Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C7 Forum - View Single Post - GM JUNE 2010 SALES UP 36%, 194,828 UNITS SOLD

LOWDOWN · 07-02-2010, 12:15 PM

An "undisputed" post, from www.gminsidenews.com , posted by SierraGS:

Some great numbers from Cadillac and GMC with very strong retail/fleet sales gain ratios (90%) and (76%) respectively and Buick had good increases but a more troubling 53% ratio of the gain from retail sales.

Then there are the poor numbers from Chevrolet with nearly 70% of the sales gain from fleet sales, not to mention hgh rebates on more of its car line than competitors. The Malibu continues to be a disappointment with sales continuing to depend upon heavy fleet sales and unacceptably high rebates, the only car in the segment with a higher rebate than the Mailbu is the Galant which is also a "rental car queen".

When will GM correct the Malibu's difficiencies in content so that it can sell without $3,000 rebates and match the high percentage retail rates that the segment leading Accord and Camry do with NO REBATES?

The lack of action on GM's part with the current Malibu does not bode well for it's successor that will have to contend with the new Sonata which is a sellout for Hyundai with NO REBATE, a new Kia Optima that will be a much better seller than the current model along with the Fusion and Altima that have outsold the Malibu YTD with rebates that are 1/3 of the Malibu - then there is the two most formidible competitors, the next generation Accord and Camry which little has been said but going by past history will be much more competitive than the current offerings. Along with these contenders, the next gen Malibu will have to compete with an all new VW mid-size car that will have the proper price/content ratios and a strong marketing campaign. GM had better get the next Malibu right in every detail or the Mailbu will continue to be "Fleet car of the Year" when it should be the best selling car in the mid-size segment without the crutches of rebates and fleet sales.

GM needs to do some homework and look at the Fusion and Sonata's highly successful price/feature strategy and implement it on the next generation Malibu - it has worked for both of them and it is 100% guaranteed to work for the current Malibu and the next generation one, and it will increase profit per sale along with the Malibu's residual values. Both the 2010 Fusion and 2011 Sonata have already passed the 2008-2010 Malibu in the number of "cars on the road" I see here in SoCal and that is an embarassment to the entire Chevrolet lineup, how can cars that have been on the market for 1 year (Fusion) and 3 months (Sonata) outsell one that has been on the market for nearly 4 years!!!??

The other thing that is 100% guaranteed is if the Malibu continues with it's current trim level/feature offerings, the only buyers it will attract are those from the rental car companies.

The only way Chevy is going to become Chevrolet is to start building cars that are worthy of the extra letters

Interesting perspective...

07-02-2010, 12:15 PM	#17
LOWDOWN Downright Upright Drives: Daily Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Cruisin'... Posts: 4,145	An "undisputed" post, from www.gminsidenews.com , posted by SierraGS: Some great numbers from Cadillac and GMC with very strong retail/fleet sales gain ratios (90%) and (76%) respectively and Buick had good increases but a more troubling 53% ratio of the gain from retail sales. Then there are the poor numbers from Chevrolet with nearly 70% of the sales gain from fleet sales, not to mention hgh rebates on more of its car line than competitors. The Malibu continues to be a disappointment with sales continuing to depend upon heavy fleet sales and unacceptably high rebates, the only car in the segment with a higher rebate than the Mailbu is the Galant which is also a "rental car queen". When will GM correct the Malibu's difficiencies in content so that it can sell without $3,000 rebates and match the high percentage retail rates that the segment leading Accord and Camry do with NO REBATES? The lack of action on GM's part with the current Malibu does not bode well for it's successor that will have to contend with the new Sonata which is a sellout for Hyundai with NO REBATE, a new Kia Optima that will be a much better seller than the current model along with the Fusion and Altima that have outsold the Malibu YTD with rebates that are 1/3 of the Malibu - then there is the two most formidible competitors, the next generation Accord and Camry which little has been said but going by past history will be much more competitive than the current offerings. Along with these contenders, the next gen Malibu will have to compete with an all new VW mid-size car that will have the proper price/content ratios and a strong marketing campaign. GM had better get the next Malibu right in every detail or the Mailbu will continue to be "Fleet car of the Year" when it should be the best selling car in the mid-size segment without the crutches of rebates and fleet sales. GM needs to do some homework and look at the Fusion and Sonata's highly successful price/feature strategy and implement it on the next generation Malibu - it has worked for both of them and it is 100% guaranteed to work for the current Malibu and the next generation one, and it will increase profit per sale along with the Malibu's residual values. Both the 2010 Fusion and 2011 Sonata have already passed the 2008-2010 Malibu in the number of "cars on the road" I see here in SoCal and that is an embarassment to the entire Chevrolet lineup, how can cars that have been on the market for 1 year (Fusion) and 3 months (Sonata) outsell one that has been on the market for nearly 4 years!!!?? The other thing that is 100% guaranteed is if the Malibu continues with it's current trim level/feature offerings, the only buyers it will attract are those from the rental car companies. The only way Chevy is going to become Chevrolet is to start building cars that are worthy of the extra letters Interesting perspective...