GM Q3 Global Sales Fall 3%

DETROIT – General Motors Corp.’s global sales fell 3% in the third quarter, a drop the auto maker attributes partly to the large pricing discounts that contributed to strong sales last year.

GM reports third-quarter deliveries of 2,296,000 vehicles, 66,000 less than the year-ago period. The company says last year’s Employee Discount for Everyone program in North America and the planned reduction of daily rental and fleet sales this year, brought the sales numbers down.

GM points to bright spots in the quarterly numbers, emphasizing its worldwide brands of Cadillac, Chevrolet, Saab and Hummer are showing gains in Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East.

“We’re also seeing outstanding growth through the first nine months of the year for GM brands in emerging markets such as China (up 37%); Russia (up 64%); and India (up 18%),” John Middlebrook, vice president-global sales, service and marketing, says in a statement.

Middlebrook also describes a “revitalized” North America market, with GM’s share at 25.1% in the third quarter, vs. 24.1% in the second quarter and 23.8% in the first quarter.

The auto maker releases its third-quarter earnings next week.