FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Panza
Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association
440.746.1500
Retail Automotive Sales Climb in April,
Driven by Double-Digit Growth in Truck Sales
Cleveland, OH (May 9, 2012) –The retail automotive industry in Northern Ohio sold 19,210 new vehicles in April of 2012 versus 18,507 vehicles sold in April of 2011, an increase of 3.80 percent, according to figures released today by the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association (GCADA). Sales of light trucks grew by 10.26 percent when comparing April of 2012 with April of 2011.
For the year to date, new car and light truck sales this year are up 2.37 percent over 2011.
“While we saw only modest growth over April of 2011, we are confident the market will continue to grow this year,” says Louis A. Vitantonio, president of the GCADA. “Declining gasoline prices, low interest rates and more leasing options available for consumers will all have a positive impact on the market. And there are still a lot of aging vehicles on the road that need to be replaced, a factor that is still driving sales as well.
“In addition to the growth in light cars and trucks, sales of commercial trucks also grew in April, a sign that businesses are once again investing and the economy is growing.”
A total of 18 brands posted sales increases for the month when comparing figures to the same period a year prior. Ford led the way with 3,344 vehicles sold. Chevrolet came in second with 2,469 vehicles sold, while Honda gained third with 1,921 vehicles sold in the month. Toyota took fourth place with 1,676 vehicles sold in April, an increase of 3.27 percent over the same month a year prior.
Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep continued to sell well, each of the brands registering strong double digit growth when comparing April of 2012 with April of 2011. Chrysler led the way, registering growth of more than 50 percent over April of 2011.
18 Brands Up in April (‘12 v. ‘11)
The following 18 brands posted sales increases in April 2012 versus April 2011: Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.
19 Brands Up Year to Date through April (‘12 v. ‘11)
The following 19 brand posted sales increases for the year to date versus the same period in 2011: Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ford, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lotus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Smart, Subaru, and Volkswagen.
New-car and truck sales in Northern Ohio
April ‘12 / April ’11 & YTD
|
|
April 12
|
April 11
|
April %Change
|
YTD April 12
|
YTD April 11
|
YTD April % Change
|
|
ACURA
|
152
|
161
|
-5.59%
|
499
|
583
|
-14.41%
|
|
AUDI
|
151
|
111
|
36.04%
|
425
|
412
|
3.16%
|
|
BMW
|
259
|
191
|
35.60%
|
862
|
751
|
14.78%
|
|
BUICK
|
364
|
385
|
-5.45%
|
1329
|
1660
|
-19.94%
|
|
CADILLAC
|
210
|
209
|
0.48%
|
895
|
1233
|
-27.41%
|
|
CHEVROLET
|
2459
|
2480
|
-0.85%
|
9707
|
11172
|
-13.11%
|
|
CHRYSLER
|
583
|
388
|
50.26%
|
1900
|
1219
|
55.87%
|
|
DODGE
|
940
|
841
|
11.77%
|
3125
|
2597
|
20.33%
|
|
FIAT
|
36
|
17
|
111.76%
|
110
|
17
|
547.06%
|
|
FORD
|
3344
|
3353
|
-0.27%
|
12218
|
11609
|
5.25%
|
|
FREIGHTLINER
|
42
|
8
|
425.00%
|
119
|
53
|
124.53%
|
|
GMC
|
491
|
500
|
-1.80%
|
2001
|
2210
|
-9.46%
|
|
HINO
|
2
|
4
|
-50.00%
|
15
|
11
|
36.36%
|
|
HONDA
|
1921
|
1932
|
-0.57%
|
6052
|
6433
|
-5.92%
|
|
HYUNDAI
|
1002
|
996
|
0.60%
|
3085
|
3108
|
-0.74%
|
|
INFINITI
|
79
|
133
|
-40.60%
|
317
|
412
|
-23.06%
|
|
INTERNATIONAL
|
109
|
67
|
62.69%
|
348
|
194
|
79.38%
|
|
ISUZU
|
14
|
13
|
7.69%
|
42
|
23
|
82.61%
|
|
JAGUAR
|
9
|
7
|
28.57%
|
21
|
20
|
5.00%
|
|
JEEP
|
727
|
546
|
33.15%
|
2613
|
1794
|
45.65%
|
|
KENWORTH
|
31
|
3
|
933.33%
|
90
|
32
|
181.25%
|
|
KIA
|
1344
|
1291
|
4.11%
|
4650
|
3775
|
23.18%
|
|
LAND ROVER
|
24
|
36
|
-33.33%
|
103
|
102
|
0.98%
|
|
LEXUS
|
207
|
203
|
1.97%
|
575
|
758
|
-24.14%
|
|
LINCOLN
|
147
|
195
|
-24.62%
|
590
|
604
|
-2.32%
|
|
LOTUS
|
0
|
0
|
0.00%
|
4
|
3
|
33.33%
|
|
MACK
|
17
|
3
|
466.67%
|
81
|
64
|
26.56%
|
|
MAZDA
|
436
|
378
|
15.34%
|
1303
|
1296
|
0.54%
|
|
MERCEDES BENZ
|
199
|
195
|
2.05%
|
801
|
778
|
2.96%
|
|
MERCURY
|
0
|
2
|
-100.00%
|
1
|
30
|
-96.67%
|
|
MINI
|
39
|
44
|
-11.36%
|
132
|
118
|
11.86%
|
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
15
|
11
|
36.36%
|
51
|
25
|
104.00%
|
|
MITSUBISHI
|
144
|
168
|
-14.29%
|
516
|
480
|
7.50%
|
|
NISSAN
|
940
|
1009
|
-6.84%
|
3499
|
3455
|
1.27%
|
|
PETERBILT
|
27
|
43
|
-37.21%
|
56
|
70
|
-20.00%
|
|
PORSCHE
|
37
|
41
|
-9.76%
|
101
|
126
|
-19.84%
|
|
SAAB
|
9
|
27
|
-66.67%
|
101
|
120
|
-15.83%
|
|
SMART
|
14
|
4
|
250.00%
|
46
|
16
|
187.50%
|
|
STERLING
|
0
|
0
|
0.00%
|
0
|
0
|
0.00%
|
|
SUBARU
|
542
|
509
|
6.48%
|
2142
|
1711
|
25.19%
|
|
SUZUKI
|
12
|
16
|
-25.00%
|
35
|
45
|
-22.22%
|
|
TOYOTA
|
1676
|
1623
|
3.27%
|
5754
|
5910
|
-2.64%
|
|
UD
|
1
|
0
|
0.00%
|
2
|
2
|
0.00%
|
|
VOLKSWAGEN
|
399
|
320
|
24.69%
|
1458
|
1157
|
26.02%
|
|
VOLVO
|
56
|
43
|
30.23%
|
158
|
168
|
-5.95%
|
|
WESTERN STAR
|
0
|
1
|
-100.00%
|
1
|
6
|
-83.33%
|
|
Total Cars & Trucks
|
19210
|
18507
|
3.80%
|
67933
|
66362
|
2.37%
|
Retail sales figures are based on vehicle registration reports from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle sales data includes the counties of: Ashland, Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Holmes, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas and Wayne.
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