Chevrolet achieves best-ever global sales in 2011

DETROIT : January 20, 2012 – Chevrolet sold 4.76 million vehicles around the world in 2011, setting a global sales record and driving General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) global sales to more than 9 million vehicles, a 7.6 percent gain compared with 2010.

GM gained four-tenths of a point of market share to 11.9 percent of the global vehicle industry. Sales were up in all four reporting regions – North America, South America, Europe and International Operations – as GM sold a total of 9,025,942 vehicles compared with 8,385,484 in 2010. The United States led the way for Chevrolet with total vehicle sales of 1,775,812, up more than 13 percent from 2010.

China posted record sales of 595,068, up 9.5 percent from the previous year. Other markets that posted significant year-over-year increases include Vietnam (79 percent), Russia (49 percent), Turkey (30 percent) and Germany (21 percent).

 “ Chevrolet’s impressive growth in both established and developing markets is the result of a strong new product lineup that meets the diverse needs of consumers around the world,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “In addition to Chevrolet’s record-setting sales, the entire lineup of GM vehicles is meeting customer needs for fuel-efficient cars and work vehicles as well as unmatched luxury.

” Chevrolet is building its global presence by delivering cars like the Cruze, Sonic (Aveo) and Spark, the all-new midsize global Malibu, and crossovers and trucks like the Orlando and Colorado that are designed for the varied driving conditions and customer preferences around the world.

 The Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan led the brand with global sales of more than 670,000 in 2011, making it the best-selling Chevrolet nameplate around the world with more than 1.13 million sold since its launch in 2009. In the United States, Chevrolet was the best selling passenger car brand in 2011, thanks in large part to the success of the Cruze. More than 15 markets experienced record Chevrolet sales in 2011 with the largest year-over-year increases in Peru (81 percent), Vietnam (79 percent), Thailand (57 percent), South Africa (50 percent) and Israel (46 percent).

[Source : GM]