GM expects 2006 to be a solid year

While crosstown rival Ford Motor struggles to find its Way Forward, General Motors seems to be making solid progress with its North American recovery program, with General Motors vice president Brent Dewar reporting that the company is on track to sell 3 million vehicles in the U.S. this year, virtually unchanged from 2005, when sales got a boost from massive incentive programs.
With monthly year-over-year numbers down in the summer months, when 2005's incentive programs were in full swing, GM is expecting strong growth through the rest of the year, driven by its new SUVs and trucks (and their high profit margins). GM is also making progress on reducing its dependence on incentives to juice sales - the automaker reports that 2006 incentives are down an average of $900 per vehicle.

With two key new models launching in the near future, the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, the company is expecting another boost in the truck segment, aided by its new five-year, 100,000 mile powertrain warranty program.

[Source: Reuters]

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