GM Sales Drop in August

The moment of truth for the American automotive industry has arrived, as all the struggles of 2009, including the administration's efforts to save a dying industry, are beginning to show their effects. What all those struggles meant for the industry can be seen from the sales figures posted by American manufacturers, and especially GM.

The carmaker which became last year synonymous with Government Motors posted for the month of August 2010 a sales figure of 184,921 units (comprising the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac brands). That's 11 percent down compared to last August, a month which became known as the Cash for Clunkers month, or the best month of the tormented industry in 2009.

“Last year’s Cash for Clunkers program spiked industry sales in 2009, so results this August were, not surprisingly, a bit mixed,” said Don Johnson, vice president U.S. Sales Operations.

“Importantly, three of our four divisions showed solid gains. This is further evidence that our performance is the result of balanced contributions across our brands.”

GM's sales figure is also 7 percent lower than the one recorded for July 2010. The best selling brand for the carmaker in the US was Chevrolet, who delivered 131,952 units, while the fastest growing badge in GM's portfolio remained Buick.

GM will be releasing a few more vehicles this year which are hoped to bring more big numbers for the manufacturer. Unfortunately, the launch of the Volt will not have immediate effects on the volume.

“With the all-new Chevrolet Cruze hitting showrooms in September, the Chevrolet Volt later this year, the Buick Regal expanding Buick’s footprint in the U.S., and the Cadillac CTS Coupe generating a lot of attention, we have reason to be optimistic,” Johnson added.