GM Sales Fall 25% in August

DETROIT (TheStreet) -- General Motors said its sales fell 25% from a year earlier, reflecting tough comparisons with a month when Cash for Clunkers stimulated buying.

August 2010 sales totaled 184,921 vehicles.

"Last year's Cash for Clunkers program spiked industry sales in 2009, so results this August were, not surprisingly, a bit mixed," said Don Johnson, vice president, U.S. Sales Operations, in a prepared statement. "Importantly, three of our four divisions showed solid gains."

Chevrolet, which among GM brands benefited the most from Cash for Clunkers, had a sales decline of 22 % with retail sales down 31%. The brand sold 131,952 units in August. It sales are up 19% year to date.

Meanwhile, combined sales for Buick, GMC and Cadillac were up 37% compared to a year ago. Buick sales increased 66% as retail sales more than doubled during the month. Cadillac sales were 83% higher than a year earlier, while sales of GM's full-size pickups rose 4% during the month. GM said Buick is the fastest-growing brand in the industry, with year-to-date sales up 61%.

Month-end dealer inventory in the U.S. stood at about 452,000 units, about 28,000 higher compared to July 2010, and about 73,000 higher than August 2009.

-- Written by Ted Reed in Charlotte, N.C. .

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