Mazda predicts 2012 sales record

Mazda has predicted another all-time record for new-vehicle sales in Australia this year, despite the continued downturn in other areas of the economy including retail and housing.

The nation’s top full-line vehicle importer, whose Mazda3 continues to be Australia’s top-selling car, expects total industry sales to reach 1.08 million sales in 2012 – about 30,000 sales up on the previous record of around 1.05 million, set five years ago pre-GFC in 2007.

“Despite the gloomy outlook, the car industry has really kicked on in 2012,” said Mazda Australia Managing Director Doug Dickson during last night’s media event to preview the new Mazda6 and facelifted CX-9, both of which will be revealed at tomorrow’s Sydney motor show.

Mazda says that despite the end of Australia’s resources boom and interest rates that are expected to hit a 10-year low of three per cent by Christmas in an attempt to spur the housing market, it expects new vehicle sales to increase a further five per cent in the final quarter of this year.

This is ontop of the 9.4 per cent overall sales increase in the first nine months of 2012, driven largely by SUV and light commercial vehicle sales.

Mr Dickson admitted much of the industry’s sales growth has been driven by incentives, but said the outlook was positive and sustainable.

“People are in work and in the right areas are making plenty,” he said. “There's nothing to stop from buying consumer products - it's just that you need to have a good value proposition.

“There’s no question that to be successful in retail you have to have a compelling value proposition and I think you’ll see all of those in the industry right now. But I think the other factor which is driving our industry is the fact that new cars right now are streets ahead of the value, look and buzz of three or four years ago.”

Mazda says the key to its success was its strong product line-up, including its top-selling Mazda3, which will be replaced next year, and its new CX-5, which has “exceeded expectations” by becoming the nation’s third best selling SUV this year after just six months.

Mr Dickson said that after out-selling Ford’s homegrown Territory last month the CX-5 could outsell Nissan’s mid-size SUV segment-leading X-Trail this year, as well as give Toyota’s top-selling large SUV, the Prado, “a fright”.

While the Mazda2 should remain Australia’s second best selling light car behind Toyota’s Yaris, more than 9000  BT-50 sales this year represents a 21.9 per cent sale increase year-on-year and with 13,000 sales forecast in 2012 (up more than 40 per cent), it will be the best sales year ever for Mazda’s one-tonner.

Mazda has posted its best ever nine-month start to a year and exceeded 100,000 sales for the first time in 12 rolling months. It remains on track to sell 100,000 vehicles for the first time this year (which would give it a 9.1 per cent market share), making it the first full-line importer to do so.

“In relation to our competitors, we’re securely in third place with a fairly solid lead over Hyundai and Ford,” said Mr Dickson, who added that “the battle for top car or truck (between Mazda3 and HiLux) is too close to call”.

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