Click here to download the full report: Naamsa March 2014
According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), the month of March only registered a minor decline from last year, with the 55 363 new vehicles sold down by 87 units (0,2%) from the 55 450 sold in March 2013.
Of the total reported sales of 55 343 vehicles, 85,8% (47 505 units) represented dealer sales, while 5% went to government, 4,7% to the rental industry and 4,5% to corporate fleets.
New passenger car sales, at 36 798 units sold declined by% (814 units) compared to the 37 612 units sold during the corresponding month last year. Light commercial vehicles (LCVs) fared better, with an increase of 3,7% (559 units) from March 2013 compared with March 2014.
Sales of vehicles in the medium and heavy truck segments, at 947 units and 1 770 units respectively, reflected a mixed performance. Compared to the corresponding month last year, there was a decline of 61 units or a fall of 6,1% in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and an impressive gain of 229 units or an improvement of 14,9%, in the case of heavy trucks and buses.
New vehicle exports during March 2014 at 24 660 vehicles had registered a decline of 11,2% (3 122 units) compared to the 27 782 vehicles exported in March last year.
NAAMSA believes that the outlook for the rest of 2014 will be negatively affected by factors like above-inflation new vehicle price increases due to the weak exchange rate, high consumer debt, and increases in energy and transport costs – as well as e-tolling in Gauteng. As such, they predict the local market will very likely be flat, and might even register slight declines from 2013. The export market looks slightly better though, with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class export programme that’s geared to start mid-year, as well as improved global economic conditions.
