General Motors Announces Third Quarter Results In Jordan
GM sales up by 121% in September 2008 compared to the same month last year
GMC brand registers major growth over the first nine months of 2008
General Motors (GM) sales are on the rise in Jordan, with the company experiencing an extremely strong September and a 121% rise in sales compared to the same month last year. According to figures released today, which also cover the first three quarters of the year, GMC sales in Jordan rose by 71% compared to the first nine months of 2007.
In July, GM consolidated its activities in Jordan, with AbuKhader Automotive, the Cadillac, GMC and HUMMER dealer, adding Chevrolet to their portfolio. Following this move, which makes it easier for customers to gain access to the GM range of vehicles and services, Chevrolet sales rose by 122% in September. In the same month, GMC, HUMMER and Saab all recorded triple-digit growth, as total GM sales more than doubled over September 2007.
Year-on-year sales for the GMC brand were up by 71% on the first nine months of 2007. The continuing popularity of the new Acadia luxury Crossover SUV – GM’s third biggest-selling model in Jordan - and the mid-size SUV, the Envoy, were key to this outstanding performance. At the same time, Chevrolet continued to be GM’s leading brand in the country, with the Optra and Aveo holding first and second place in the company’s sales chart, as total GM sales in Jordan for 2008 reached 1,158 units.
At a press conference held in Beirut, Lebanon, to announce General Motors’ quarterly business results in the Middle East, Terry Johnsson, President of General Motors - Middle East Operations, said “It is extremely rewarding to see that the General Motors line-up is attracting customers across the region and in Jordan in increasing numbers, as demonstrated by these latest results. At the same time, we acknowledge the commitment and effort of our esteemed dealers, AbuKhader Automotive and C.E.E.T., in helping make this success possible.
“Looking forward, there are exciting times ahead for GM, with models such as the Chevrolet Traverse and Cadillac CTS-V, Hummer H3T and Sierra Denali just around the corner, and equally highly anticipated models such as the Chevrolet Cruze and Camaro set to arrive next year. GM really grabbed the headlines on September 16th, our 100th anniversary, when we announced our vision for the future by unveiling the production version of the Chevrolet Volt. This extended-range electric vehicle is set to rewrite automotive history and revolutionise the way we travel.”
At the same time, GM announced a new Middle East sales record for the first nine months of the year, with its sales in the region in 2008 up by 13% to 111,944 units compared to the same period in 2007. This success can be attributed to three key factors: increasing demand for the company’s full-size SUVs, a huge rise in sales for GMC and the growing popularity of the GM brands in the Lower Gulf and the smaller markets.
GM’s best-selling models across the Middle East continue to be its full-size SUVs - the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade – with sales up by 38% over the first nine months of 2008. At the opposite end of the size spectrum, and reinforcing GM’s reputation for offering great value cars, the fuel efficient Chevrolet Aveo and Optra models occupy second and third place in the sales chart.
With year-on-year sales up 41% on 2007, the GMC brand continues to go from strength to strength. Combined sales of the Yukon and Yukon XL are up 37% to 22,535, while the GMC Acadia luxury Crossover SUV, in only its second year on sale in the Middle East, has sold 4,725 units, firmly establishing it among GM’s top ten best-sellers. The arrival earlier this year of the all-new compact SUV, the GMC Terrain, has stretched the appeal of the brand to a new breed of customers.
Combined Cadillac, HUMMER and Saab sales are up 21% over the first nine months of 2007. Cadillac’s award-winning, all-new CTS luxury sedan and Escalade luxury SUV have strengthened their appeal among premium brand customers, with big year-on-year increases. A 56% increase in sales of the rugged HUMMER H2 and a 21% rise for the Saab 9-3 are further proof of the all-round appeal of GM’s Premium Brands.
Chevrolet has also performed strongly in 2008, with sales up 3% to 71,035 units, around two-thirds of all GM sales in the region. The best-selling Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs recorded combined sales up 42% on last year. Chevrolet’s Aveo, Optra and Caprice models occupy second to fourth place in the GM best-selling list, while a 27% rise in demand for the Epica has helped it to jump into fifth place.
Across the region, GM recorded some outstanding sales increases in Lebanon (+111%), Oman (+43%), the United Arab Emirates (+31%), Iraq (+21%), Kuwait (+18%), Bahrain (+17%), Saudi Arabia (+8%) and Syria (+6%).
