CHEVROLET sold 1.18 million vehicles worldwide in the first three months of 2012, a 6.5 percent increase over the first quarter of 2011, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of record-breaking sales for the brand. In the last two calendar years, Chevrolet has grown faster than other high-volume global brands, bringing its global market share to 6.3 percent. The Chevrolet Cruze led the brand with global sales of more than 180,000 in the first quarter, a nearly 20-percent increase over 2011, making it the best-selling Chevrolet nameplate around the world. Sales of the recently launched 2012 Aveo/Sonic small car and 2013 Malibu mid-size sedan are increasing as more vehicles become available in dealer showrooms. Chevrolet posted significant sales increases over the same period last year in four of its top five markets. In the US, Chevrolet sold 448,000 vehicles in the quarter, an increase of 7.6 percent. Passenger car sales remain strong with increasing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles like the Cruze, Malibu and Sonic. In China, Chevrolet sold a record 162,000 units in the quarter, an increase of 1.4 percent. Chevrolet Europe sold 55,104 vehicles in Western and Central Europe, a 7.8 percent increase in an industry that was down 8.7 percent versus last year. Chevrolet, traditionally an American brand, today records more than 60 percent of its sales outside the US market.
