Outliers cloud US April aggregate

April was a tricky month to forecast for the US light vehicle market but even with most of the results in, it's not easy to pin down a number that accurately reflects the industry as a whole. There were some widely diverging performances with a handful of surprises. There was also a notable absence, as April marks the first month in which General Motors abstained from monthly reporting. From now on the OEM will report US sales on a quarterly basis. "Thirty days is not enough time to separate real sales trends from short-term fluctuations in a very dynamic, highly competitive market," explained GM's Kurt McNeil, US Vice President, Sales Operations.