2:45pm: GM December sales drop

WARREN -- General Motors Corp. vehicle sales dropped 12.8 percent per selling day to 208,511 cars and trucks in December and 30.1 percent for 2009, the company reported this afternoon. December had two more selling days than December 2008.

Sales of the Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cobalt fell 37 percent to 8,672 units versus 12,786 in December 2008.

The compact car finished the year with a 44.3 percent decline at 104,724 vehicles compared to 188,045 in 2008.

For the year, GM sales totaled 2.08 million cars and trucks, reflecting fewer fleet sales and the closeout of the Pontiac and Saturn brands. GM said it only has 800 Pontiacs and 900 Saturns left.

The numbers track deliveries from GM to dealers and not sales to consumers.