The U.S. auto industry hasn't experienced a worse year of sales in recent memory, so it's fitting that 2008 should close with December sales data that's no better than the previous disappointing months.The only green you'll see below is next to MINI, which beat out December 2007 sales by only four vehicles. Every other automaker and its brands sold fewer cars this past month than the year prior.
Santa apparently wasn't putting Accords and Camrys under anyone's tree, as Toyota and Honda sales fell sharply, off 36.7% and 34.7%, respectively. General Motors (-31.4%) and Ford Motor Company (-32.4%) fared about the same, but the Chrysler Group took an unprecedented hit on the chin for a full-line automaker. It's December 2008 sales were down a full 53% versus last year. Chrysler brand sales alone were down an incredible 59.8% compared to 12/07. This means that HUMMER, for the first time in a long time, was not this month's Biggest Loser, managing to unload enough H3s to see sales fall by "only" 59.3%.
Props are also awarded to Audi (-9.3%), Lincoln (-10%), Subaru (-7.7%) and Volkswagen (-14.4%) who finished the year strong... well, as strong as could be expected.
Stay tuned for later today when we publish the annual By the Numbers - 2008: Phew! Glad That's Over Edition.
| BY THE NUMBERS - December 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Vol. % Change | Total Sales 12/08 | Total Sales 12/07 | DSR % Change | Daily Avg. 12/08 | Daily Avg. 12/07 |
| Acura |
-39.3% | 10,680 | 17,582 | -39.3% | 411 | 676 |
| Audi | -9.3% | 7,712 | 8,504 | -9.3% | 297 | 327 |
| BMW | -40.2% | 18,060 | 30,199 | -40.2% | 695 | 1,162 |
| Buick | -38.1% | 8,909 | 14,400 | -38.1% | 343 | 554 |
| Cadillac | -38.3% | 13,235 | 21,436 | -38.3% | 509 | 824 |
| Chevrolet | -25.8% | 137,691 | 185,626 | -25.8% | 5,296 | 7,139 |
| Chrysler | -59.8% | 19,453 | 48,384 | -59.8% | 748 | 1,861 |
| Dodge | -51.9% | 47,269 | 98,235 | -51.9% | 1,818 | 3,778 |
| Ford | -33% | 116,188 | 173,648 | -33% | 4,469 | 6,679 |
| GMC | -34.5% | 29,783 | 45,503 | -34.5% | 1,146 | 1,750 |
| Honda | -34% | 75,405 | 114,210 | -34% | 2,900 | 4,393 |
| HUMMER | -59.3% | 2,170 | 5,333 | -59.3% | 83 | 205 |
| Hyundai | NA | |||||
| Infiniti | -34.6% | 8,273 | 12,655 | -34.6% | 318 | 487 |
| Jeep | -48.5% | 23,091 | 44,804 | -48.5% | 888 | 1,723 |
| Kia | -39.2% | 14,644 | 24,068 | -39.2% | 563 | 926 |
| Lexus | -32.4% | 23,362 | 34,555 | -32.4% | 899 | 1,329 |
| Lincoln | -10% | 9,053 | 10,065 | -10% | 348 | 387 |
| Mazda | -27.9% | 17,965 | 24,933 | -27.9% | 691 | 959 |
| Mercedes-Benz | -32.1% | 18,507 | 27,269 | -32.1% | 711 | 1,049 |
| Mercury | -29.8% | 8,873 | 12,631 | -29.8% | 341 | 486 |
| MINI | 0.1% | 3,566 | 3,562 | 0.1% | 137 | 137 |
| Mitsubishi | -22.6% | 4,570 | 5,904 | -22.6% | 176 | 227 |
| Nissan | -30% | 53,829 | 76,900 | -30% | 2,070 | 2,958 |
| Pontiac | -45.5% | 16,466 | 30,211 | -45.5% | 633 | 1,162 |
| Porsche | -25.5% | 2,154 | 2,891 | -25.5% | 82 | 111 |
| Saab | -57% | 1,179 | 2,748 | -57% | 45 | 106 |
| Saturn | -30.9% | 12,570 | 18,196 | -30.9% | 483 | 700 |
| Subaru | -7.7% | 17,287 | 18,739 | -7.7% | 664 | 721 |
| Suzuki | NA | |||||
| Toyota | -37.5% | 118,587 | 189,844 | -37.5% | 4,561 | 7,302 |
| Volkswagen | -14.4% | 17,577 | 20,543 | -14.4% | 676 | 790 |
| Volvo | -47% | 4,953 | 9,341 | -47% | 191 | 359 |
| COMPANIES | ||||||
| BMW Group | -35.9% |
21,626 |
33,761 |
-35.9% |
832 |
1,299 |
| Chrysler LLC | -53% | 89,813 | 191,423 | -53% | 3,454 | 7,362 |
| FoMoCo | -32.4% | 139,067 | 205,685 | -32.4% | 5,349 | 7,911 |
| General Motors | -31.4% | 221,983 | 323,453 | -31.4% | 8,538 | 12,441 |
| Honda America | -34.7% |
86,085 |
131,792 |
-34.7% |
3,311 |
5,069 |
| Nissan NA | -30.1% | 62,102 | 89,555 | -30.1% | 2,389 | 3,444 |
| Toyota Mo Co | -36.7% |
141,949 | 224,399 | -36.7% | 5,460 | 8,631 |
December 2008 had 26 selling days versus 26 selling days for December 2007.
