SARAH BULLEN, Cape Town | Thursday 12.45pm
NEW vehicle sales fell 6,1% in October from September, according the latest figures released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Naamsa) on Wednesday, despite a long-term positive outlook for the industry. Naamsa said that sales in October fell to 17306 units from September’s 18421 units. Compared to the corresponding month last year, however, sales rose 8,4% on October 1998.
Naamsa attributed the monthly drop in vehicle sales to the strong sales recorded during September which saw the monthly sales hit a 14-month hight. The strong demand resulted in suppliers running low on certain models in stock in October, Naamsa said.
It confirmed that the industry remains in the early stages of a cyclical upswing. “Automotive prospects for 2000 look promising, and current industry projections continue to anticipate that new vehicle sales volumes, in aggregate terms, will grow in the range of 12 to 15%.”
New light commercial sales grew 1,7% from October 1998 and declined 7,3% from September while medium and heavy truck sectors showed a mixed performance with a 5,4% improvement in medium vehicles from October 1998, and a 9,6% decline in heavy trucks and buses over the same period.
Top selling brand in October was Toyota — which took first and second place. Its Corolla sold 2307 units and its Conquest 1845, with Volkswagen Polo range nabbing third place with 1437 units sold.