141 is hardly a big number since most would have pre-orders with deposits possibly from months ago. Maybe most of those are the Nieman Marcus ones.

A show almost no one watches though, so I don't think it would have made much of a difference. I certainly enjoyed it though!

 

Holy smoking S-classes Batman. Can you believe they sold over 3000 in April!?

 

Yep, BMW is selling a lot of vehicles. With every company now pushing for Sport over Luxury, its a no brainer that BMW vehicles would be high demand.

I too think that the new GS350/460 sales will increase once introduced, but by how much?? The GS has some stiff competition now, that really wasnt present before. The Infiniti M is a perfect example(though only by 100 cars). Its slightly cheaper with an eye pleasing design(to many ppl, but not me), among many other things. The new STS is more competitive than before and so is the RL, though sales are not really reflecting that currently, but it is a better option than before.

Not only is the GS facing tougher comp in its class, its probably facing comp in the entry level market as well. Lexus has the IS which I am sure many people are buying over the GS to save some money(we've all seen the "should I buy the IS or GS??" threads in the 2IS forums ), or just simply like the design more(among many other things). Next month will see the intro of the ES, which will also make a great alternative to the GS.

Styling is subjective, but I think there is more to the 3-series high sales than what a magazine has to say. Im sure out of those 11K sales, more than 50% of those buyers never even read a car mag. History, the BMW name, repeat buyers, special lease options on the new 3 etc I think are playing a bigger role than a Magazine review. Plus the fact that they offer 80 different versions of the 3. Sedans, Coupes, Wagons, Special Editions, Convertibles, AWD, RWD, Engine choices, and now they have AWD on the coupe. Thats incredible.

 

Excellent point. Lexus's own IS and ES will put a LOT of pressure on the GS
for value reasons. The Infiniti M is an excellent car. When I first saw it I though
Infiniti hit it out of the ball park (especially considering how awful the previous
version of the M was). Congratulations to Infiniti, but I would not trade my GS
for any other car in its class, especially considering the aftermarket body kits
that are coming out for the GS.

 

At a 100 grand each, give or take, 300 million bucks - not bad. But I doubt the demand will keep up for it. At least here is one model that Lexus will affect - with the new LS.

 

Well they only test a select few cars on that show in the first place anyways. Last car I saw tested was a Range Rover Sport. But yes, great marketing and advertising though.

 

We'll see how sales pan out, but I'm confident sales will far exceed Toyota's miniscule allocation of 2000 annual units.

You'd be surprised as to how many actually watch Speed channel. It's more than you think

 

heck, 3,000 is NOTHING compared to what they are doing in Germany - excess of 8,000 units when 7 series, and A8 do around 600 and 400 respectivly. S class is out and is in high demand throughout the world. (old S class used to get around 800 sales per month in germany).

 

GS and LS are really low volume, no matter how well they sell... IS, ES and RX are high volume cars, so ES will be welcomed warmly.

Also, nobody noticed how 5 series sales dropped 30%-35% over last year? :-). That whole section of the market is shrinking, mostly due to good sales of 3, IS and TL (and ES to come), as well as S class.

 

Don't forget what Lexus said last year ... their new models would have more options, more variants, and more updates more often to keep them competitive. New powertrains are just one thing the GS will be getting. Expect new options, exterior enhancements in a year or two, plus other things, such as possibly upgraded interior materials. Lexus won't make the mistake of neglecting the GS and letting it linger with no updates as it did with the previous model run.

Right now the M offers a lot of value over the GS. Both the M35 and M45 outclass the GS300 and GS430 engine/performance wise, and the M offers a competitive interior. But the new engines for the GS will leapfrog Infiniti's engines in both fuel economy and performance. Even myself, if I were in the market for a luxo midsize sedan, I'd be hesistant in buying the GS, simply because of the new engines coming.

Don't forget the GS430 is special order in most places.

 

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America

today announced April sales of 41,025, a new record for the month.
Hyundai's sedans continued to lead the charge. Azera sales were up 82
percent over XG350/Azera sales in April 2005, and Sonata sales grew by 46
percent over last year.

"We are very encouraged by the strength of our sedans, with Sonata and
Azera showing excellent growth over last year," said Mark Barnes, vice
president, National Sales, Hyundai Motor America. "The combination of value
and safety continues to resonate with consumers."

All Hyundai cars and sport utility vehicles sold in the U.S. are
covered by The Hyundai Advantage, America's Best Warranty. Hyundai buyers
are protected by a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a
5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, a 7-year/unlimited-mile
anti-perforation warranty and 5-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance
protection.

Following is the sales breakdown for April 2006:
SOURCE Hyundai Motor America

 

- Strong April Sales of All-New Dodge Caliber Push Past 11,000 units; Days
Supply Drops to 12 Days
- Chrysler Group Car Sales Increase 37 Percent on Sales Success of Dodge
Caliber and Chrysler 300
- Chrysler 300 Sales Surpass 300,000 Units Since April 2004 Introduction;
Fastest Chrysler Group Vehicle to Reach that Milestone

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Against an
exceptionally robust prior year comparison and in-line with overall
industry performance, Chrysler Group reported U.S. sales for April 2006 of
190,095 units, a decrease of 4 percent (8 percent decrease unadjusted) over
April 2005 sales of 206,546 units. All sales are being reported on a
day-rate adjusted basis unless otherwise indicated.

"The Dodge Caliber helped to increase the company's car business 37
percent in April, continuing the legacy established by the Chrysler PT
Cruiser and the Chrysler 300 of head-turning vehicle styling. The Dodge
Caliber confirms that the Chrysler Group is a serious contender in the car
market," said Gary Dilts, Chrysler Group Senior Vice President - Sales.
The strong global appeal of the all-new Dodge Caliber pushed monthly
sales for the Dodge brand up 5 percent to 106,231 units, compared to April
2005 sales of 104,667. Sales of the all-new Dodge Caliber surged 78 percent
over March 2006 sales to 11,236 units, marking the first month that the
Dodge Caliber surpassed 11,000 unit sales. The popularity of the Dodge
Caliber was reinforced in April as demonstrated by the average of 12 days
supply of the vehicle on dealer lots.

The Dodge Charger posted sales of 9,662 units, an increase of 11
percent over March 2006 sales and the third best month of sales since its
introduction in May 2005. The Dodge Sprinter continues to make headway with
commercial customers. The Dodge Sprinter posted sales of 1,646 units, an
increase of 8 percent over April 2005 sales of 1,585 units.

The flagship vehicle for the Chrysler brand, the Chrysler 300, posted
sales of 12,804 units in April 2006, an increase of 4 percent over April
2005 sales of 12,837 units. In April, U.S. sales of the Chrysler 300
surpassed 300,000 units. Since its April 2004 introduction, the Chrysler
300 reached that milestone faster than any other Chrysler brand vehicle.

The Jeep(R) brand is aggressively expanding its vehicle lineup in 2006
with vehicles that offer exceptional fuel economy, numerous safety features
and significant value. Beginning with the Jeep Commander last fall and
continuing with the all-new Jeep Compass, the unique Jeep combines
trademark Jeep features and performance with the high fuel efficiency
demanded by consumers. Followed by the Jeep Patriot and anchored by the
Fall arrival of the all-new Jeep Wrangler and four-door Jeep Wrangler
Unlimited, the Jeep vehicle lineup will more than double from three to
seven models.

For May, Chrysler Group announces the "0% is Back" incentive program on
most Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. Customers can choose from a variety
of cash-back options ranging from $750 to $5,000 on selected models, or
qualified customers can select 0% financing for 60 months on selected
models through Chrysler Financial. The program runs through July 5.
"Gas prices and interest rates are challenging consumers' spending
habits and affecting everything from groceries and household goods to some
sectors of automotive sales," said Dilts. "By bringing successful, highly
fuel efficient vehicles like the Dodge Caliber to market that address
customer concerns, Chrysler Group can expand our leadership beyond those
segments where we are strongest: minivans, trucks and SUVs. We have five
vehicles on the way that are long on style and easy on gas that will be in
the marketplace by the end of 2006."

Chrysler Group finished the month with 586,263 units of inventory, or
an 80-day supply.
SOURCE Chrysler Group

 

CYPRESS, Calif., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America,
Inc., (MMNA) today reported April sales of 10,841 units, an increase of
17.5% compared to April 2005 sales of 9,230.

"While we are encouraged by a very strong month of sales, we sincerely
believe that this is only the beginning," said President & CEO Hiroshi
Harunari. "Our exciting Eclipse Spyder convertible is just beginning to
make a contribution, and there are more exciting products to come in the
near future, including the all-new Outlander in the autumn of this year."

* The total sales of 10,841 represent the highest monthly total since
August 2005, and the second best sales month in the past year.
* The 17.5% increase is the largest year-over year monthly sales
increase in nearly 4 years (July 2002) and the largest April
year-over-year monthly increase in 6 years (April 2000).
* Galant was the volume leader at 3,049, up 29.9% from last April's
volume
* Eclipse closed at 2,626, up 165.8% up from last year's volume
* Eclipse Spyder had its best sales month in two years with 827, up
89.7% from last year's volume.

"At a time our industry is facing many challenges, Mitsubishi Motors
has begun our fiscal year on a high note and we are positioned well," added
Harunari. "We have exciting products and when consumers visit our dealers'
showrooms, they are also finding programs that are competitive and
meaningful to them as American consumers."

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all
manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development
operations of the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in the United States.
Mitsubishi Motors sells coupes, convertibles, sedans, sport utility
vehicles, and light trucks through a network of approximately 540 dealers.
For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888)
560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.



SOURCE Mitsubishi Motors of North America, Inc.

 

GM April 2006 North American Deliveries
GM Reports 345,404 Deliveries in April

Launch Vehicle Sales Continue to Gain Momentum, Led by All-New Full-Size SUVs
Chevy Tahoe Sales Up 35 Percent, Paced by Best Sales-To-Date of 2007 Model
Cadillac Escalade Sales Rise 127 Percent; GMC Yukon Sales Up 36 Percent
Full-Size Pickup Sales Rise 4 Percent


DETROIT - General Motors dealers in the United States sold 345,404 new cars and trucks in April, down 7 percent compared to year-ago levels. Total car sales were down 18 percent, and truck sales were up 2 percent.

GM's retail sales in April were down 5 percent compared to year-ago deliveries. Fleet sales were down 10.5 percent. Daily rental sales declined by 23 percent compared to last year.

"Given that the industry came in somewhat below our initial expectations, we are pleased that our retail sales were in line with the targets established in our North America turnaround plan," said Mark LaNeve, General Motors North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. "Consumers continue to respond very favorably to our new products, particularly the all-new Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade, resulting in a combined 15 percent sales increase compared to last month."

Total sales of all GM launch vehicles were up 5 percent compared to March and accounted for 28 percent of GM's total deliveries for the month. The success of GM's launch vehicles is another critical component of GM's North America restructuring plan.

Despite increases in fuel prices and contrary to industry trends, GM posted a 2 percent improvement in total truck deliveries, driven by continuing strong sales results for its all-new full-size sport utility vehicles and full-size pickups. Chevrolet Tahoe sales were up 35 percent in April. Of the 13,138 total deliveries, 10,607 were 2007 models. GMC Yukon posted a 36 percent sales gain in April, with 5,978 total deliveries. There were 4,862 2007 Yukon deliveries. April sales of the 2007 model were 48 percent greater than March results. Cadillac Escalade sales improved dramatically, with a 127 percent improvement over last year. There were 4,109 total sales, of which 3,258 were the all-new 2007 model. 2007 Escalade sales in April rose 23 percent compared to March.

Chevrolet Silverado deliveries rose 9 percent in April, and GMC Sierra sales were up 4 percent. The continuing strength of GM's full-size pickups is noteworthy, given that the product is approaching the end of its lifecycle. The new full-size pickups begin arriving in dealers' showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year.

LaNeve explained that the impact of the recent upward movement in fuel prices is being partially offset by the fuel economy leadership across GM's lineup, particularly its industry-leading truck and utility portfolio. "We know that fuel economy is an important issue for consumers, and every tenth of a gallon improvement counts," LaNeve said. "We worked hard during the development of our new large utilities to squeeze out every possible ounce of fuel savings, and the result was the best fuel economy in the segment. Combine this with the E85 capability of these vehicles, which reduces America's dependency on oil, and you've got a significant, measurable benefit for all consumers."

GM's newest entries in the small sport utility category also contributed to the improvement in overall truck sales. Chevrolet HHR and Equinox and Pontiac Torrent posted solid results. HHR had its best-ever sales month and Equinox achieved record April sales. The new Saturn Vue continued its sales momentum with its eleventh consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases (+25 percent).

HUMMER posted a year-over-year sales record for the twelfth consecutive month, with total sales up 231 percent. Retail deliveries rose 210 percent. H3 continues to drive HUMMER's record-setting pace and leads the entry luxury utility segment by a wide margin.

Saturn posted a year-over-year sales gain of 14 percent with retail sales up 3 percent. The improvement was led by a solid sales month for Vue and Ion. The first sales of Saturn Sky (612) were recorded in April. Demand for the all-new two-seat roadster continues to outpace supply, with vehicles remaining on dealers' lots an average of only 10 days.

Saab also posted a sales gain compared to year-ago levels (+3 percent). Its retail deliveries were up 10 percent, paced by deliveries of the 9-7X.

Certified Used Vehicles

April sales for all certified GM brands, including GM Certified Used Vehicles, Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, Used Cars from Saturn, Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles and HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles, were 46,735 units, up nearly 7 percent from last April. Total year-to-date certified GM sales are 175,580 units, comparable to the same period last year.

GM Certified Used Vehicles, the industry's top-selling manufacturer-certified used brand, posted 40,562 sales, up 10 percent from last April. Year-to-date sales for GM Certified Used Vehicles are 153,052 units, up 2 percent from the same period in 2005.

Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles posted 3,572 sales in April, up 8 percent from last year. Used Cars from Saturn sold 1,773 units, down 32 percent. Saab Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles sold 713 units, down 19.5 percent. In its fourth month of operation, HUMMER Certified Pre-Owned sold 115 units.

"The industry's top-selling certified brand, GM Certified Used Vehicles, continues to lead all manufacturer-certified programs, with one of its strongest sales months ever," LaNeve said. "GM Certified sold 40,562 units for the month, up 10 percent from last April. This is a terrific start to the second quarter and marks the second consecutive month that GM Certified sales have surpassed the 40,000-unit mark."

GM North America Reports April Production, 2006 Second-Quarter Production Forecast Remains Unchanged

In April, GM North America produced 352,000 vehicles (131,000 cars and 221,000 trucks). This is down 68,000 units, or 16 percent, compared to April 2005 when the region produced 420,000 vehicles (163,000 cars and 257,000 trucks). Production totals include joint venture production of 24,000 vehicles in April 2006 and 22,000 vehicles in April 2005.

The region's 2006 second-quarter production forecast remains unchanged at 1.2 million vehicles (445,000 cars and 755,000 trucks). In the second quarter of 2005, the region produced 1.247 million vehicles (458,000 cars and 789,000 trucks).

GM also announced 2006 final first-quarter production and revised second-quarter production forecasts for its international regions.

GM Europe - In the first quarter of 2006, the region produced 494,000 vehicles. This is down 8,000 units compared to the first quarter 2005 when the region produced 502,000 vehicles. The region's revised 2006 second-quarter production forecast is 502,000 vehicles, up 12,000 units from last month's guidance. In the second quarter of 2005, the region built 501,000 vehicles.

GM Asia Pacific - GM Asia Pacific produced 472,000 vehicles in the first quarter of 2006. This is up 137,000 units compared to the first quarter of 2005, when the region produced 335,000 vehicles. The region's revised 2006 second-quarter production forecast is 504,000 vehicles, up 30,000 units from last month's guidance. In the second quarter of 2005, the region built 398,000 vehicles.

GM Latin America, Africa and the Middle East - In the first quarter of 2006, the region produced 194,000 vehicles. This is up 9,000 units compared to the first quarter of 2005, when the region produced 185,000 vehicles. The region's 2006 second-quarter production estimate remains unchanged at 215,000 vehicles. In the second quarter of 2005, the region built 195,000 vehicles.

General Motors Corp. , the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world's leading finance companies, GMAC Financial Services, which offers automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.

Sales table HERE

 

can you imagine what lexus sale are gonna be like when 07 model year starts, updated GS, new LS, ES is just starting to ramp up