U.S. light-vehicle sales slid 15 percent to 578,507 in the second quarter at General Motors, enough for the automaker to reclaim the U.S. sales crown from Toyota Motor Corp., as global parts shortages and shipping woes continue to hobble output at automakers, leaving showrooms largely empty of new cars and light trucks for a year now.
Deliveries dropped 11 percent at Chevrolet, 14 percent GMC, 56 percent at Buick and 6.7 percent at Cadillac in the April-June period. GM's U.S. sales have now dropped four consecutive quarters, though sales have increased sequentially three straight quarters and it expects to gain market share for the third consecutive quarter.
The automaker, citing "strong" second-quarter production, said it ended June with 247,839 vehicles in U.S. dealer inventory, including cars and light trucks in transit to showrooms. GM's second-quarter vehicle wholesale shipments were negatively impacted by ongoing semiconductor shortages and other supply …