GM eked out global sales increase in 2015

General Motors eked out an increase in global vehicle sales in 2015, likely solidifying its spot as the world's third-largest automaker.

Detroit-based GM posted a 0.2% increase in global vehicle sales to 9.84 million units, a third consecutive record.

A strong fourth-quarter performance helped GM narrow the gap with the world's second largest automaker, Volkswagen, whose global sales fell 2% to 9.93 million for the year.

But Toyota is likely to retain the crown of world's largest vehicle manufacturer when it reports global sales this month. GM, once the perennial title holder, fell behind Toyota and VW several years ago.

GM sales had fallen 1.3% for the first nine months of 2015, but a 4.4% increase in the fourth quarter helped erase those losses.

Despite a tepid economy in China, the company's sales in the world's largest vehicle market — and its biggest market — rose 5.2% for the year to 3.61 million units, an all-time high.

GM sold 183 more vehicles in China than it did in all of North America, where sales rose 5.9% for the year and 8.6% for the quarter.

One discouraging sign was a 6.9% decline for the Chevrolet brand in 2015 and a 6.4% decline in the fourth quarter. Chevy represented 45% of GM's global sales.

Buick, however, rose 8.7% for the year and 25.4% for the quarter, fueled by China, where the brand is more popular.

“GM continued to grow in 2015 as our focus on the customer and successful new vehicle launches more than offset the challenging conditions in South America and the curtailment of our presence in certain markets such as Russia,” GM President Dan Ammann said in a statement.

Follow Paste BN reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.