Camaro Resale Values on the Rise
Just ten months after its launch, the Chevrolet Camaro has become the industry’s Sport Segment volume leader, outselling the Ford Mustang for nine straight months. When sales to fleets are stripped away, Camaro was the retail sales leader in the segment for 2009, outselling the Ford pony car, according RL Polk registration data.
Beside the Camaro’s breakthrough design and performance, buyers are increasingly attracted to another Camaro strength: resale value.
According to Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) – a leading provider of residual value information – the Camaro’s residual value, which is an indication of resale value, is now among the highest in the segment. ALG recently upgraded its residual value forecast for the car – the second such upgrade in the past three months. This important third party recognition comes on the heels of another important honor for Chevy’s popular coupe – Kelley Blue Book (KBB) awarded the Camaro its “Best Resale Value” award earlier this year.
Improving residual values is an important element of GM’s sales growth plan. “One of the key indicators of a brand’s health is resale, or residual values. It is also one of the top factors considered by consumers when making a purchase decision,” said Susan Docherty, vice president of marketing. “Driving continued improvement in this area is vital to profitably growing our sales in the long-run.”
Leo Burns, GM’s manager of residual values and total cost of ownership, leads the group at GM tasked to increase residual values across the company’s portfolio. He says the impressive residual value for the Camaro isn’t surprising. “The Camaro is the kind of breakthrough product that is required to dramatically improve our resale and perceived value gaps to the competition,” Burns said. “In its short time in the market its residual value has risen to within one point of the segment residual value leader, the Nissan 300Z, and is almost one full point higher than Mustang.”