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Cruze helps drive GM to 23% gain in Jan. sales
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Ohio Governor John Kasich sits in a Chevy Cruze at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
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By KRISTEN RUSSO
The Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruze helped propel General Motors to a 23 percent sales gain over January 2010.
GM announced Tuesday that dealers in the U.S. sold 178,896 vehicles last month.
Combined sales for GM’s newest vehicles — including the Chevrolet Equinox, Silverado HD, Cruze and Volt — increased 31 percent, while retail sales were up 61 percent for the month, the company said. The Lordstown plant produced 22,314 Chevrolet Cruze models last month and delivered 13,631 to dealerships.
“The Cruze is doing great,” said Tom Mock, spokesman for the Lordstown plant. “It’s meeting its sales targets and is being received well by the public.”
David Sabolsky, general sales manager at Spitzer Chevrolet in North Jackson, said the Cruze has outsold all other models on his lot. “It’s a great boost to all the dealerships in the area,” Sabolsky said.
At Sweeney Chevrolet in Boardman, Chevrolet sales are up 106 percent, president Doug Sweeney said.
The dealership sold 140 Chevrolet vehicles in January. He said Cruze models have been moving off the lot as fast as they come in.
“Business is very good,” Sweeney said. “I think it has to do with great products and competitive lease and buy payments for our customers.”
David Green, president of UAW Local 1714, credits the workers at the Trumbull County plant for the compact car’s appeal.
“People who’ve seen the Cruze know it’s a great car,” Green said. “We have a work force that wants to do everything they can to make a quality product.”
The Cruze replaced the Cobalt, a model that was retired last year. Retail sales for the Cruze surpassed sales of the Cobalt by 129 percent, according to a GM press release.
Ninety percent of Cruze sales were to individual buyers, while 60 percent of Cobalts were sold in fleets.
Overall, GM’s sales to individual buyers increased 36 percent. Fleet sales decreased 7 percent. Individual sales are more profitable because fleets are sold at a discounted price.
GM’s full-size pickup trucks also did well last month, increasing 37 percent over January 2010.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.