Some gains as market dips

By Colin Windell

 

 

Commercial vehicle sales during July were ‘swings and roundabouts’ with the medium and havy segment showing encouraging gains while light commercials and mini bus sales shrank compared to the same period last year.

Figures released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa) showed total sales in the light commercial and mini bus sector of 13 458 for the month to be down by 311 units or 2,3%.

Sales in the low volume medium and heavy truck segments of the Industry reflected encouraging gains and at 701 units and 1 614 units, respectively, had recorded an increase of 96 vehicles or an improvement of 15,9%, in the case of medium commercial vehicles and, in the case of heavy trucks and buses, an improvement of 102 vehicles or a gain of 6,7% compared to the corresponding month last year. 

Commenting on the latest new vehicle sales statistics for the month of July the Association said the latest domestic sales figures had been in line with  industry expectations but that export sales had again disappointed.  

“The improvement in domestic sales, specifically new car sales, was encouraging against the background of recent weak economic growth numbers.  The new car market continued to be supported by steady consumer confidence and improved new vehicle affordability with average price increases of new cars remaining well below inflation for the fourth consecutive quarter,” says Naamsa. 

“The unchanged leading economic indicator of the Reserve Bank for the month of May 2018, after three months of decline, was also positive as was the sharp increase in the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index.  Second half calendar year new car sales normally showed an improvement on first half sales and this suggested a modest annual improvement in 2018 domestic sales volumes compared to 2017.”

“The consistent growth seen in the dealer channel this year is testament to the strength of the dealer model, as well as an increase in demand off the back of the positive consumer sentiment seen in the first half of 2018,” says Ghana Msibi, WesBank’s Executive Head for Sales and Marketing.  “When consumers feel more positive about the future, they are more comfortable making longer term financial decisions such as buying new vehicles.”

 

		March	April	May	June	July
LCV	Toyota	5746	3987	5172	5588	5179
	Nissan	2908	1797	2878	2869	2850
	Ford	2999	2456	2908	2667	2563
	Isuzu	1273	1071	1298	1372	1165
	Volkswagen	532	438	530	521	501
	Mahindra	293	200	285	319	334
	Hyundai	294	224	269	221	295
	GWM		103	173	174	153
	Kia		103	141	163	112
	Mercedes		3	48	90	70
	JMC		11	33	76	40
	Suzuki	113	106	61	50	40
	Fiat		26	48	42	38
	Mitsubishi		22	30	40	38
	Tata		28	48	37	34
	Mazda		1	3	6	31
	Peugeot		4	1	2	11
		March	April	May	June	July
MCV	Isuzu	234	146	205	189	195
	Toyota	163	109	127	186	173
	Mercedes	184	110	200	165	146
	Iveco	154	37	54	88	63
	Volkswagen	64	19	29	26	45
	Tata		4	4	19	36
	Hyundai	104	24	37	15	16
	JMC	18	10	11	15	10
	Peugeot		7	11	8	7
	VECV	23	16	4	8	7
	Ford		5	4	5	3
		March	April	May	June	July
HCV	Isuzu	68	53	80	160	181
	Toyota	125	85	75	102	98
	Volvo	36	29	56	85	85
	FAW	62	48	55	79	55
	Tata	49	31	44	62	50
	Mercedes	101	66	127	50	43
	MAN	4	7	8	9	7
	Iveco	10	9	5	4	4
		March	April	May	June	July
XHCV	Volvo	286	296	354	315	271
	Mercedes	267	164	313	259	229
	Scania	156	163	181	164	192
	MAN	140	142	179	161	125
	Toyota	41	42	54	56	42
	Isuzu	34	27	35	54	35
	Powerstar		22	33	49	32
	Babcock	36	31	25	39	27
	Iveco		16	14	34	22
	FAW	49	45	13	17	16
	Tata		8	8	8	10
		March	April	May	June	July
Bus	MAN	37	25	51	41	26
	Iveco	30	13	18	19	15
	Scania	22	8	8	14	14
	Mercedes	1	2	5	12	12
	Volvo			5	4	11
	Isuzu	3	8	1	1	4