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GM Posts 20% Gain in September Vehicle Sales
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - General Motors led the automobile industry in sales in September with a 20% gain in total vehicle sales compared to year ago. The sales surge was powered by a 32.5% gain in truck sales, the company reported. By contrast, car sales were up just 3% and third-quarter sales overall were up just 2%.Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Acura and Honda reported record sales in September, but Ford's numbers were poor. Ford couched the 4% decline in total vehicle sales last month by trumpetting a 22% gain in sales of its F-Series trucks, the second highest truck sales month in Ford history, the company said.General Motors' September numbers included industry record sales of trucks, SUVs and full-size pickups, according to John Smith, group vice president, GM North America vehicle sales, service and marketing. "Chevrolet enjoyed its best month since October 2001, with strong sales of Aveo, Malibu, Equinox and Colorado. Other launch products -- Cadillac SRX, GMC Canyon and Pontiac GTO -- also had strong sales. New vehicles such as Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G6 and Buick LaCrosse should add to the sales excitement," Smith said. The first Chevy Cobalt shipped to dealers is scheduled to come off the GM Lordstown production line Oct. 13. The plant will make its last Chevrolet Cavalier Oct. 5 or Oct. 6, officials said.GM sold 19,031 Cavaliers during September -- a 3.3% increase compared to September 2003. Year-to-date Cavalier sales are 163,281, GM reported, a 15.8% decline from the first nine months of 2003.Analysts said the strong sales month -- up 6% industrywide compared to September 2003 -- resulted from buyer incentives and the Labor Day weekend promotions.Still, GM North America forecast fourth-quarter production at 1.28 million vehicles (479,000 cars and 801,000 trucks), down from the 1.385 million vehicles GM's plants in North America built in the last three months of 2003.GM North America's current 2004 calendar year production forecast is 5.22 million vehicles, unchanged from last month's guidance.Visit General Motors at www.gm.com"