DETROIT -- General Motors started the year with a 6.9 percent January sales decline in the U.S., according to estimates from the Automotive News Data Center.
That's in line with the estimate from Cox Automotive but a steeper fall than projected by Edmunds and ALG, which were around 3 percent.
The decline came as GM ramps up production and availability of its redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups as well as the resurrected Chevrolet Blazer crossover.
GM executives have consistently touted the sell-down of the outgoing pickups as a success, but it started a "Silverado Sell Down" promotion Friday.
Chevrolet, according to its website, is offering more than $10,000 off some outgoing models and more than $7,000 in incentives on at least one trim -- 2019 Silverado LT All Star Z71 crew cab -- of the redesigned pickup. Similar incentives are offered on the outgoing Sierra, according to gmc.com.
GM's U.S. sales declined 1.6 percent last year, when it began reporting sales quarterly instead of monthly. All of the company's brands reported slight sales declines for the year and GM's total fell to less than 3 million vehicles sold.
Incentives: $5,056 per vehicle, down 2.6 percent from a year earlier, according to ALG.
Average transaction price: $36,692, up 0.4 percent from a year earlier, ALG said.
Did you know? Sales of GM's redesigned pickups were expected to outnumber the outgoing models on a monthly basis for the first time.
