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Chevrolet sells 1.1 million vehicles in brand's best first quarter ever

2011-04-18

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DETROIT – Chevrolet sold 1.1 million vehicles worldwide in the first three months of 2011, a 15 percent increase over the first quarter of 2010 and the brand's best first-quarter results ever.

"This is a great way to kick off Chevrolet's Centennial year," said Joel Ewanick, GM Global Chief Marketing Officer. "Our first quarter results are a clear indication that consumers are responding to our new product line, which only happens when you truly listen to the customer. Chevrolet has developed strong connections with consumers in key markets across South America, Europe, and Asia. We look forward to strengthening those connections as we introduce Chevrolet to Korea, and as we introduce a growing lineup of  vehicles that build on the successful launch of the Chevrolet Cruze."

Chevrolet grows momentum around the world

Last year, Chevrolet was the only top-five global vehicle brand to grow total market share – accounting for about 5.8 percent of all vehicles sold worldwide.

That strong momentum continued in the first three months of 2011, as Chevrolet recorded double-digit sales gains over the same period last year in four of its five top markets, including:

• In the United States, Chevrolet sold 416,505 vehicles in the first quarter, an increase of 23 percent. In February, Chevrolet was the highest-volume brand in the U.S. market.

• In China, Chevrolet sold a record 159,303 vehicles in the first three months of the year, an increase of 17 percent.

• In Brazil, Chevrolet sold 142,734 vehicles in the first quarter, a decrease of 9 percent from the brand's record-setting sales in the first quarter of 2010.

• In Mexico, Chevrolet sold 37,291 vehicles in the first quarter, an increase of 12 percent.

• In Argentina, Chevrolet sold 34,103 vehicles, an increase of 21 percent for the first quarter. Chevrolet set three consecutive sales records in the South American country, recording the brand's best January, February and March sales.

In Europe, Chevrolet sold 112,482 vehicles, an increase of 7 percent for the year. During that time, Chevrolet gained market share in nine European markets as the brand doubled sales in Denmark and Turkey, and increased sales in France and Russia by 80 percent and 51 percent, respectively.

Chevrolet's global growth is expected to accelerate. A key contributor will be the addition of the Korean market, where Chevrolet has replaced GM Daewoo as GM's main brand. In March, GM sales in Korea climbed 60 percent from the previous month, led by the launch of the new Chevrolet brand and new products such as the Orlando, Spark and Cruze. Additional models such as the Captiva SUV and Cruze hatchback will soon be rolling out in Korea.

"The change to Chevrolet will strengthen GM's presence in the South Korean market," said Mike Arcamone, president and CEO of GM Korea. "We see great opportunities to contribute to the growth of one of the most iconic global automotive brands."

Cruze leads Chevrolet global nameplates

In addition to growing Chevrolet's global footprint, the brand is also expanding its lineup of vehicles.

Fueled by a successful launch in the United States and continued growth in China, Chevrolet sold 150,652 Cruze sedans during the first quarter of 2011 – a 117 percent increase over the first quarter of 2010. Since the Cruze was first introduced in Europe in 2009, Chevrolet has sold nearly 600,000 Cruzes worldwide:

Cruze sales are expected to continue to grow with the addition of the Cruze hatchback, which will go on sale this summer in Europe, followed by other markets around the world. In Europe, the compact segment alone accounts for more than a quarter of all vehicle sales, and approximately 65 percent of all compact cars are hatchback models.

The Spark mini-car and the Cruze will soon be joined by the all-new Aveo/Sonic small car which will go on sale in Europe by mid-2011 and will be introduced in additional countries throughout 2011 and 2012. In addition, the all-new Chevrolet Malibu midsize car will be introduced in several markets around the globe this year.

Chevrolet will unveil the new Malibu live today, starting at 8:30 p.m. EDT at http://www.facebook.com/chevrolet. The Web reveal will also be streamed live on iPad and iPhone mobile devices. The timing of the Web reveal coincides with the auto show debut of the new Malibu in Shanghai.

With the addition of the new Malibu, Chevrolet continues to grow its global family of fuel-efficient cars. Together, the Spark, Aveo/Sonic, Cruze, Volt, and Malibu compete in the four largest vehicle segments in the world, which accounted for 54 percent of all non-luxury sales in 2010.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 4 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine passion, bold design and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2010, Chevrolet grew its market share in Europe to 2.5 percent, selling 477,194 cars. Chevrolet has a network of more than 2,700 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo, the compact four-door Cruze, the Captiva SUV and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet is launching seven new cars: the all-new Orlando family van, the new Captiva SUV, the Corvette Grand Sport Coupé, the all-new five-door and four-door Aveo, the five-door Cruze, the Camaro coupé and convertible and the award-winning extended-range Volt electric car. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and Turkey. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is celebrating its centenary in 2011. More information on Chevrolet can be found at www.chevroleteurope.com or media.chevroleteurope.com.