Although new car sales in November failed to reach last month’s mark, the total market improved 11 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.
Although new car sales in November failed to reach last month’s mark, the total market improved 11 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.
Naamsa said that it had expected the market to consolidate following sustained robust growth during the past six months. Aggregate new vehicle sales (31 538 units) reflected an improvement of 3 116 units (11 per cent) compared with the 28 422 sold during November last year, but nine per cent down on October.
New car sales (21 496 units) reflected was 1 919 units ( 9,8 per cent) more than the 19 577 sales recorded in November last year. However, November’s new car sales figure was 2 676 units (11,1 per cent) lower compared with October. “Despite a decline in the selling rate per day during November, the new car market remained in an upward phase,” Naamsa said.
Sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and minibuses improved in November. Sales of 8 536 LCVs was an improvement of 887 vehicles (11,6 per cent) compared with November last year’s figure. LCV sales had, however, declined by 302 units (3,4 per cent) compared with the sales of October, during which 8 838 light commercial vehicles had been sold.
Sales of vehicles in the medium and heavy truck segments of the industry in November, continued to improve and at 600 units and 906 units, respectively, reflected an improvement 69 units (13 per cent), in the case of medium commercials, and 241 units (36,2 per cent), in the case of heavy trucks and buses – compared with the same month last year. The heavy commercial vehicle sector, on the back of strong replacement demand and investment sentiment, remained on target towards near record annual volumes, a Naamsa spokesman said.
Total sales for this year were expected to exceed 2002’s mark by more than five per cent in volume terms. The new car market was likely to end about 6,5 per cent above last year’s market, the organisation predicted: “At this stage, double-digit growth in industry sales volumes for 2004 appeared a distinct possibility.”
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