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NEWS
VFACTS for June: prestige brands' heavy lifting
A stagnant market last month barely stayed in touch, thanks to increased sales of prestige and luxury carsAustralia's new car market has topped the half a million mark, with six months remaining in the calendar year.
But a downturn played out across the first six months of this year has left the year-to-date tally nearly 14,000 units behind the same period in 2013. There's no great cause for concern in that, considering 2013 was a record year for local sales and the 2014 figures so far place the market ahead of 2012, but it's the volume-selling brands more likely to have borne the brunt of fewer sales this year – and it's those same brands for which sales volume is an important adjunct to profitability.
As we reported yesterday, Holden, Hyundai and Volkswagen swam against the tide last month, each of the three mass market brands gathering more sales last month than they did in June 2013. Holden, with 12,332 sales for the month is 1849 units ahead, year on year. Hyundai (10,008) is only 94 sales ahead of the number for June 2013, but that was enough to set a new monthly record for the brand. Volkswagen (6597) is reaping improved results 12 months down the track after bad press concerning the brand's DSG transmission. Its sales figure for June has climbed 1377 units higher than in June 2013.
According to VFACTS figures released today, the total market last month rang up 118,309 units sold, which was not actually very far behind the June 2013 figure of 118,758. Put that in context however: Only Holden, Isuzu Ute, Jeep and Volkswagen sold over 1000 units more in June, year on year. Of the 49 brands selling passenger vehicles, SUVs and light commercial vehicles in Australia, 17 went backwards during June, and three of them – Honda, Nissan and Toyota – sold over a thousand fewer vehicles than in June 2013.
That's a sign that the market is on track for an end-of-year total significantly below the record figure last year. Passenger cars took a big dive in June, but SUVs and LCVs were both up. This reflects a trend noted by the FCAI from earlier this year, with passenger car sales fully 12,000 units behind, for the year to date. LCV sales are also well behind for the year so far, but the business-centric market demographic voted with their money last month – buying up ahead of a new financial year. SUVs are an on-going success story, nearly 5000 units ahead of last year's figure – with private buyers principally driving that demand.
The three top-selling prestige brands witnessed their combined passenger and SUV sales rise by eight per cent during June. With 2494 units sold during June, Mercedes-Benz picked up five per cent from the same month last year. For BMW, with 2203 sales, the percentage difference was three per cent, but Audi, with 1809 sales, gained 20 per cent. Sales figures for the year so far show Benz in the lead with 12,670 (a gain of 14 per cent), BMW trailing on 10,856 (up nine per cent) and Audi not too far behind with 9661 sales – up 19 per cent.
June was the best month for registrations in the history of Mercedes-Benz selling cars in Australia, but its segment-busting A-Class was outsold during the month by Audi's A3. C-Class was gazumped by 3 Series, but the Mercedes remains in front, year to date.
Top selling brands for the year to date are: Toyota (101,105), Holden (56,773), Mazda (51,910), Hyundai (49,597), Ford (42,242), Nissan (33,155), Mitsubishi (32,676), Volkswagen (28,571), Subaru (20,040) and Honda (15,443). Honda is in serious danger of slipping out of the top 10, since Kia is charging up fast from behind, on 15,299 sales – just 144 units behind.
"There is no question that the market has faced – and will continue to face – some serious challenges," Kia Motors Australia Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith was quoted saying in a press release. "However, in the face of those challenges Kia has continued to produce and deliver models that lead the way in style, safety and value."
Despite the threat Kia poses to Honda for the number 10 position and an extra 174 sales scooped up in June, the Korean brand is just 29 units ahead of last year's sales figure in year to date terms.
The 10 best selling cars during June were: Toyota Corolla (4648), Toyota HiLux (4276), Mitsubishi Triton (4124), Mazda3 (4059), Hyundai i30 (3243), Ford Ranger (3214), Holden Commodore (3156), Nissan Navara (2262), Volkswagen Golf (2261) and Holden Colorado (2241).
And the 10 best selling cars for the year to date are: Mazda3 (22,524), Toyota Corolla (22,166), Toyota HiLux (19,160), Holden Commodore (16,355), Hyundai i30 (15,692), Ford Ranger (13,443), Mitsubishi Triton (11,838), Mazda CX-5 (11,006), Volkswagen Golf (10,524) and Toyota Camry (10,118).
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Written byKen Gratton
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