According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), despite the high number and concentration of public holidays over the past month, new passenger car and commercial vehicle sales have registered strong gains over the corresponding month last year.
Aggregate industry sales improved by 4 034 units or 10,5 per cent to 42 617 vehicles from the 38 583 vehicles sold during April last year – figures that are well above the industry’s growth rate of 6,9 per cent for the first four months of the year.
Of the total detailed (disaggregated) industry sales of 40 417 units excluding Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s figures, 90 per cent or 36 671 represented dealer sales, 4,1 per cent to industry corporate fleets, 2,8 per cent to the rental industry and 2,4 per cent sales to Government. The sales to rental companies are expected from June this year as seasonal trends indicate that this is usually when the industry refleets.
Aggregate industry new car sales during April 2012 had performed reasonably well and at 29 517 units (including MBSA) reflected an improvement of 3 190 units or 12,1 per cent compared to the 26 327 new cars sold during April 2011. The year-on-year growth momentum in April new car sales had improved, rising to its best level in the past six months, and year-to-date new car sales remained 9,1 per cent ahead of the corresponding four months of 2011.
Messrs RGT, Naamsa’s data processing service provider, has provided estimates for Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s commmercial vehicle sales by segment based on historical sales trends and forecasting technique – following MBSA’s decision to only allow a report of single sales total for passenger cars, commercial products and exports.
Including the estimates provided by Messrs RGT for MBSA commercial vehicle sales by segment – sales of industry new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini buses at 11 028 units during April, 2012 reflected an increase of 741 units or 7,2 per cent compared to the 10 287 LCVs sold during April last year. Sales of vehicles in the medium and heavy segments at an estimated 668 and 1 404 units, respectively, had recorded an increase of 74 units or 12,5 per cent, in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and a rise of 29 units or 2,1 per cent in the case of heavy trucks and buses. As a result, commercial vehicle sales for the first quarter of 2012 underperformed the growth in the new car market.
Exports of South African-produced motor vehicles, including MBSA export sales data, during April 2012 – at 17 656 vehicles – had registered a decline of 2 172 units or 11,0 per cent compared to the 19 828 vehicles exported during April last year.
Industry export sales were expected to reflect the modest growth experienced by the industry overall through 2012, bolstered by the likes of the Ford global compact vehicle export programme and BMW’s new 3 Series export volumes, but because of the debt crisis in the Eurozone, the local export industry’s performance continues to be at the mercy of the global economy. Revisions in export predictions have resulted in an expected 270 000 from the 300 000 originally projected for 2011.
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