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New Vehicle Sales Down 6% in December at GM
"DETROIT -- General Motors dealers sold 437,161 new cars and trucks in December, down 6%compared to very strong year-ago sales, which included significantly higher fleet deliveries, officials announced yesterday. During the month, a total of 4,507 of the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalts, manufactured at the company's assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, were sold. Sales of new Chevrolet Cavaliers and Pontiac Sunfires, manufactured in previous years at the Lordstown plant, were mixed. A total of 8,754 Cavaliers were sold, down 61.1% from December 2003. Sunfire sales of 3,611 units, though, represent a 13.1% increase over the year-ago total.GM's truck sales (273,867 units) were down 5%, and car sales (163,294 units) were down 7%. GM calendar-year sales (4,707,416 units) were down only 1% compared to December 2003. Truck sales were up 1%, and car sales declined 4%."GM had a solid finish to the year," said John Smith, group vice president, GM North America Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "Once again, we set industry records in total truck and utility vehicle sales for the year and sold more full-size pickups than any other manufacturer. Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC all had sales gains -- Chevrolet had its best year since 1988, Cadillac since 1990 and GMC achieved its best-ever annual sales. Our business improved in the second half of the year, largely due to the growing acceptance of key launch brands including Cadillac STS, Pontiac G6, Buick LaCrosse, GMC Canyon, HUMMER H2 SUT and Chevrolet Aveo, Colorado, Equinox and Cobalt -- all of which had their best monthly sales in December. These successes, along with 17 all-new models being introduced this year should help us grow in 2005."For the fourth consecutive year, GM set an industry truck sales record and continued to lead the industry with more than 2.8 million deliveries. No other manufacturer has ever surpassed 2.6 million truck sales in a calendar year, according to Smith. Additionally, GM full-size pickup deliveries were up compared to year-ago levels and led all manufacturers for the fourth consecutive year. GM sport utility vehicle deliveries were up 5% in 2004, eclipsing the 1.3-million unit level and establishing a new industry benchmark for the fourth straight year. According to Smith, GM remains the only manufacturer to sell more than one million SUVs in a calendar year and more than 100,000 SUVs monthly, a benchmark GM achieved eight times in 2004.General Motors Corp., the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, employs about 325,000 in its core automotive business and subsidiaries worldwide. Founded in 1908, GM today has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 192 countries."