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Automaker
Dec. 2014
Dec. 2013
Pct. chng.
12 month
2014
12 month
2013
Pct. chng.
BMW Group
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
BMW division
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Mini
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Rolls-Royce
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
BMW Group
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Daimler AG
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Maybach
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Mercedes-Benz
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Smart USA
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Daimler AG
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
FCA U.S.
193,261
161,007
20%
2,090,639
1,800,368
16%
Alfa Romeo
67
–
–%
91
–
–%
Chrysler Division
30,930
20,270
53%
308,785
302,492
2%
Dodge
46,578
47,689
–2%
574,155
596,343
–4%
Fiat
3,784
3,745
1%
46,121
43,236
7%
Jeep
63,274
53,275
19%
692,348
490,454
41%
Ram
48,628
36,028
35%
469,139
367,843
28%
FCA U.S.
193,261
161,007
20%
2,090,639
1,800,368
16%
Fiat Group
1,587
1,225
30%
15,043
6,821
121%
Ferrari
175
172
2%
2,100
2,053
2%
Maserati
1,412
1,053
34%
12,943
4,768
171%
Fiat Group
1,587
1,225
30%
15,043
6,821
121%
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles†
194,848
162,232
20%
2,105,682
1,807,189
17%
Ford Motor Co.
219,369
216,592
1%
2,471,315
2,485,236
–1%
Ford division
209,679
208,608
1%
2,376,841
2,403,542
–1%
Lincoln
9,690
7,984
21%
94,474
81,694
16%
Ford Motor Co.
219,369
216,592
1%
2,471,315
2,485,236
–1%
General Motors
274,483
230,157
19%
2,935,008
2,786,078
5%
Buick
20,357
15,379
32%
228,963
205,509
11%
Cadillac
16,150
18,165
–11%
170,750
182,543
–6%
Chevrolet
184,938
153,493
20%
2,033,442
1,947,125
4%
GMC
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
General Motors
274,483
230,157
19%
2,935,008
2,786,078
5%
Honda (American)
137,281
135,255
2%
1,540,872
1,525,312
1%
Acura
17,809
15,751
13%
167,843
165,436
2%
Honda Division
119,472
119,504
0%
1,373,029
1,359,876
1%
Honda (American)
137,281
135,255
2%
1,540,872
1,525,312
1%
Hyundai Group
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Hyundai division
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Kia
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Hyundai Group
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Jaguar Land Rover
7,437
7,308
2%
67,238
66,962
0%
Jaguar
1,683
1,544
9%
15,773
16,952
–7%
Land Rover
5,754
5,764
0%
51,465
50,010
3%
Jaguar Land Rover
7,437
7,308
2%
67,238
66,962
0%
Mazda
24,808
22,964
8%
305,801
283,946
8%
Mazda
24,808
22,964
8%
305,801
283,946
8%
Mitsubishi
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Mitsubishi
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
Nissan
117,318
109,758
7%
1,386,895
1,248,420
11%
Infiniti
12,007
13,232
–9%
117,330
116,455
1%
Nissan Division
105,311
96,526
9%
1,269,565
1,131,965
12%
Nissan
117,318
109,758
7%
1,386,895
1,248,420
11%
Subaru
49,923
40,172
24%
513,693
424,683
21%
Subaru
49,923
40,172
24%
513,693
424,683
21%
Suzuki*
–
–
–%
–
5,946
–100%
Suzuki*
–
–
–%
–
5,946
–100%
Tesla*
2,200
760
190%
26,400
21,090
25%
Tesla*
2,200
760
190%
26,400
21,090
25%
Toyota
215,057
190,843
13%
2,373,771
2,236,042
6%
Lexus
39,879
34,757
15%
311,389
273,847
14%
Scion
3,817
4,323
–12%
58,009
68,321
–15%
Toyota Division
171,361
151,763
13%
2,004,373
1,893,874
6%
Toyota/Scion
175,178
156,086
12%
2,062,382
1,962,195
5%
Toyota
215,057
190,843
13%
2,373,771
2,236,042
6%
Volkswagen
53,767
51,528
4%
552,692
569,419
–-3%
Audi
19,238
17,013
13%
182,011
158,061
15%
Bentley
412
442
–7%
3,003
2,964
1%
Lamborghini*
59
58
2%
708
690
3%
Porsche
–
–
–%
–
–
–%
VW division
34,058
34,015
0%
366,970
407,704
–10%
Volkswagen
53,767
51,528
4%
552,692
569,419
–-3%
Volvo Cars NA
4,920
4,888
1%
56,366
61,233
–8%
Volvo Cars NA
4,920
4,888
1%
56,366
61,233
–8%
Other**
117
114
3%
1,396
1,360
3%
TOTAL
1,301,528
1,172,571
11%
14,337,129
13,522,916
6%
Numbers in this table are calculated by Automotive News based on actual monthly sales reported by the manufacturers and may differ from numbers reported elsewhere.
Source: Automotive News Data Center
Note:
†Fiat completed the merger with Chrysler Group under holding group Fiat Chrysler Automobiles on Oct. 12, 2014; Fiat Group and Chrysler Group sales totals for 2013 and 2014 are combined under Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
*Estimate
**Includes estimates for Aston Martin and Lotus
Nissan, Honda brands set annual sales records in ‘fast-paced’ truck market
DECEMBER U.S. AUTO SALES
Nissan, Honda brands set annual sales records in ‘fast-paced’ truck market
Jeep volume surged 41 percent to 692,348 — a U.S. record — in 2014.
Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS
Related Stories
Related Topics
David Phillips
Automotive News
January 5, 2015 – 6:00 am ET — UPDATED: 1/5/15 11:44 am ET
Led by double-digit sales increases at Fiat Chrysler, General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp., the U.S. auto industry closed out a stellar 2014 with a blockbuster December as U.S. consumers took advantage of year-end deals, lower fuel prices and an improving economy.
FCA US and GM today estimated the annualized sales pace for December will come in around 17 million units. GM projected industrywide volume will total 16.6 million for the year, just above most forecasts.
It is the fifth consecutive year U.S. sales have increased after hitting a 27-year low of 10.4 million in 2009 during the Great Recession.
A total of 13 brands — Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Porsche, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Land Rover, Hyundai, BMW, Audi, Jeep and Ram — have set or are sure to set U.S. sales records for 2014.
“Everything you need to have a great month was in place,” said Kurt McNeil, head of U.S. sales operations for GM. “Consumers felt good about the direction of the economy, interest rates and fuel prices were low, and our dealers did a great job introducing customers to our … new and redesigned vehicles.”
Sales at FCA, formerly the Chrysler Group, rose 20 percent in December, capping a year that saw overall volume advance 16 percent. The company posted the biggest gain in U.S. market share among major automakers on robust demand for Ram pickups and Jeeps.
Deliveries at GM rose 19 percent, with retail volume increasing 23 percent and fleet shipments advancing 6 percent. Sales rose 21 percent at Chevrolet, 23 percent at GMC and 32 percent at Buick, while Cadillac dropped 11 percent.
For all of 2014, GM’s sales advanced 5 percent.
At Toyota, sales of Lexus, Toyota and Scion models totaled 215,057 last month, a 13 percent increase. The company’s 2014 volume advanced 6 percent. Toyota brand deliveries rose 12 percent and Lexus volume hit a December record of 39,879, up 15 percent.
The Camry, with sales of 428,606, remained the top-selling car in the U.S. for the 13th straight year.
“The industry finished last year on a high note thanks to a strong economic tailwind,” said Bill Fay, general manager of the Toyota division. “That momentum should continue in 2015 and combined with continued strong replacement demand, boost sales further.”
F-150 changeover dings Ford results
Ford Motor Co. sales rose 1 percent in December and slipped nearly 1 percent for the year, reflecting lower F-150 volume as the company transitions to the redesigned 2015 model. Deliveries last month rose 0.5 percent at the Ford brand and 21 percent at Lincoln.
At FCA, sales last month rose 19 percent at Jeep, 35 percent at Ram, 53 percent at the Chrysler brand and 1 percent at Fiat. Volume slipped 2 percent at Dodge. The company’s U.S. deliveries have now increased 57 consecutive months.
For the year, FCA’s sales hit nearly 2.1 million on a 28 percent surge in light-truck deliveries.
FCA is particularly well positioned as America rekindles its fondness for SUVs and pickups. For the year, Jeep volume surged 41 percent to 692,348 — a U.S. record. Ram pickup deliveries surged 24 percent in 2014 to 439,789.
Through November, FCA’s U.S. market share stood at 12.7 percent, up from 11.5 percent through November 2013. Jeep’s U.S. market share climbed 1.1 percentage points to 4.2 percent through November.
Honda Motor Co.’s sales edged up 1.5 percent last month. Despite a slight drop in volume at the Honda brand in December, U.S. sales at the division set an annual record of 1,373,029. Acura volume rose 13 percent last month and 1.5 percent for the year.
Honda — describing the truck market as “fast-paced” — said it set December and full-year records for crossovers and other light trucks. Deliveries of the CR-V crossover rose 13 percent in December to a record 32,369 units, and 10 percent for the year to a record of 335,019.
Sales of the Honda Pilot, helped by incentives, surged 28 percent to 11,479 in December.
“Despite the price of gasoline dropping well below $ 3 a gallon in many markets, Honda’s strong, balanced lineup of cars and trucks helped us achieve record sales in 2014,” said Jeff Conrad, general manager of the Honda division. “We will build on this momentum with some great new products coming in 2015.”
Core models drive Nissan
Deliveries at the Nissan brand rose 9 percent while volume slipped 9 percent at Infiniti last month. For the year, U.S. sales rose 12 percent to a record 1,269,565 at the Nissan division and 1 percent at Infiniti.
Fred Diaz, Nissan’s senior vice president for U.S. sales, marketing and operations, credited the company’s core models — Altima, Sentra, Versa and Rogue, as well as the Leaf — for the results.
Even with gasoline prices falling in recent months, U.S. deliveries of the Leaf topped 30,000 in 2014 — the first time any plug-in vehicle has reached that milestone in a single year, the company said.
Overall, Nissan’s car sales rose 12 percent while truck volume slipped 1 percent last month. For the year, the company’s car volume rose 13 percent, outpacing the 9 percent increase in truck demand.
“We expect low gas prices and high consumer confidence to be the magic formula that continues to bring more buyers into dealer showrooms,” Diaz said.
Mazda reported December volume of 24,808, a gain of 8 percent, and the company’s annual sales topped 300,000 units for the first time since 1994. The company said it retailed 278,880 units last year, the highest total since 1994 as part of a plan to reduce reliance on fleet deliveries.
Volkswagen sold 34,058 vehicles last month, essentially flat compared to Dec. 2013, while the brand’s full-year sales fell 10 percent to 366,970, VW said.
Porsche is among 13 brands that set or are sure to set U.S. sales records in 2014.
Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS
When other automakers release results later today, U.S. light-vehicle sales, propelled by dropping gasoline prices and generous holiday promotions, are forecast to hit 1.5 million cars and light trucks for December, up about 10 percent, based on the average of seven analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg.
For the year, industry deliveries were projected to reach nearly 16.5 million – representing a 58 percent increase since 2009.
Light-vehicle sales in the U.S. averaged 16.8 million units from 2000 to 2007. The industry established an annual record in 2000 with 17.4 million deliveries.
Before today’s early results, December’s annualized sales pace, adjusted for seasonal trends, was expected to come in at 16.9 million — down slightly from November — but still the third fastest rate of 2014.
FCA today estimated the SAAR for December will reach 17.3 million units, including an estimated 300,000 medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
GM projected the December SAAR for light vehicles will come in at 16.9 million.
Nissan Motor Corp.’s U.S. car volume rose 13 percent last year, outpacing the 9 percent increase in truck demand.
Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS
Numerous factors are playing out to support robust auto sales heading into 2015. Favorable financing terms, improving household finances, employment gains, new or redesigned models and the plunge in gasoline prices are all combining to attract buyers to U.S. showrooms.
A steady wave of recalls — the industry set a record in 2014 — also hasn’t deterred shoppers.
In a Twitter post, Hyundai said it set a December U.S. sales record, with the Accent, Genesis sedan, Elantra GT and Equus each establishing new records for the month.
“December sums up what we’ve seen all year for automakers, and it’s a fitting finish to a comeback year for the industry,” said John Krafcik, president of TrueCar. “Sales volume growth and the popularity of highly profitable vehicle segments — pickups, utilities and luxury vehicles — has been immensely beneficial to automakers’ revenue and we expect more good news in 2015.”
To end the year on a high note, there were plenty of deals promoted throughout the month and many dealers extended showroom hours between Christmas and the New Year holiday weekend to handle additional volume.
With gasoline prices falling below $ 2 a gallon in large swaths of the country, automakers and dealers sweetened discounts on hybrids. Tom Wood Lexus near Indianapolis dangled a $ 299 a month lease for 27 months and $ 1,099 due at signing on the 2015 CT 200h. The dealership also threw in a $ 250 Amazon.com gift card for customers who bought or leased any new vehicle through Jan. 3.
Other deals:
• BMW offered up to $ 3,500 off select 2015 models nationwide.
• Buick and GMC extended a deal started in November that provided buyers cash back equal to 20 percent of MSRP on older 2014 and 2015 inventory. Chevrolet ran a similar deal on select cars.
• Chrysler pitched a $ 239 a month lease for 39 months on the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan with zero down, no first payment and zero security deposit for buyers with top-notch credit.
Honda offered several lease deals with no down payment or security deposit on popular or older models. The first lease payment was also waived:
• $ 320 monthly lease on the 2015 Pilot LX with two-wheel drive for 36 months.
• $ 270 monthly lease on the Accord LX sedan for 36 months.
• $ 230 monthly lease on the 2015 Civic LX sedan for 36 months.
Kelley Blue Book said light-vehicle transaction prices rose nearly 3 percent year-over-year to $ 34,367 in December — making it the highest month on record for average transaction prices.
Pricing was strong across most of the industry with the exception of hybrids and electric vehicles, KBB said.
Trucks roll on
It was also the year of the light truck for most automakers. Sales of SUVs, pickups and vans surged 20 percent to 7.77 million units through November, while car volume rose just 1 percent to 7.26 million.
Buyers purchased more pickups, minivans, crossovers and SUVs than cars every month in 2014. That’s something automakers haven’t enjoyed since 2004 when a barrel of oil sold for less than $ 40.
Smaller SUVs and crossovers such as the Jeep Cherokee and Honda CR-V are driving the market. Sales of the car-based SUVs grew almost 14 percent through November in a market that is up 6 percent.
The CR-V led the segment with 302,650 deliveries through November, up 10 percent. Ford’s Escape was up 3 percent to 280,609, and Toyota Motor Corp.’s RAV4 gained 24 percent to 244,701.
With consumer comfort at a seven-year high, the U.S. recovery in auto sales is clearly about more than just less expensive gasoline. The U.S. economy continues to recover and add jobs, which is another reason that sales should keep growing this year, according to Eric Lyman, TrueCar’s vice president of industry insights.
“The economy has moved into growth mode and the auto market is hot,” Lyman said. “Third quarter GDP grew 5 percent and the job market is steady, which is great news for both automakers and consumers. This puts the auto industry in a favorable position as we project 2015 will trump this year’s 16.5 million new-vehicle sales with a total of 17 million units.”
Ryan Beene and Bloomberg contributed to this report.
You can reach David Phillips at dphillips@crain.com.
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