Posted on 09/19/2012 1:26:43 PM PDT by jazusamo
After Reuters’ claim that GM was losing $49,000 per vehicle on the Chevy Volt, former GM CEO (and Volt developer) Bob Lutz came to its spirited defense at Forbes.com with an article titled “The Real Story on GM’s Volt Costs”. One of the things he didn’t specifically address was sales.
Not to put too fine a point on it, for the umpteenth time concerning the Volt, GM is playing fast and lose with the facts.
GM is giving away rent-a-Volts. While the claim of 2800+ sales in August is certainly enough to still the Volt’s critics, at least until Election Day (which is all that really matters to the current management), that number is an automotive Potemkin Village, concealing enough rot to make any czar, car or otherwise, proud.
With additional subsidies from GM (that would be you and me), Chevrolet dealers in August were offering two-year Volt leases for as little as $250 down and $199/month. Fully 2/3s of the “sales” were leases, leaving around 925 cars that were truly sold. Prior to the giveaway leases, GM says that 40% of 2012 sales were also leases. The number remains the same—an average of about 925 cars really sold each month for this year.
Automotive News recently reported that the feds have purchased 182 Volts so far in 2012. Now we’re down to 900 real sales per month.. Corporate (fleet) sales are conservatively estimated at 5% of the total, putting the consumer number closer to 850.
Don’t forget that the Department of Defense has committed to buying 1,500 of these wallet-hogs. These aren’t combat vehicles and will no doubt largely wind up in some Colonel’s driveway.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Smart people will go with FORD.Its simple,NO BAILOUTS!
Smart people will go with FORD.Its simple,NO BAILOUTS!
Ripped off investors and bond holders.
Extorted the taxpayer.
Violated contract law.
Rewarded the union goons who were responsible for their demise.
GM - NEVER AGAIN.
Isn’t Chevrolet building a Malibu Hybrid Eco in addition to the Volt? How is that model selling?
From what I understand, this version starts off about $10,000 to $15,000 less than the vastly overhyped Volt model.
And you can limp home in the event of near-complete battery discharge.
IIRC the Malibu Hyrid was discontinued a couple years ago, it really bombed.
Yep.
In June 2009, General Motors announced that it will stop making mild hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu.
General Motors cited poor sales of the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid as the reason for cutting the car.
I really wanted a Chevy Suburban, GMC Acadia or another Jeep Grand Cherokee, but I’ll buy my next SUV from Ford.
I think you'll see a Volt winning a race when it is between another Volt -- or a beat up Yugo (thou I think the Yugo might win!)
Extorted the taxpayer.
Violated contract law.
Rewarded the union goons who were responsible for their demise. "
Should be a Rommney stump speech.
Thanks nascar, I didn’t look far enough and had no idea they had a 2013 model.
Story I found.
http://www.hybridcars.com/compacts-sedans/chevy-malibu-hybrid.html
“Smart people will go with FORD.Its simple,NO BAILOUTS!”
Maybe so, but they’re still owned by the UAW, and I will NEVER buy a car made by people that hate their job, hate their company, and hate their country (or at least elect leaders that do).
Ford can STUFF IT.
they knew that before the it was designed...
Glad to hear that.Enjoy your new ride.
That says it in a nutshell.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.