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GM, Ford, Chrysler Post Gains in March U.S. Deliveries

*from www.bloomberg.com, April 2, 2013 (To view original article click here.)

Take Away #1: Ford Motor Co and Chrysler Group LLC reported the best monthly sales in their home market since 2007, while General Motors Co. also sees a boost.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Ford delivered 235,643 light vehicles in March, a 5.7% increase.
  • Chrysler sales rose 5%, extending a streak of monthly gains to 36 months, the longest stretch in its records that date back to 1985.
  • GM’s 6.4% expansion trailed analysts’ estimates for a 12% climb.

Take Away #2: Ford and Chrysler sales increased led by models such as the Ford Fusion and Dodge Dart, while GM’s Cadillac jumped almost 50%.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • The Dodge Dart and Ford Fusion are among small and mid-size models by U.S. automakers having success at taking on Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co.
  • The Dart is one of four Chrysler cars that set sales records last month.
  • Ford, Chrysler and GM are pacing the U.S. auto market, a bright spot in the economic recovery.
  • Ford rose 1.2% to $13.05 at 11:52 a.m. in New York.
  • GM gained 0.2% to $27.86.

Take Away #3: GM’s Cadillac, with two new luxury sedans, drove much of the automaker’s growth in March with a 49% sales increase by the brand compared with the same month last year.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Cadillac last month sold 3,587 ATS compact sedans and 3,061 XTS full-sized sedans; both vehicles first went on sale last year.
  • The ATS in particular has been winning praise, with Consumer Reports in its May issue saying the car’s “impeccable fit and finish is the best we’ve seen from GM”.
  • GM is introducing 13 new Chevrolets this year and showed a redesigned Cadillac CTS during last week’s auto show.
  • GM said all four domestic brands reported increases last month.
  • The Chevy Sonic led small cars such as Ford’s Fiesta, Honda’s Fit and Toyota’s Yaris in its segment through February.

Take Away #4: U.S. light-vehicle sales probably climbed 4.2% in March to 1.46 million, the average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • The annualized industry sales rate, adjusted for seasonal trends, may have risen to 15.4 million, the average of 15 estimates, from 14.1 million a year earlier.
  • GM forecast a 15.2 million rate in its e-mailed statement.
  • Edmunds.com raised its forecast for full-year light-vehicle sales to 15.5 million, which would be the best year since 2007.
  • GM maintained its outlook for 15 million to 15.5 million light-vehicle sales.
  • Chrysler forecast 15.6 million industry sales pace for March, including medium and heavy duty vehicles, which typically account for at least 200,000 deliveries per year.

Take Away #5: Chrysler and Ford exceed average estimate of analysts’ surveyed by Bloomberg.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Chrysler topped the 3% increase that was the average of 10 analysts’ estimates in the survey.
  • Chrysler said March was its best sales month since Dec. 2007.
  • Ford, boosted by sales of the redesigned Fusion, exceeded the 4.4% gain that was the average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed.
  • Fusion sales rose 6% in March to 30,284, while the Escape utility vehicle surged 28% to 28,934.

Take Away #6: Chrysler whose majority is owned by Fiat SpA also set records with its Dodge Avenger, Challenger, and Chrysler 200 cars as well as Ram pickups.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Chrysler’s Dart, introduced in June, set a monthly sales record of 8,091 units.
  • Cars such as the Dart and the Chrysler 200 had an 11% sales increase last month and are buoying Chrysler deliveries as the automaker retools its Jeep factories.
  • The Jeep factories are being retooled to make redesigned models such as the Compass, Grand Cherokee and new Cherokee.
  • Chrysler’s North American production this year through February slipped 5.8% to 360,862 vehicles.

Take Away #7: American sedans are providing stiffer competition to stalwarts like Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Accord, steering U.S. auto sales to a fourth straight annual gain, the longest streak since 2000.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Among Chrysler models setting records in March, the Ram pickup gained 25% to 33,831, while the Avenger rose 33% and Challenger surged 42%.
  • Through February, Fusion was the fifth best-selling model in the U.S. behind Ford’s F-series pickup line, GM’s Chevrolet Silverado Truck, Camry, and Accord.
  • Toyota’s U.S. sales increased 1% in March, trailing the 1.6% average estimate of eight analysts.
  • Camry remained the best-selling car this year through February, with 11,244 more deliveries than Accord and 12,893 more than Fusion.

Take Away #8: Nissan, Honda, and Volkswagen may see sales gain in March, while South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia could see sales decline in March compared to the same month the previous year.

Key Facts and Figures:

  • Nissan Motor Co. reported a 1% sales gain for March, beating eight analysts’ average estimate for a 2.1% decline.
  • Honda may report an 8.5% increase in March, the average of eight estimates.
  • John Mendel, head of U.S. sales for Honda, forecast 138,000 deliveries for the month, which would be an 8.7% gain.
  • Volkswagen AG, posted a 5.8% gain in combined sales for its Volkswagen and Audi brands in March, trailing the 11% gain that was the average of four estimates.
  • Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp, the Seoul based affiliates, may have combined to sell 6.8% fewer vehicles in March compared with a year earlier, the average of seven estimates.
  • Ford’s F-Series truck line, with 101,330 sales through February, and GM’s Chevrolet Silverado pickups at 77,088, were the two best selling models for the first two months, according to researcher Autodata Corp.

*To view original article from www.bloomberg.com click here

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