GMC reported a 29 percent increase in retail sales in the month of July compared to the same month last year, marking 10 consecutive months of year-over-year retail sales gains for GMC. July was the best retail sales month of the year.
The GMC Sierra and new Sierra HD drove sales increases for the month, with combined retail sales up 13 percent.
New 2011 Sierra HDs began arriving at GMC dealers in late May. When equipped with the Duramax 6.6L turbo diesel V-8 and Allison 1000 six-speed transmission, the redesigned Sierra HD is capable of towing up to 21,700 pounds, and hauling up to 6,635 pounds of payload, making it the most capable and powerful heavy-duty pickup in the segment. In addition, 2011 is the first time the Denali line has been available on both 2500 and 3500 series Sierra HD configurations.
“The response to the new Sierra HD has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president for Buick GMC sales and service. “Clearly, customers appreciate the professional-grade capability and premium features offered in the new Sierra HD line-up.”
Strong consumer demand also drove sales gains for Acadia and Terrain crossovers in July.
Acadia retail sales climbed 17 percent for the month, and total Acadia sales are up 26 percent calendar year to date. Acadia was recently ranked the top large crossover SUV in the 14th annual AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. The results, a measure of overall owner satisfaction, were determined by more than 42,000 survey responses from owners of new cars and light trucks in the United States in the first quarter of 2010.
Terrain retail sales climbed 326 percent for the month, and total Terrain sales are up 293 percent calendar year to date over the vehicle it replaced. Since Terrain sales began in late 2009, GMC has announced three production increases to keep up with customer demand. Terrain continues to sell at a brisk pace, averaging 14 average days on dealer lots compared with 50 for the industry average.
