Chrysler and Volvo stand out as the biggest tumbles so far as automakers continue to report their January 2009 sales figures. Chrysler division saw a hefty 69 percent drop in sales compared to January 2008 – but Ford’s Swedish unit wasn’t that far behind thanks to a nearly 64 percent drop. Subaru, Hyundai, Smart and especially Kia had strong showings in January, proving the month wasn’t down across the field.
December’s sales figures were down almost across the board – with only Mini posting a gain over the same period one year prior. No analyst that Leftlane spoke to suggested that this month’s overall industry sales would be any higher than they were last month.
The good
Audi managed to sell 107 R8s – a 75.4 percent improvement over the 61 sports cars that made their way out of showrooms during the same period last year.
Dodge sold 74 percent more Vipers in January – 127 left showrooms, compared to 73 in the same period last year.
Ford estimates that it managed to gain market share for the fourth consecutive month – but, as you’ll see if you keep reading – the picture wasn’t entirely pretty. The automaker estimates that it attained 12.7 percent of the new car market in the U.S. – up 0.3 percent.
Infiniti’s redesigned FX saw an increase of 74.9 percent over the previous year, though we question dealer supply of the 2008 at this time last year.
Jeep managed a 4 percent increase in Wrangler sales, but that was offset by tumbling sales across the board for other models – as high as a 71 percent drop in Commander sales.
Hyundai saw a 14 percent rise to 24,512 thanks to increased sales in almost all of its volume models.
Like its parent company, Kia had its best January ever, proving that demand for inexpensive cars is on the rise. The Korean automaker’s sales were up 3.5 percent.
Subaru’s Forester seems to be just what the doctor ordered – sales for January were up an impressive 115 percent. The Forester’s increase was enough to buoy Subaru to an overall 8 percent gain despite drops across the board otherwise.
Smart’s sales were up 177.6 percent over last year’s figures – but before you assume that the automaker must be stuffing gold bullions in ForTwo gloveboxes, know that Smarts first arrived in the U.S. in the middle of January last year.
Volkswagen’s sales weren’t down as far as expected – in fact, the automaker’s new CC sedan posted its best-ever month.
Less-profitable sales to rental car fleets are down across the board and will especially be affecting numbers from Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda, among others. Unfortunately, automakers don’t tend to report fleet sales – and when they do, they don’t tend to break apart corporate fleets and rental fleets.
The bad
Chrysler’s sales tumbled – badly. Chrysler division saw an unprecedented 69 percent drop in sales with only three models selling above 1,000 units (Sebring, 1,943; 300, 2,250; Town & Country, 4,292). Dodge dropped 50 percent and Jeep fell 49 percent.
What’s really amazing is the hit some of Chrysler’s volume models took. Dodge sold 87 percent fewer Durangos, 78 percent fewer Calibers, 75 percent fewer Nitros and 70 percent fewer Avengers than they did in the same month last year.
Despite gaining share, Ford still saw a hefty drop in overall sales – but that only illustrates just how weak the market is on the whole.
Overall General Motors sales – including all of the automaker’s brands – were down 48.8 percent to 129,227. GM saw a 57.9 percent drop in demand for passenger cars to just 43,943 among all its brands.
Interestingly, GM’s biggest drop came from its Pontiac brand – sales were down more than 60 percent compared to the same period in 2008. Two of the three brands GM is likely to sell or eliminate in the coming months, Hummer and Saturn, also saw nearly 60 percent drops. Ironically, the third brand GM is looking to divest itself of, Saab, posted among the lower declines in sales last month – though the brand failed to sell even 1,000 vehicles.
Mazda sold a mere 33 B-Series pickups, down 72 percent compared to January 2008.
Mercedes-Benz has reported a nearly 43 precent drop in January sales, barely cresting the 10,000 unit mark.
Volvo had, quite frankly, a terrible month. Sales were down 63.8 percent to just 2,910 units – a figure that won’t help Ford sell its Swedish unit.
The ugly
The following manufacturers have reported January 2009 sales figures:
Acura, down 32.4 percent to 7,856
Audi, down 26.4 percent to 4,722
Buick, down 45.3 percent to 6,969
Cadillac, down 42.5 percent to 8,499
Chevrolet, down 48.4 percent to 77,186
Chrysler, down 69 percent to 10,685
Dodge, down 50 percent to 34,638
Ford, down 39.5 percent to 79,322
GMC, down 40.7 percent to 19,120
Honda, down 30.5 percent to 63,175
Hyundai, up 14 percent to 24,512
Hummer, down 59.9 percent to 1,222
Infiniti, down 20.9 percent to 7,115
Jeep, down 49 percent to 16,834
Kia, up 3.5 percent to 22,096
Lincoln, down 23.7 percent to 6,091
Lexus, down 30.3 percent to 14,722
Mazda, down 27.3 percent to 15,420
Mercedes-Benz, down 42.9 percent to 10,433
Mercury, down 44.2 percent to 5,183
Mitsubishi, down 34.5 percent to 4,730
Nissan, down 31.2 percent to 46,769
Pontiac, down 60.5 percent to 9,104
Saab, down 46.1 percent to 955
Saturn, down 59.8 percent to 6,172
Smart, up 177.1 percent to 1,776
Subaru, up 8 percent to 12,194
Toyota, down 34.9 percent to 102,565
Volkswagen, down 11.6 percent to 12,744
Volvo, down 63.8 percent to 2,910
02/03, 1:12 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Don’t tell me, let me guess: Acura’s new grill is gonna swallow up market share.
02/03, 1:19 PM
posted by:
Zcarsales
This is an odd assortment of car lines that got mentioned in this story. Its like going to Wal Mart at 2:20 am in the morning and buying a case of bleach and a bunch of bananas.
02/03, 1:24 PM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
This is great news. Couple of things I don’t understand though and that is how Mini sales could be up. Buyers are idiots then, seriously. A Saturn Astra is a better car and yet sheep still flock to Mini? These people should be banned from the Country for such treason. What a joke.
buy American. buy GM. it is your duty
02/03, 1:32 PM
posted by:
Borat
Volkswagen’s sales weren’t down as far as expected – in fact, the automaker’s new CC sedan posted its best-ever month. – well it wasn’t available January 2008 so of course it is only gain compare to 2008.
02/03, 1:38 PM
posted by:
miket
Borat –Good point…..I was thinking the same thing.
NMOFGM- there are a lot more than “Couple of things” you don’t understand…..
02/03, 1:38 PM
posted by:
non_biased_enthusiast
Great news??? What are you going to say when GM puts up their numbers?
02/03, 1:55 PM
posted by:
dejz28
Borat, the article says the CC had its best month ever, not its best January. The CC has been quietly on the market for a few months.
02/03, 2:04 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Why does Ford insist on maintaining this charade that call Mercury?
02/03, 2:05 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
NMOFGM,
Astra is made in BELGIUM, so you’re not buying American, you dumb ass.
02/03, 2:09 PM
posted by:
carstuff
Looks like GM was way down yet its retail sales remained steady at 21%.
02/03, 2:13 PM
posted by:
Borat
Bimmer, he is not buying he is selling.
Let’s admit it will be much less entertaining site without him. Considering that this character generates a lot of traffic and bantering on the site, I would not be surprised if it is one of the site proprietors generating extra traffic for advertisement counts. I really can’ believe that someone who was born/aborted with so little intelligence can learn how to read/write.
02/03, 2:22 PM
posted by:
gugy
Borat,
hahahahahahaha
True words about that dude.
02/03, 2:23 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
@ Need more oil, what do you know, your just a lot porter. Go wash a car, and day dream it’s yours…
That is your duty!!!….
02/03, 2:24 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
NMOFGM wrote:
…………. “Couple things I don’t understand though” ………………..
yeah, at least.
02/03, 2:25 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Nothing agents lot porters, everyone has to start some were. But for need oil, that’s how far his going to get…
02/03, 2:49 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Dont have the breakdown by division but ….
Also, Honda Motor Co. reported a 28% drop to 71,031 vehicles while Nissan Motor Co. posted a 30% decline to 53,884.
GM said it sold 129,227 vehicles last month compared with 252,565 in January 2008. It said its sales to fleets such as rental-car companies of just more than 13,000 vehicles was the lowest level since 1975.
GM said it would cut North American production in the current quarter to 380,000 vehicles from the earlier goal of 420,000.
Ford’s decline was highlighted by a 90% plunge in sales to car-rental companies, which themselves have been under financial straits.
02/03, 3:04 PM
posted by:
Zcarsales
Borat, CC’s were on the ground mid October.
02/03, 3:07 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Chrysler’s should be in by the end of the week. Someone thought they had a lead on a Crossfire last Saturday so technically it would still count.
02/03, 3:16 PM
posted by:
AnonymousCoward
NMOFGM, the buyers may be idiots, but if I were an auto manufacturer I rather have idiot buyers than no buyers at all.
02/03, 3:20 PM
posted by:
Sfiveten
Looks like GM fell right in to place….. last.
02/03, 3:41 PM
posted by:
miket
CNN reported this AM that Chrysler too the biggest hit of the domestics at 47% decrease
02/03, 4:17 PM
posted by:
Sfiveten
“Overall General Motors sales – including all of the automaker’s brands – were down 48.8 percent to 129,227.”
I like LLN and CNN both but one of them seem to be wrong….
02/03, 4:21 PM
posted by:
TomF
Saturn down 60%, NMOFG. The Reaper is coming.
02/03, 4:32 PM
posted by:
Tritonpower5.4
Where is Need more oil for GM now that Gm’s sales figures have been announced. Not here! Wow there’s a shocker…
02/03, 4:35 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Those numbers are really painful to read. On WSJ they are saying total sales for the month are likely to come in under 730000 units. That brings it to about an 8.5M/year run rate.
Good thing we infused those banks with $700B no strings attached to promote lending! Meh to both Bush, Obama, and Congress on that bad call.
By the way, even with all the bad news, I’m not seeing great deals on anything making me want to buy. I’m a rainy day shopper with a bug in my äss and plenty of cash, but given the hard times I wanna see damn down & dirty pricing to induce me to fork it over. Not seeing that, and until I do I’ll just let it rain on your parade, dealerships.
02/03, 5:23 PM
posted by:
gugy
I agreed that the deals are not that great. Unless you want a huge SUV.
But that’s not only for cars. Electronics and other products are not that cheap.
I guess the merchants and manufactures are waiting for some good news and holding off those big discounts, but I am sorry to say it is going to be really bad for the next months. They better be VERY aggressive slashing prices to entice folks spending on this scary time.
02/03, 6:40 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Chrysler’s quality and product line drags them down further … like a boat anchor. Maybe they should take out another full page ad thanking America.
02/03, 6:55 PM
posted by:
mr_hunter
if you are looking for a deal for a car that gets poor gas milage but plenty performance there’s a car lot in the Charlotte are that is sellnig 2008 Pontiac G8 GT’s for 18K. no I don’t work for the lot I saw a commercial. Other than that I don’t see many deals on anything. the price of laptops seems to have gone up with the introduction of those web books or net books or what ever they are called, i don’t want one.
02/03, 9:27 PM
posted by:
DrFill
Looks like ‘Yota is the #1 car brand, by like, a lot!
VW needs to have their head examined on making the CC
Hyundai sells 1000 Genesis a month
Maybe VW sells the same in CC
So what?
BMW was only down 15% for the month
Even though ‘Yota was down 35%, they were the only one’s with the guts to actually report model sales
Hyundai up 14% based on Hyundai Assurance program
Mazda sold 280 2010 Mazda3, almost 30% of the total for the month
Honda had one model with sales growth (Fit +1.8%)
DrFill
02/03, 10:38 PM
posted by:
bimmer_mann_18
The Mini Cooper S is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
02/03, 10:56 PM
posted by:
jdasch1
January is always the LOUSIEST month of the year for sales. Santa steals all of the down payments, and the tax returns are not here yet to spend. Feburary should be better as always, and March even better. The press loves “if it bleeds, it leads” stories. The economy is bleeding and these stories just make us all worry more and buy less. Job well done. But to be fair, go back 5 years and multiply January sales numbers X 12 and look at the run rate….not even close to what happened in those measured years.
02/04, 12:14 AM
posted by:
sequoiatrader
Ford beat Chevy…
One interesting observation is that Buick has a much better looking and fresher lineup than Mercury, yet they only beat them by about 1800. Overall though that is good news, that means there were nearly 12000 people over the age of 65 that bought cars last month.
02/04, 1:06 AM
posted by:
Automotive_United_Nations
The problem is the economy. Everyone’s afraid that the sky is falling. If you’re a buyer, now is the time to buy…they’re giving these damn things away. Wake up and realize that if no one spends money, they economy WILL crash. Buy some freaking cars people. Every make and model is the greatest car ever made. New technology is amazing. Every car except the Mazda 3. which was a HUGE step backwards. Interior looks and feels way cheaper and someone get that car on some depressants….stat.
02/04, 2:14 AM
posted by:
Dante_JoseCuervo
Jeez, this economy is taking its toll on just about everyone. Looks like we’re in for a rough one, I hope it picks up soon.
02/04, 8:37 AM
posted by:
ricky_b
Not pretty. GM fell to 19.4% Market Share – a new low. Oddly, it was their cars that dropped futher than their trucks; their cars dropped 57.9% compared to a drop of 42.6% for their trucks. What message does that make about their cars?
Ford down to 13.7% (kind of holding ground). Still think they’re in the best shape of the domestics, but they are still below the industry average for sales declines.
Chrysler is now at 9.5%. And their story was similar to GMs. 63.6% drop in cars while trucks were down 50.7%. With them already being the smallest of the 3, I don’t see how they can sustain this even with bail out money.
Combined “Big 3″ is now only 42.6% which is down from 51.2% a year ago. That means that we’re already an import market, no longer domestic.
Toyota is up to 17.9%, Honda is holding at 10.8% and Nissan at 8.2%. Japanese as a collective group are at 42.4%. Europeans combined are 8% and Koreans at 7%. Total Import Market Share in US is now at 57.4%, up from 48.8%