By Michael Calia
General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC on Tuesday posted
their best November U.S. sales figures in several years, driven by
a favorable environment for consumers, although Ford Motor Co.
reported a decline.
Auto makers, which offered deals and discounts during the weeks
leading up to Black Friday, are expected to turn in one of their
best November sales performances in years.
The preholiday promotions, along with an improving economic
picture, had been expected to drive customers to dealer lots last
month, even if average transaction prices rose and incentive
spending slipped year-over-year, as researcher TrueCar said
Tuesday. Both auto researcher Kelley Blue Book and information
website Edmunds.com, likewise, had projected overall sales growth
for the industry of about 2%.
"The buzz around Black Friday helped drive strong showroom
traffic, but there was a lot more at work in the market," GM sales
executive Kurt McNeil said in a news release. "More people have
jobs and job security, their wages are starting to increase,
household wealth is growing and low pump prices look like they're
here to stay through 2015."
GM said U.S. sales rose 6.5% to 225,818 vehicles last month,
making it the best November for the company in seven years. Retail
sales rose 5%, GM said, while fleet deliveries jumped 11%.
The company's results were driven in large part by double-digit
increases in sales for its Silverado pickup, at 24%, and its Cruze
car model, which saw a 26% improvement. The GMC brand posted sales
growth of 23%.
Ford, meanwhile, had expected to post an overall decline as it
manages inventory and increases availability for its new F-150 and
Mustang models. The company sold 187,000 vehicles in the U.S.
during November, a 1.8% year-over-year decline.
Utilities were a bright spot for Ford, however, as sales grew
15% to 60,911 units. Escape sales rose 22%, the model's best
November yet, according to the company, while the Explorer model
posted 13% sales growth, its best figure for the month in 10
years.
Chrysler, which is the third-biggest U.S. auto maker, relied on
big promotions leading into the holiday-shopping season, offering a
variety of deals that included thousands in cash back and
discounts, and it appears to have paid off.
Chrysler said it sold 170,839 vehicles last month, an increase
from 142,275 in the same month a year ago. It was the company's
best November since 2001.
Truck sales rose 18% to 129,320 vehicles. Car sales, which had
recently been posting weaker results than those for trucks, jumped
26% to 41,519 units.
The Ram and Jeep brands again delivered for Chrysler,
registering sales gains of 31% and 27%, respectively, while each
enjoyed their best November ever, the company said. Chrysler's
namesake car brand posted a 30% gain, driven by its 200 model
sedan, whose sales more than doubled.
Honda Motor Co.'s U.S. sales arm said that November sales for
its Honda and Acura brands totaled 121,814 vehicles, a new record
for the month and an increase of 4.6% from a year ago.
Meanwhile, Nissan Motor Co. reported a 3.1% decline in U.S. auto
sales, with 103,188 units in November. Its Nissan division sold
91,790 vehicles, a 1.7% decline, and its luxury Infiniti unit
recorded 11,398 sales, a 13% drop.
The Nissan division's truck sales were a silver lining, with a
6.3% increase in sales, as its Rogue SUV delivered the strongest
performance with a 44% jump.
Chrysler projected November's total industry sales in the U.S.
to be a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17.5 million units,
while GM estimated 17.1 million. Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds had
projected 16.8 million and 16.7 million, respectively.
Joseph B. White
contributed to this article.
Write to Michael Calia at michael.calia@wsj.com
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