- The U.S. market is slowly returning to its pre-crisis levels (2000-2007), since it should end the year 2013 on a volume of registrations of around 15.5 to 16 million units.

- In 2007, just before the outbreak of the financial crisis, the U.S. market had reached 16.2 million units, previous years were even better (17 million in 2005 and 16.5 million in 2006).

- In 2013, the U.S. market is gradually approaching these same volumes and is gradually moving away from 2009, figures where it fell to 10.4 million units.

- This market has increased by more than 5 million units between 2009 and 2013, which represents an increase of over 50% in four years. Meanwhile (between 2009 and 2013), the European market 27 countries (similar to the U.S. market in terms of volume) lost 17% of its sales volume, and has dropped by 25% since 2007.

- Which manufacturers have benefited the most from the recovery of the U.S. market? Themarket share comparison of different automotive groups between 2009 and 2013 reveals that the builders who have made the most progress since 2009 are the Fiat-Chrysler group (+3 points), Renault-Nissan (+1 point), Hyundai-Kia (+1 point) and Volkswagen (+1 point).

- In a rising market, on the other hand GM (-2 points), Toyota (-3 points), Honda (-1 point) have lost market share.

  

- GM uses currently two brands in the European market for its passenger cars: Opel ( Vauxhall in the UK ) and Chevrolet. Both brands offer sedan models and SUVs.

- Opel sedan vehicles (A, B, C, and D segments) are produced in Europe while the Opel SUVs (segment B and D) are produced in Korea in a Chevrolet plant (former Daewoo plant).  Chevrolet  sedan vehicles and SUVs are imported from Korea, with the exception of Malibu (sedan segment D ), Camaro and Corvette (sport coupes) that are produced in the USA and are imported from this country.

- The launch of the Chevrolet brand in Europe in the early 2000s (rebadging of Daewoo models) failed to boost sales of GM group on the continent. The increase in sales of Chevrolet in Europe from 2002 to 2007 did not offset the drop in sales of Opel  Worse, the drop in sales of Opel from 2007 to 2012 (nearly 600,000 sales in less than five years ) was accompanied by a parallel decline in sales of Chevrolet .

- Undifferentiated positioning of the two brands in the same segments resulted in cannibalization of Opel and Chevrolet.
GM considered  then to reposition the two brands (Opel preferably as Premium and Chevrolet  preferably as low price). But finally the decision was taken to give up  the Chevrolet brand in the European market in 2016 and leave the way open for Opel  to represent GM in Europe. Chevrolet will  continue to be used in all parts of the world where Opel is not present . The fact that all Chevrolet brand vehicles were imported while Opel plants suffer from overcapacity in Europe weighed in the balance. The question now is whether Opel will recover market share of Chevrolet, which is not guaranteed.