State of the Buick Address

[WQ59B]

I'm always on the lookout for production totals for auto manufacturers. Found Buick's recent calender-year numbers:<P>2000 ~ 379,307<BR>2001 ~ 378,092<P>Took a look back at my 1930-1980 figures and currently Buicks sales compare to the model years 1941 (374xxx), 1952 (367xxx) and 1962 (399xxx). If you can relate to those model year's plentitude, you have an idea about todays' rate or production. At least my fears of falling production seem unfounded as Buick's 2000 & 2001 are about as steady as you can get.

[WQ59B]

Hmmm, apparently that 2001 figure did NOT include the Rendevous. Doing so returned a 2001 calender sales figure of 405,678. The Rendezvous sold 31,754 units for the year after its June 2001 launch.

[Guest]

Great News! However it isn't the 700K-Plus figures for '55, but hey- it's a more crowded market these days. Anyway, who in h*** wants a Toyota Avalon over a Buick?

[Centurion]

I'm not sure of the original sales targets for the Rendezvous, but the figure you've provided for the 2001 calendar year seems fairly impressive given that the car was not available until late spring.<P>I made a trip from Seattle to Portland over the weekend, and saw a number of the Rendezvous' on the Interstate.

[WQ59B]

John-<BR>I have always had some degree of problem with the whole marketshare thing (I understand the concept). I feel it's <B>greatly</B> over-emphasized. It's a statistic really. If I say to you "I have 59% more money than Centurion" does that really tell you how much either of us has?? Isn't a dollar figure more meaningful?<P>Yes, Buick's PERCENTAGE of the market is lower than most years past, but if their volume remains relative, I still feel they're healthy. They may not growing but they're not shrinking either, you see what I mean?<P>I believe the continuous focus on marketshare numbers is a media & investment-community thing, and I was always more interested in the product and the company over the investor. <P>When a company's doings are guided primarily by the investor, the product becomes secondary at best, and that's NEVER a good thing.

[Guest John Chapman]

<B>WQB59:</B><P>While the production numbers are remaining relatively steady, there is a significant decrease in Buick's market share. While Buick's unit production has remained steady in absolute numbers, it has eroded significantly as a percentage of the total passenger car production in the US. Current passenger car production is approximately 68% of the 11.3M units you cited and gives a more realistic picture given that is the segment where Buick's production is counted. GM's total market share has dwindled from over 50% in the 1950's to the 1970s to just above 30% today. For a major name like Buick to produce 374K units in 1941 when US passenger car production was roughly one third current levels would indicate that Buick's market share has decreased by two thirds.