GM Gets Slight Lift From Truck Sales

The automotive industry has received a lot of surprises. Sometimes you just have to expect the unexpected. In February, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Group suffered sales decline. Other critics expect that General Motors would also suffer the same fate. Unfortunately, their guess is as good as anyone else. This is because GM sold more vehicles than expected.
Last month, GM reported 3.7 percent improvement over a year ago, despite a flat U.S. market and poor results at rivals. The success of the February car sales attributed to a slight increase of the often maligned truck market. GM truck sales have increased by about eight percent for the month. Autodata Corp. reported that light-truck sales rose 0.2 percent overall. Without GM, light truck sales fell by 2.5 percent.
Analysts in the industry, said the truck market, long the bread and butter of American automakers, will continue to be squeezed by volatile fuel prices and soft housing market. The same factors also hurt the Japanese truck, as well.

Seems to be a cool breeze from the blower motor resistor Nissan spreading good vibes in favor of the automaker. "Those segments that are suffering the kind of overshadowed the success we have with our new vehicles," said Brad Bradshaw, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Nissan North America.
Nissan reported a quick sale of its Altima and Infiniti G35 cars though sales of its sport utility vehicles fell. Overall, Nissan sales increased by 1.2 percent. Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. also posted sales dobitke.Razlika, experts say, is that GM has some of the freshest trucks on the market, and in February it increased incentives on some models enough to fight the customers in their showrooms.
View-window GM is going to be a little different from the view of Ford and Chrysler, "said Erich Merkle, the predictions for IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids. "Given the fact that the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra are all new, they May have the best shot at holding on and keeping any reduced to a minimum later in the year, GM has several other new light trucks -. category that includes minivans and SUVs - help buoy results for this year, "said Merkle indicate the Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia car-based SUV.

Merkle added, "a safe haven in 2007 will be in a crossover SUV, but more accurately a crossover SUV that price is above $ 30,000. In the case of GM, which will help them more than most people give them credit for.

To some analysts, in February, GM's sales results were surprising. "GM is not better than anyone expected," said Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis at Edmunds.com Santa Monica, Calif. "I think they are better than they expected." GM, on the other hand, he admitted that he expected sales in February even with a year ago.