JOHANNESBURG Sept 2 Sapa
AUGUST NEW VEHICLE SALES RISE 36.9 PERCENT
Vehicle sales for August rose 36,9% compared to the corresponding month in 2009, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa) said on Thursday.
Sales of 46 377 units registered an improvement of 12 502 vehicles in August 2010 compared to the 33 875 vehicles sold during August 2009.
When stripping out sales from Associated Motor Holdings and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors — which reported separately —
sales increased by 35,6% to 40 235 units compared with August last year.
Overall, out of the total Naamsa reported industry sales of 40 235 vehicles, 80,3% or 32 302 units represented dealer or retail sales, 13,4% represented sales to the car rental
industry, 3,3% represented sales to government and 3% were industry corporate fleet sales.
Naamsa said new car sales during August 2010 were at the higher end of expectations assisted by a substantial buy ahead by consumers to avoid the new car emissions tax which came into effect on September 1 2010.
New cars sales were also boosted by strong demand from the car rental industry.
August 2010 new car sales at 33 541 units reflected an improvement of 11 128 cars or 49,6% compared to the 22 413 new cars sold by the industry during August, 2009.
“This represented the highest monthly new car market since January, 2008 and moreover, the selling rate of new cars per day remained robust,” Naamsa said.
Sales of industry new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and minibuses at 10 856 units during August 2010 reflected an improvement of 878 units or 8,8% compared to the 9 978 units sold during the corresponding month last year.
However, new light commercial vehicle sales were only marginally up on the previous month of July 2010.
Naamsa said August 2010 sales of vehicles in the medium- and heavy-truck segments of the industry registered improvements and at 587 units and 1 393 units, respectively, recorded an increase of 47 units or 8,7%, in the case of medium commercials, and a gain of 449 units or 47,6%, in the case of heavy trucks and buses, compared to the corresponding month last year. – Sapa