One month ago Zero Hedge showed "The "Mysterious" Source Of Surging Demand For GM Cars [2]." In short, it was the US government.
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Which is why we were eagerly looking to learn whether the Y/Y jump in GM's April government sales would be in the 20%, 30% range or more. To our surprise, it was neither, for the simple reason that GM did not report it. One does wonder why any time this website spots a troubling trend, and shortly thereafter it is quietly pulled: first with the gold physical shortage indicator GOFO, and now this.
Then again, perhaps it was merely an oversight and GM will promptly resume reporting the purchasing data of its single biggest customer... and rescuer: Uncle Sam.
Until then, we will present something far more politically correct, and a series which GM can not possibly hide under the rug: the total year to date sales of its various vehicles ranked from most to least popular.
A quick look at the list below reveals why economists are praying, for consumers' sake, that oil and gas prices stay low and remain "unambiguously good" for all those who rushed to buy gas guzzling trucks and SUVs.
Because if the plunge in oil and gas prices failed to spur a spending spree in the US in the first quarter, then a surge right back to historic price levels will hardly do miracles for American discretionary income once it again costs ~$100 to fill up one's gas tank.
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