Automakers Post Increased Sales for June, Year

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – With the first half of 2016 wrapped up, all three American automakers report increases in year-to-date retail sales as well as gains year-over-year.

Retail sales for General Motors Co. were up just more than 1% from a year ago with 209,295 cars, trucks and SUVs delivered to customers in June. Total sales, which include sales for rental fleets and commercial use, dropped 1.6% to 255,210. Of the company’s four brands, two – Chevrolet and Cadillac – posted gains in total sales, while Buick and GMC reported declines.

Chevrolet sales rose 0.1% to 181,387 last month, about 130 vehicles more than June 2015. Leading sales for the brand was the Silverado pickup with 49,662, followed by the Equinox SUV, 19,582 delivered, and the Lordstown-built Cruze with 18,666 sold, a 17.6% decline from last year.

Cadillac reported 14,263 cars and SUVs delivered last month, a 5.5% climb from a year ago. Its top models were the XT5, with 4,185 leaving showrooms, and the ATS with 1,880.

Sales of Buick declined 5.5% to 16,575, led by the Encore with 6,091 sold. Sales for GMC were down 8.6% as sales totaled 42,995. Sales were led by the Sierra pickup truck, with 17,162 delivered to customers.

Through the first half of 2016, GM’s retail sales are up 1.3% from a year ago, totaling 1,137,101. Total sales so far this year, reported as 1,438,915, are down 4.4%.

FCA US LLC, holding company for Fiat and Chrysler, reported its sales grew 7% during the month, the best June sales the automaker has posted since 2005. At the halfway point of the year, FCA sales are up 6% from the first six months of 2015, totaling 1,152,259.

“Strong Jeep and Ram sales fueled our best June sales in 11 years,” said Reid Bigland, senior vice president, sales for North America. “In spite of some severe stock market volatility in June, the American consumer stayed focused on buying new vehicles and propelled FCA to six vehicle sales records last month.”

The automaker manufactures Chryslers, Rams, Jeeps, Fiats and Dodges.

FCA said it delivered 197,073 cars and trucks during June versus sales of 185,035 vehicles the same month a year ago.

Four of the six sales records were set by Jeep lines – the Wrangler, Patriot, Compass and Renegade – the automaker said. Jeep models were up 17%. The Ram ProMaster City van and the Fiat 500x also turned in their best June sales ever.

Ram Truck sales were up 14%, Dodge 3%, but Fiat sales were down 19%, FCA reported.

Chrysler brand sales also dropped considerably during the month, FCA said. The brand sold 24,747 vehicles last month compared to 30,809 in June 2015, a decrease of 20%.

With a 6.4% increase in sales last month, Ford Motor Co. posted its best first-half sales numbers in a decade. The company sold 240,109 vehicles in June, brining the total for the first six months to 1,353,048, a 5% gain from a year ago.

Sales of Ford truck lines, the F-series trucks and Transit vans, were up 13% in the first half compared to last year as more than 531,000 trucks and vans were sold. The F-series remained Ford’s top-selling vehicle with 70,937, an almost 29% jump from a year ago. Its best-selling car was the Fusion with 26,520 sold, a 4.4% gain from June 2015.

“Strong customer demand has helped us continue growing our truck leadership position, further widening the gap with our nearest competitor versus last year,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president for U.S. marketing, sales and service, in a statement. “Customer demand for Ford SUVs also continues to surge to all-time highs.”

Sales of Lincolns posted a 5.8% gain last month with 8,809 cars and SUVs sold, led by the MKZ sedan, of which 2,760 were delivered in June.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.