GM year-over-year sales for August dropped 20%

General Motors dealers in the United States delivered 308,817 vehicles in August, making it GM's best monthly total retail and fleet sales performance so far in 2008. The strong showing was spurred by GM's Employee Discount for Everyone sale in celebration of GM's Centennial later this month. In response to ongoing customer and dealer demand, the sale is being extended through September 30 and a number of 2009 models are being added due to dwindling 2008 inventories.

Compared with an exceptionally strong retail and fleet month last year, August total sales were down 20 percent. However, when compared with July 2008, total sales were up 31 percent, retail sales were up 32 percent and fleet sales were up 29 percent. Last August's sales performance was influenced by significantly lower fuel prices and a zero percent APR for 60 months offer on pickups.

Notably in August, Chevrolet Silverado, Avalanche and GMC Sierra had their strongest total sales month since last August, with more than 80,000 vehicles sold, as GM full-size pickups continue to build market share calendar-year-to-date. Silverado sales were up 69 percent, Avalanche was up 59 percent and Sierra sales increased 75 percent compared with July, 2008.

Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban and GMC Yukon full-size utilities had their best performance of the year with total sales up 33 percent compared with July with more than 22,000 vehicles sold. Overall, GM August truck sales (excluding crossovers) declined 25.6 percent compared with a year ago.

Chevrolet retail car sales were up 18 percent, Pontiac retail car sales increased 11 percent and Cadillac retail car sales were up 10 percent compared with last August.

Cadillac CTS dominated the mid-car luxury category with retail sales increasing 87 percent compared with the same month a year ago.

Saturn Astra monthly sales of more than 1,900 vehicles were the best to date, and show a 28 percent increase compared with July 2008 (Astra was not available last August).

GM's popular midsized crossovers - Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook - together accounted for more than 14,600 vehicle sales in the month, with a retail sales increase of 29 percent compared with a year ago.

GM hybrid vehicles continue to gain in popularity in the marketplace with 530 hybrid Chevrolet Tahoe, 267 GMC Yukon and 1 Cadillac Escalade 2-mode SUVs delivered. There were 388 Chevrolet Malibu, 26 Saturn Aura and 417 Vue hybrids sold in August. For the month, a total of 1,629 hybrid vehicles were delivered, with 7,096 hybrids sold so far this year.

GM has aggressively managed inventories to low levels. In August, only about 736,000 vehicles were in stock - the lowest August level since 1998 - down about 209,000 vehicles (22 percent) compared with last August. There were about 256,000 cars and 480,000 trucks (including crossovers) in inventory at the end of August.

GM North America Reports August, 2008 Production
In August, GM North America produced 341,000 vehicles (158,000 cars and 183,000 trucks). This is down 96,000 vehicles or 22 percent compared with August 2007 when the region produced 437,000 vehicles (152,000 cars and 285,000 trucks). (Production totals include joint venture production of 18,000 vehicles in August 2008 and 21,000 vehicles in August 2007.)

The GM North America third-quarter production forecast is at 920,000 vehicles (443,000 cars and 477,000 trucks) which is down about 10 percent compared with a year ago, due to production adjustments in response to market changes that will reduce the number of trucks produced by about 176,000 and increase the number of cars by about 76,000. GM North America built 1.020 million vehicles (367,000 cars and 653,000 trucks) in the third-quarter of 2007.

The initial GM North America fourth-quarter production forecast is 875,000 vehicles (436,000 cars and 439,000 trucks) which is down about 16 percent compared with a year ago. GM North America built 1.042 million vehicles (358,000 cars and 684,000 trucks) in the fourth-quarter of 2007.

*S/D Curr: 27 *S/D Prev: 27	August				(Calendar Year-to-Date) January - August
	2008	2007	% Chg Volume	%Chg per S/D	2008	2007	%Chg Volume
Vehicle Total	308,817	388,168	-20.4	-20.4	2,148,943	2,631,865	-18.3
Car Total	124,441	144,516	-13.9	-13.9	919,283	1,024,644	-10.3
Light Truck Total	182,844	241,013	-24.1	-24.1	1,210,577	1,574,475	-23.1
Light Vehicle Total	307,285	385,529	-20.3	-20.3	2,129,860	2,599,119	-18.1
Truck Total	184,376	243,652	-24.3	-24.3	1,229,660	1,607,221	-23.5
GM Vehicle Deliveries by Marketing Division
Buick Total	17,833	19,324	-7.7	-7.7	99,009	126,161	-21.5
Cadillac Total	15,405	19,481	-20.9	-20.9	117,136	134,584	-13.0
Chevrolet Total	185,080	229,012	-19.2	-19.2	1,287,568	1,553,911	-17.1
GMC Total	42,194	51,222	-17.6	-17.6	266,861	336,484	-20.7
HUMMER Total	2,160	5,677	-62.0	-62.0	20,195	37,680	-46.4
**Other-Isuzu Total	0	0	***.*	***.*	0	7,906	***.*
Pontiac Total	24,257	39,324	-38.3	-38.3	202,384	244,772	-17.3
Saab Total	1,503	3,011	-50.1	-50.1	15,597	23,261	-32.9
Saturn Total	20,385	21,117	-3.5	-3.5	140,193	167,106	-16.1
GM Vehicle Total	308,817	388,168	-20.4	-20.4	2,148,943	2,631,865	-18.3
GM Car Deliveries by Marketing Division
Buick Total	11,734	14,672	-20.0	-20.0	66,645	89,434	-25.5
Cadillac Total	10,982	11,656	-5.8	-5.8	78,249	79,558	-1.6
Chevrolet Total	70,334	70,196	0.2	0.2	513,756	531,102	-3.3
Pontiac Total	22,530	34,202	-34.1	-34.1	186,952	220,752	-15.3
Saab Total	1,298	2,577	-49.6	-49.6	13,071	19,568	-33.2
Saturn Total	7,563	11,213	-32.6	-32.6	60,610	84,230	-28.0
GM Car Total	124,441	144,516	-13.9	-13.9	919,283	1,024,644	-10.3
GM Light Truck Deliveries by Marketing Division
Buick Total	6,099	4,652	31.1	31.1	32,364	36,727	-11.9
Cadillac Total	4,423	7,825	-43.5	-43.5	38,887	55,026	-29.3
Chevrolet Total	114,090	157,791	-27.7	-27.7	766,286	1,012,946	-24.4
GMC Total	41,318	49,608	-16.7	-16.7	255,304	321,507	-20.6
HUMMER Total	2,160	5,677	-62.0	-62.0	20,195	37,680	-46.4
Pontiac Total	1,727	5,122	-66.3	-66.3	15,432	24,020	-35.8
Saab Total	205	434	-52.8	-52.8	2,526	3,693	-31.6
Saturn Total	12,822	9,904	29.5	29.5	79,583	82,876	-4.0
GM Light Truck Total	182,844	241,013	-24.1	-24.1	1,210,577	1,574,475	-23.1
* Twenty-seven selling days (S/D) for the August period this year and twenty-seven for last year.
** Prior to Aug '07, includes American Isuzu Motors, Inc., dealer deliveries of commercial vehicles distributed by GM as reported to GM by American Isuzu Motors Inc.
Effective Aug '07, GM only includes GMC & Chevrolet dealer deliveries of commercial vehicles distributed by American Isuzu Motors, Inc.