General Motors Sales Data, Trends & Analysis for the European Automotive Market
General Motors (GM) is one of the world’s largest automakers, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Brands under General Motors include Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick. GM also has a lot of discontinued brands under its umbrella, including Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Opel/Vauxhall. GM has been making strategic moves to focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous technology. The company has set ambitious targets for launching EVs under its existing brands and aims to be carbon-neutral by 2040. This includes a vision to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035.
General Motors Europe Sales Figures & Recent Highlights
General Motors (GM) has been selling cars in Europe since 1911. The company’s first model to be sold in Europe was the Chevrolet 490. In recent years, GM has struggled in the European market. The company’s sales have been declining, and it has lost market share to local automakers. In 2022, GM sold over 350,000 cars in Europe, accounting for less than 5% of the total European car market.
GM’s most popular brands in Europe are Opel and Vauxhall. Opel is known for its affordable and reliable cars, while Vauxhall is the British version of Opel. GM also sells Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles in Europe, but these brands are less popular than Opel and Vauxhall.
There are a number of factors contributing to GM’s struggles in the European market. One factor is the increasing competition from local automakers, such as Volkswagen Group and Stellantis. These automakers have been investing heavily in new products and technologies, and they are now able to offer high-quality vehicles at competitive prices.
Another factor is the transition to electric vehicles. GM is behind some of its competitors in terms of electric vehicle development, and it has struggled to sell electric vehicles in Europe. Finally, the European car market has been shrinking in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This has made it more difficult for automakers to sell cars in Europe.
General Motors Annual Sales, Growth & Market Share in Europe
Below we have a table that shows total General Motors sales volumes for the European automotive market, broken out by year. This data captures all General Motors sales for the entire European automotive market, including sub-brands.
| Year | Sales | YOY Change | Marketshare | Marketshare Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 2,517 | 0.00 | 6.49 | 0.00 |
| 1988 | 3,065 | 21.77 | 11.73 | 44.70 |
| 1989 | 3,276 | 6.88 | 28.46 | 58.77 |
| 1990 | 3,407 | 4.00 | 38.98 | 27.00 |
| 1991 | 2,643 | -22.42 | 44.30 | 12.01 |
| 1992 | 2,314 | -12.45 | 42.76 | -3.59 |
| 1993 | 2,655 | 14.74 | 56.77 | 24.67 |
| 1994 | 1,391 | -47.61 | 44.43 | -27.78 |
| 1995 | 0 | -100.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 1996 | 1,676 | 0.00 | 62.63 | 100.00 |
| 1997 | 63,735 | 3,702.80 | 0.77 | -8,020.30 |
| 1998 | 146,397 | 129.70 | 1.55 | 50.11 |
| 1999 | 213,658 | 45.94 | 1.89 | 18.01 |
| 2000 | 223,145 | 4.44 | 1.91 | 1.08 |
| 2001 | 135,658 | -39.21 | 1.09 | -74.54 |
| 2002 | 121,964 | -10.09 | 0.97 | -12.02 |
| 2003 | 159,934 | 31.13 | 1.27 | 23.40 |
| 2004 | 229,875 | 43.73 | 1.65 | 22.77 |
| 2005 | 235,242 | 2.33 | 1.69 | 2.33 |
| 2006 | 180,093 | -23.44 | 1.31 | -29.19 |
| 2007 | 169,938 | -5.64 | 1.23 | -6.22 |
| 2008 | 152,099 | -10.50 | 1.18 | -4.17 |
| 2009 | 181,675 | 19.45 | 1.38 | 14.46 |
| 2010 | 169,345 | -6.79 | 1.34 | -3.07 |
| 2011 | 173,105 | 2.22 | 1.38 | 2.68 |
| 2012 | 153,780 | -11.16 | 1.36 | -1.43 |
| 2013 | 130,392 | -15.21 | 1.15 | -17.89 |
| 2014 | 35,732 | -72.60 | 0.30 | -287.99 |
| 2015 | 2,631 | -92.64 | 0.02 | -1,353.15 |
| 2016 | 2,142 | -18.59 | 0.02 | -31.92 |
| 2017 | 3,035 | 41.69 | 0.02 | 26.05 |
| 2018 | 3,243 | 6.85 | 0.02 | 7.61 |
| 2019 | 2,827 | -12.83 | 0.02 | -18.10 |
| 2020 | 232 | -91.79 | 0.00 | -826.66 |
| 2021 | 995 | 328.88 | 0.01 | 76.98 |
| 2022 | 1,473 | 48.04 | 0.01 | 37.31 |
General Motors Europe Annual Sales Units & Growth Chart
Below is a visual representation of General Motors’s European sales units over time. We have both the General Motors sales units and the growth in the European market. Click on the items in the legend to see each series by itself.
General Motors Europe Growth Rate & Market Share Chart
Below is the annual growth rate for the General Motors in Europe, shown against the General Motors’ marketshare changes in Europe. This gives you a good look into how the General Motors has faired against the other brands in terms of absolute sales and effect on marketshare. Click on the items in the legend to see each series by itself.
