WASHINGTON (MNI) – The following is an initial summary of the
September U.S. sales performance of select auto manufacturers announced
Tuesday:

* General Motors Tuesday reported its highest September U.S.
sales since 2008: 210,245 vehicles, up 1.5% compared with a year ago.
New products helped drive a 29% increase in passenger car sales. Sales
of GM’s mini, small and compact cars alone were up a combined 97%, and
all GM brands increased their retail sales. Truck sales were down 20%
due to a 46% year-over-year reduction in fleet sales due to the timing
of customer deliveries. In the large pickup segment, GM’s total sales
were down 12% and fleet sales were down 56%.

* Ford Motor Company Tuesday reported U.S. sales totaled 174,976
vehicles in September, unchanged from a year ago; retail sales rose by
4% compared to last year. Total car sales are up 2%, total utilities up
9%, and total trucks down 8% — with stronger F-series, E-series and
Transit Connect sales being offset by the discontinuation of Ranger.
Ford sales of Focus, C-MAX and Fiesta totaled 24,628 vehicles in
September, representing Ford’s best September for small car sales in 10
years. Focus sales were up 91%. Escape had its best-ever September
sales, with 23,148 vehicles sold, representing a 14% increase versus
last year’s record sales.

* Chrysler Group Tuesday reported U.S. sales of 142,041 units, a
12% increase compared with sales in September 2011 (127,336 units), and
the group’s best September sales since 2007. The Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge,
Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in
September compared with the same month a year ago. The FIAT brand’s 51%
increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand for the
month. September marked Chrysler Group’s 30th-consecutive month of
year-over-year sales gains.

* Subaru of America Tuesday reported sales of 27,683 vehicles
for September, a 32% increase compared to September last year. The
company also reported year-to-date sales of 254,463, which represents a
25.5% increase over the prior year.

* Kia Motors America Tuesday said U.S. September sales reached
48,105 units, a 35.1% increase over the same period in 2011.

* Mercedes-Benz USA Tuesday reported record September sales of
23,156 for its Mercedes-Benz models, up 7%, delivering a record
year-to-date total of 191,618 new vehicles to customers, up 12.7%.
Combined sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles, smart and Sprinter
for the month totaled a record for MBUSA of 25,980, up 8.7% bringing the
year-to-date total to 214,331 up 16.7%.

* The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported
September sales of 26,660 vehicles, an increase of 3.5% from the 25,749
vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group is
up 7.1% on sales of 234,928 in the first nine months of 2012 compared to
219,314 in the same period in 2011.

* Porsche Cars North America Tuesday announced September 2012
sales of 2,736 vehicles. This compares to 2,170 vehicles sold last
September, for an increase of 26.1%. For the year, Porsche has sold
25,015 cars in the U.S., a 10.4% increase over last September’s
year-to-date sales of 22,664.

** MNI Washington Bureau: 202-371-2121 **

[TOPICS: M$U$$$,MAUDS$]