With new crossover utility vehicles, General Motors light shining in Lansing (MI) area

In the past few years, mention General Motors here in central Michigan and not too many people would have a smile on their face.  Maybe that's changing with GM's three new crossover utility vehicles (CUV) built here in the Lansing-area.

According to this morning's online Wall Street Journal (subscription required), GM's three brand new CUVs, the Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia are connecting with car buyers and with those who are trading-in Asian-made cars.  Some interesting facts from the story:

• About two-thirds of the vehicles GM sells through its dealerships go to customers who trade in GM vehicles.
• Only a fraction, less than 3%, go to people trading in vehicles made by Toyota or Honda.
• The three new CUVs  do much better.  Half of all Acadias and Outlooks go to customers who trade in GM vehicles; about 20% go to people trading Asian-brand vehicles.  For the Buick Enclave, the 14% of the trade-ins are Asian vehicles.

The story quotes one Chicago-area new car dealer saying that the new vehicles are selling as soon as they come off the truck.

That's great news for GM, for the Lansing (MI) area and for a struggling state of Michigan economy.

Technorati Tags: GM, Buick Enclave, Sauturn Outlook, GMC Acadia, crossover utility vehicles, lansing, michigan, manufacturing

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