General Motors reported on May 3 that U.S. auto sales up 26% in April.
"Solid gains by GM's lineup of fuel-efficient passenger cars and crossovers powered the gains, led by the best sales month for the Chevrolet Cruze and record sales for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain compact crossovers," the company said.
GM reported total sales of 232,538 units, a gain of 27% from a year ago when including discontinued brands such as Hummer and Pontiac.
Retail sales, those to individual customers, rose 25% from April 2010, with cars and crossovers up 49% and 28%, respectively.
In the year to date, retail sales were up 35% from the prior year.
GM noted that April sales for the Cruze compact were 180% higher than the Chevrolet Cobalt it replaced, and the Equinox and Terrain also posted retail sales records, up 53% and 61%, respectively.
The biggest U.S. automaker said that gasoline prices, averaging almost $4 per gallon, were prompting consumers to trade in larger vehicles for smaller, more fuel-efficient ones. "Recently, rising fuel prices have led many to re-think their vehicle choice," said Don Johnson, vice president of US sales operations.
"Because of the investments we've made in fuel-efficiency and global product architectures, the company is well-positioned to meet these needs."
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2011
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