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NAAMSA says 2006 SA new vehicles sales outstanding |
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Written by Staff Reporters
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New vehicle sales ended 2006 on a relatively subdued note with commercial vehicle sales out-performing new cars sales by a substantial margin in percentage growth terms. In the event, aggregate new vehicle sales during December, 2006 at 49283 units, reflected an improvement of 3513 units or 7,7% compared to the total new vehicle sales of 45770 units during the corresponding month last year.
Whilst sales in all four segments during December, 2006 had registered improvements on the corresponding month last year, the new car market had continued to show signs of a slowdown in sales activity. In contrast, sales in the light, medium and heavy commercial vehicle segments remained encouraging and suggested that economic activity remained at a relatively high level.
For the year as a whole, NAAMSA reported sales had improved by 81 607 units or 14,4% to reach 646,581 vehicles compared to the 564,974 units sold during 2005. Taking account of sales of new vehicles not reported in detail through NAAMSA, namely, an additional 67759 units, the industry had achieved a record domestic aggregate sales total of 714,340 vehicles – an improvement of 96 934 vehicles or 15,7% compared to total aggregate sales of 617,406 units recorded for 2005.
2006 industry exports at 179,854 vehicles had shown an improvement of 39942 vehicles or 28,5% compared to the 139912 vehicles exported in 2005.
Commenting on the industry’s past years’ performance and future prospects, Dr Johan van Zyl, President of NAAMSA, said that “2006 had been an outstanding record year in terms of SA new vehicles sales and domestic production, however, 2007 would be more challenging with the domestic new car market likely to move sideways or register modest growth, at best, and with growth in new commercial vehicles sales likely to outperform growth in the new car sector. Industry production, however, was projected to reach record levels during 2007 on the back of the roll out of major export programmes”.
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