The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) today reported that the new vehicle sales statstics for the month of June 2013 had largely been in line with industry expectations. Aggregate industry sales increased by 3,3 per cent over the corresponding month last year, while exports recorded a shocking 10,6 per cent decline.
Of the total reported industry sales of 53 562 vehicles, 45 467 units or 84,9 per cent represented dealer sales, 8,0 per cent represented sales to the vehicle rental industry, 4,5 per cent to corporate fleets and 2,6 per cent to government.
During June, 2013 a total of 37 057 new cars were sold which represented an improvement of 1 144 units or a gain of 3,2 per cent compared to the 35 913 new cars sold in June last year. Sales of light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini buses at 13 729 units during June, 2013 reflected an increase of 305 units or 2,3 per cent compared to the 13 424 light commercial vehicles sold during the corresponding month last year.
Sales of vehicles in the medium and heavy truck segments of the Industry at 1 040 units and 1 736 units, respectively, had recorded an increase of 177 units or 20,5 per cent in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and an increase of 64 units or 3,8 per cent in the case of heavy trucks and buses, compared to the corresponding month last year.
New vehicle exports during June, 2013 at 24 203 vehicles had registered an unexpected decline of 2 864 units or 10,6 per cent compared to the 27 067 vehicles exported in June last year. The industry remained on target for new vehicle export growth of around 15 per cent.
According to Naamsa, the outlook for the automotive sector for the balance of the year looks less promising than at the beginning of 2013. Domestically, expectations of subdued GDP growth and above-inflation new vehicle price increases – as a result of the sharply weaker exchange rate and the April 2013 increase in CO2 vehicle emission taxes on new cars and certain categories of new light commercials – will contribute to a more difficult trading environment.
Download the full sales PDF by clicking on the following link Naamsa-June 2013
