The Detroit-based automaker sold 245,950 vehicles in March, up 6 percent compared with a year ago. Retail sales increased 4 percent, fleet sales were up 12 percent and the fleet mix was 27 percent of total sales.
DETROIT- General Motors Co. today reported its best March sales in the U.S. in five years.
The Detroit-based automaker sold 245,950 vehicles in March, up 6 percent compared with a year ago. Retail sales increased 4 percent, fleet sales were up 12 percent and the fleet mix was 27 percent of total sales.
Kurt McNeil, vice president of U.S. sales operations, attributed the sales increases to the strengthening economy and GM's new products.
“We are expecting our third consecutive increase in market share versus last year,” he said in a statement. “Sales of smaller cars have been robust for some time. Trucks have improved in lockstep with the housing market and the strength of the crossover market signals that America’s families are more confident about their financial health.”
All four of GM’s brands posted higher year-over-year sales: Cadillac was up 49.5 percent; Buick was up 37.4 percent; GMC was up 11.6 percent; and Chevrolet was primarily flat, up 0.5 percent.
GM’s sales through the first quarter of 2013 were up 9.3 percent compared to last year to 664,963 cars and trucks sold.
Automotive analyst research firms Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book predict sales last month will total about 1.5 million new cars and trucks, marking the best month of sales since 2007.
Edmunds.com expects sales to total 1,478,208 million vehicles, which would mark the biggest single month since 1,555,945 new cars and trucks were sold in May 2007. KBB expects sales to come in at about 1.45 million vehicles sold, which would be the highest monthly sales total since August 2007.
GM is the last of the Detroit automakers to release February sales results. Earlier this morning, Chrysler Group LLC said sales increased 5 percent last month compared to 2012, marking its 36th-consecutive month of year-over-year gains. Ford Motor Co. reported sales of 236,160 vehicles in March, a 6 percent increase from a year ago.
Top five GM models by units sold in March (2013 sales):
1. Chevrolet Silverado- 39,561 (116,649)
2. Chevrolet Cruze- 23,260 (55,731)
3. Chevrolet Equinox- 20,997 (58,869)
4. Chevrolet Malibu- 18,539 (49,179)
5. Chevrolet Impala- 14,766 (44,343)
Top five GM models by year-over-year sales in March (units sold):
1. GMC Acadia- 77.1% (10,006)
2. Chevrolet Captiva Sport- 71.4% (4,576)
3. Yukon XL- 64.5% (2,292)
4. Escalade EXT- 55.1% (211)
Buick Enclave- 55.1% (5,676)
5. Chevrolet Traverse- 54.5% (10,944)
Check back to MLive.com/auto later today for more information of February sales.
Email Michael Wayland: MWayland@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MikeWayland