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May 2016: FCA wins, Ford and GM stumble on weak car volumes

The May 2016 sales numbers are in, and it looks as though FCA is getting some vindication for boldly cancelling two slow-selling car models. Meanwhile, Ford saw overall sales dip and GM's May volume took a big dive versus the same month in 2015. While Marchionne's decision to axe the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart has drawn criticism as being short-sighted, it's working for FCA so far. Although the Dart and 200 aren't out of production yet and no capacity has been shifted to crossover or trucks, May's numbers show that the emphasis on Jeep and Ram models makes sense right now. FCA's US sales rose 1 percent last month compared to May 2015, putting the year-to-date total at 955,186 vehicles, an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period last year. Standouts included the Jeep Renegade, Compass, and Patriot, and the Fiat 500X. Ram pickup sales were down 3 percent. And your fun fact is that Alfa Romeo sales were up precisely 10 percent, for a total of 44 4Cs sold versus 40 in the same month last year. At FoMoCo, the Ford brand took a hit to the tune of 6.4 percent from May 2015 to 2016, registering 226,190 sales last month. Lincoln showed improvement on its modest numbers, going from 9,174 to 9,807, a 6.9 percent increase. Overall, Ford was down 5.9 percent for the month to 235,997; despite the slump, year-to-date total Ford sales are up 4.2 percent to 1,112,939. Strong sellers included Escape, Expedition, F-Series, and Transit - big stuff. Most small and/or efficient models (Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max) saw sales slides. Fusion sales were also down, likely due to effects of model changeover to the freshened 2017 model. Ford has promised four new crossovers and SUVs by 2020 and if things keep trending this way the company will be able to sell them, but things could change in the next four years. GM saw the worst of it for domestic brands. Retail and fleet sales were down for each of the four divisions, with the May 2016 total dropping 18 percent to 240,450 vehicles. GM's year-to-date sales are down 5.0 percent in 2016 to 1,183,705. Both the Sierra and Silverado were down significantly, and the majority of Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac nameplates saw sales decreases, with both small cars and larger utilities included. Not even big stuff could help GM this month, it seems. We'll have more on the rest of the industry's May sales as those figures trickle in.

Buick trademarks several variants of Electra name

The Buick Electra was a sometimes-handsome full-size car that sold for decades, but its time came to an end in the early 1990s as the automaker moved toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. That will soon change, as Buick and parent company General Motors recently filed for a series of trademarks for the name. Motor Authority reported that GM filed trademark names ranging from Electra E1 to E9. Though Buick unveiled the Wildcat EV concept earlier this year, it is GM’s only brand without a publicly announced electric vehicle. It has said that an Electra EV would be coming to the U.S. but has not confirmed when itÂ’ll arrive or what it will look like when it does. The automaker says its first EV will come in 2024 and notes that it will offer an all-electric lineup in the U.S. and Canada by 2030, though, so itÂ’s only a matter of time. General Motors already trademarked the Electra GS name last month, which could indicate a high-performance variant in the model line. ItÂ’s unclear if Buick will stick to the Electra formula and make a sleek electric car or if it will use the name on a line of electric crossovers, following the rest of its vehicle catalog. GM Authority spotted an electric crossover testing in China in late October, which could be our first look at the automakerÂ’s newest EV.   The Electra will likely ride on GMÂ’s Ultium platform, whatever the form. The architecture underpins the GMC Hummer EV and will carry the upcoming crop of electric SUVs and trucks from Chevrolet and GMC. Related video:

Next Opel Insignia to adopt sleeker looks

The very first set of spy photos of the next-generation Opel Insignia have dropped, giving us a look at the more svelte, aggressive, and stylish look of the popular sedan. As a reminder, the Insignia is sold here in the United States as the Buick Regal. There's only so much we can discern from these photos, thanks to the very heavy camouflage. But we can get a look at the new Audi A7-like roofline, which our spies citing similarities to the Opel Monza concept car from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Monza link fits with our previous reports, which claimed the gullwinged wagon would serve as a prime source of inspiration for both the Insignia and US-market Regal. Aside from the significantly redesigned sheetmetal, Opel is also increasing the size of its flagship sedan, adding nearly four inches between the axles. According to our spies, the goal is to build a vehicle comparable in size to the Skoda Superb, a roughly Volkswagen Passat-sized sedan based on the VW Group's MQB platform. What's most interesting for US customers, though, is the body style shown here. Like the aforementioned A7, the next Insignia will be offered as a five-door model, rather than a traditional sedan. The five-door hatch would later be joined by a traditional wagon. It's unclear whether the US market Buick will take a similar route, or whether General Motors will demand a four-door variant exclusive to North America. Check out the spy photos above, and keep an eye open for more on the next Insignia/Regal. Don't plan on seeing it at an auto show any time soon, though. It's not slated to debut until the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.