BMW M3, X6 and 1 Series, and the Mini Clubman – helped its April results.
MAZDA
Mazda continued its recent surge with the strongest April showing among mainstream OEMs operating in the United States, with sales of 23,760 units, a 13 percent increase over April 2007.
The company credited Mazda3, whose April sales rose by 15 percent, as well as Mazda5, its “multi-activity” vehicle whose monthly sales were 66 percent higher than a year earlier.
CX-7 and CX-9 crossover vehicles also displayed strong momentum, combining for a year-to-date sales increase of 25 percent. “Having the right vehicles at the right price, at the right time, is driving our sales success,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations.
MERCEDES-BENZ
The luxury-car pacesetter reported April sales that were about flat and has posted a 1 percent sales increase for the year to date, 77,918 units versus 76,880 through the first four months of 2007.
C-Class models posted a 34 percent gain for April and a 38 percent jump for the year to date. Mercedes-Benz also bucked trends and posted increases for its SUVs, both the M-Class and GL-Class models.
SUBARU
Subaru reported record sales for April of 16,771 units, a gain of 22 percent over year-earlier levels. For all of 2008, Subaru sales are up about 2 percent.
The company reported that its all-new 2009 Forester crossover “is off to a great start,” according to Tim Colbeck, vice president of sales for Subaru of America. Forester sales of 5,339 units were 49 percent over year-earlier sales of the previous version of the vehicle.
MITSUBISHI
Mitsubishi posted April sales of 8,878 units, down a whopping 26 percent compared with April of 2007 despite the fact that the automaker’s lineup consists largely of small cars. The company called this result “consistent with the overall U.S. market.”
But Lancer sales in April, at 2,598 units, were the best in seven months, Mitsubishi reported. And Galant sales are up 17 percent year-to-date.
AUDI
U.S. sales for Audi in April were 7,730 units, a decrease of about 5 percent from year-earlier sales of 8,106 units.
The company said that luxury-car buyers “considered the tightening economy and rising gas price as they shopped.”
For the year, Audi sales overall are down about 3 percent. Its A4/S4/RS 4 series of small cars posted a 10 percent sales increase in April and is up 7 percent for the year, while its A6/S6 series is up 5 percent for the year. But the Q7 SUV has posted 33 percent fewer sales for the year to date.
April Car Sales: U.S. Consumers Flock to Cars, Gouging Detroit Three - AutoObserver
M
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
THANK GOD Chrysler was dumped partially!
I simply do not understand how the American makers are so out of touch with market trends.
I simply do not understand how the American makers are so out of touch with market trends.
Merc1
Premium
Its the mentality. Trucks, suvs, more trucks and more suvs...forget cars...we can't make money off of them. That is what they've said for the last 20+ years and it is still hard for them to shake off this lame thinking. Now they can't shift production around fast enough or come up with enough smaller, more frugal cars like Honda/Toyota/Nissan have done. The American auto industry is sadly always one step behind the times.
M
Merc1
Premium
Mercedes-Benz Canadian Sales
Mercedes-Benz Canada reports best month ever
TORONTO, ON (May 1, 2008) – Mercedes-Benz Canada reported today two milestone records in the company’s history. April 2008 results accounted for the best month ever reported for Mercedes-Benz sales with 1,869 units and combined Mercedes-Benz and smart sales were tallied at a record-breaking best ever level of 2,228 units.
On the Mercedes-Benz side, a monthly record of 1,869 units were delivered, representing a gain of 339 units or a 22.2% increase compared to April 2007 while we saw a year-to-date growth of 738 units or a gain of 14.4%. A total of 359 smart fortwos were reported sold in April, up by 42.5%. The combined Mercedes-Benz and smart sales at 2,228 units showed an increase of 446 units or gains of 25% for the month and 21.1% on a year-to-date basis.
Not surprisingly, the entire product portfolio performed extremely well in April. More than 800 C-Class were delivered in April, up by 126.8% against last year’s April sales. Mercedes-Benz Canada dominated once again the high luxury segment with a solid growth rate of S-Class, SL-Class and CL-Class sales that also contributed to a balanced model mix for the month.
The company’s diesel sales ratio was 53.6% for the month while the permanent all-wheel drive 4MATIC™ units accounted for 65.8% of the overall passenger car and light truck sales (excluding smart).
Total Mercedes-Benz passenger car sales were ahead by 28.6% or 323 units for the month and ahead by 564 units or 14.4% on a year-to-date basis.
On the luxury light truck side, brisk M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class sales were an important factor in the month’s overall success story and also surpassed April 2007 sales levels by 4%; the light trucks showed a growth of 14.4% in the first trimester.
The company also reported a best ever April with 718 pre-owned Mercedes-Benz units for the month, an increase of 101 units or an increase of 16.4 %. On a year-to-date basis, pre-owned deliveries were up by 28.6%.
Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada said, ”It is extremely rewarding for all of us to see monthly sales levels in excess of 2,200 units for the first time ever. While our product portfolio is certainly a key factor in our success, it is important to mention that our competitive sales programs combined with very keen dealer personnel across the country have been instrumental in helping us achieve these significant record-breaking results. It is also important to note that our extensive “green” line-up, namely the smart fortwo, the E320 BlueTEC and our M-Class, GL-Class and R-Class CDI diesel models continue to perform at an outstanding rate, month after month. ”
BenzInsider.com - The Official Mercedes-Benz Fan Blog Canada strong - but for how long?
M
Mercedes-Benz Canada reports best month ever
TORONTO, ON (May 1, 2008) – Mercedes-Benz Canada reported today two milestone records in the company’s history. April 2008 results accounted for the best month ever reported for Mercedes-Benz sales with 1,869 units and combined Mercedes-Benz and smart sales were tallied at a record-breaking best ever level of 2,228 units.
On the Mercedes-Benz side, a monthly record of 1,869 units were delivered, representing a gain of 339 units or a 22.2% increase compared to April 2007 while we saw a year-to-date growth of 738 units or a gain of 14.4%. A total of 359 smart fortwos were reported sold in April, up by 42.5%. The combined Mercedes-Benz and smart sales at 2,228 units showed an increase of 446 units or gains of 25% for the month and 21.1% on a year-to-date basis.
Not surprisingly, the entire product portfolio performed extremely well in April. More than 800 C-Class were delivered in April, up by 126.8% against last year’s April sales. Mercedes-Benz Canada dominated once again the high luxury segment with a solid growth rate of S-Class, SL-Class and CL-Class sales that also contributed to a balanced model mix for the month.
The company’s diesel sales ratio was 53.6% for the month while the permanent all-wheel drive 4MATIC™ units accounted for 65.8% of the overall passenger car and light truck sales (excluding smart).
Total Mercedes-Benz passenger car sales were ahead by 28.6% or 323 units for the month and ahead by 564 units or 14.4% on a year-to-date basis.
On the luxury light truck side, brisk M-Class, R-Class and GL-Class sales were an important factor in the month’s overall success story and also surpassed April 2007 sales levels by 4%; the light trucks showed a growth of 14.4% in the first trimester.
The company also reported a best ever April with 718 pre-owned Mercedes-Benz units for the month, an increase of 101 units or an increase of 16.4 %. On a year-to-date basis, pre-owned deliveries were up by 28.6%.
Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada said, ”It is extremely rewarding for all of us to see monthly sales levels in excess of 2,200 units for the first time ever. While our product portfolio is certainly a key factor in our success, it is important to mention that our competitive sales programs combined with very keen dealer personnel across the country have been instrumental in helping us achieve these significant record-breaking results. It is also important to note that our extensive “green” line-up, namely the smart fortwo, the E320 BlueTEC and our M-Class, GL-Class and R-Class CDI diesel models continue to perform at an outstanding rate, month after month. ”
BenzInsider.com - The Official Mercedes-Benz Fan Blog Canada strong - but for how long?
M
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
Yeah. What I can't fathom is that these guys are supposedly world class executives with a whole payroll of advisors (analysts, marketers, engineers etc.). They get paid in millions and yet they continue to F up (sorry for my language but there is no other expression to use here!).
Now they've concentrated on trucks, SUV's etc. for so long it will take them many many years to learn how to produce competitive smaller vehicles at a reasonable return.
It's absolutely sheer incompetence. The writing has been on the wall for at least a decade.
MB Canada certainly is doing well. I wonder what BMW and Audi sales are in comparison.
EnI
Piston Pioneer
BMW:
BMW Group Canada reports record April sales
WHITBY - BMW Group Canada (BMW and MINI brands combined) reported best ever April sales month with 2,766 vehicles retailed, an increase of 5.1% over April 2007. Year-to-date, BMW and MINI combined sales are 7,298 units, down 7.0% compared to the same period last year.
The BMW brand also achieved record April sales with 2,310 vehicles sold, an increase of 2.3% over April 2007. Year-to-date, 6,145 BMWs have been sold, down 9.3% from the same period in 2007.
MINI Canada celebrated its best ever sales month in MINI's history. There were 456 MINIs retailed in April, up 22.3% over April 2007. Year-to-date, MINI sales have increased 7.7% in Canada compared to the same period last year, representing 1,153 MINIs retailed.
Audi:
Audi Canada April sales up 41.2%
TORONTO - Audi Canada today reported that a record-breaking total of 1,128 units were registered for the month of April. This all-time record April sales figure represents a gain of 329 units or a 41.2% increase compared to April 2007 while contributing to year to date growth of 26.8%. The leading models in terms of sales were the A4 and S4 sedans and Avants, the sporty A3 and the Audi Q7 performance SUV.
So:
BMW: 2,310 (+2.3%)
MB: 1,869 (+22.2%)
Audi: 1,128 (+41.2%)
Merc1
Premium
Slowly, but surely they're starting to get it. Especially GM, they're actually making some truly desireable cars now. Too bad it has taken the loss of billions of dollars from all 3 for them to wake up. Ford and Chrysler still aren't out of the woods yet, and neither is GM, but I can see some light at the end of the tunnel for GM.
M
Imhotep Evil
Torque Titan
True about GM. Unfortunately for them they don't have the marketing cash of the japs. Shame about cars such as the Saturn Aura.
GM's problem is too many brands with too many models with too many dealers for their present market share witch is nowhere near 50% + like in the good all days. Apart from Chevy, Caddy and another "green" brand the rest they don't need for the NA market. And then there's the unions who still don't understand it's not the 1950s anymore.
Merc1
Premium
All true. The unions are a constant problem. The plant the builds one of GM's newest stars, the Chevy Malibu just walked out on strike.
Strike may dent Malibu sales
M
Strike may dent Malibu sales
M
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