World new car sales figures bounce back

Sales of new cars in Australia jumped 10.5 per cent last year to 1.04 million -- only the third time we’ve bought more than a million vehicles in a single year.

By and large, the rest of the world followed our lead, except for some European markets, where 2009 figures had been artificially boosted by stimulation packages like "Cash for Clunkers". Under the guise of environmentalism, many older vehicles were removed from national fleets in exchange for a rebate against new, usually small and fuel-efficient, replacements.

With 2009 having been the worst sales year in over a decade in many countries, some governments tried to stimulate sales of fuel-efficient cars by exempting them from tiered taxes levied on new car sales.

Even the economically shattered US market climbed in 2010 -- up 11 per cent to 11.59 million units. It's a far cry from the heady pre-GFC days -- for example, when 17.4 million cars, SUVs, minivans and pick-up trucks found new American homes in 2000.

Even in Japan, where the economy has been stalled for years, vehicles sales rose 7.5 per cent last year, to a total of 4,956,136, including mini-vehicles.

Perhaps not surprisingly the stellar performers were the emerging BRIC markets: In China, sales rose 32.37 per cent in 2010 to 18,061,900 vehicles -- a new one-country record, previously held by the US. Chinese vehicle production rose to 18,264,700 units, an increase of 32.44 per cent. This implies Chinese exports exceeded imports -- who'd have predicted that, a decade ago?

In India, new car sales rose by 31 per cent to 1.87 million, while Russian new car and light vehicle sales almost exactly mirrored that, rising 30 per cent to 1.91 million units.

In Brazil, the GFC seemingly didn't happen; sales expanded 11 per cent last year, setting a fourth consecutive record. A total of 3.3 million light vehicles were sold and FIAT claimed market leadership with 22.8 per cent of new vehicle sales, ahead of VW. Brazilian truck sales jumped 44 per cent in 2010.

But it was Chile that set the pace, with sales of new cars and light trucks surging 68 per cent to 289,280 units sold,

In New Zealand, new car sales in 2010 were up 14 per cent to 62,029, while sales of new commercial vehicles rose 17.8 per cent to 18,424, according to data from the New Zealand Transport Agency.

In Turkey, the market recovered after a steep decline. Sales grew 30 per cent to 750,000 units, back to levels last seen in 2005. The Turkish market is expected to reach close to 900.000 units in 2011, and pass the 1 million mark in 2013.

But in many established, mature car-making markets, there was little good news. In Italy, the market lost 9.2 per cent, dropping to 1,960,282 vehicles out the showroom door, while in France, sales dipped 2.2 per cent to 2,251,669 units. But next door in Germany, sales plummeted a jaw-dropping 23.4 per cent -- though that still represents 2,916,260 units.

Not surprisingly, with an economy in freefall, Greeks bought just 141,500 vehicles, a plunge of 35.8 per cent.

In the EU as a whole, sales dropped by 5.5 per cent to 13,360,599 units -- more than the single-nation markets in the US, but less than China -- yet in depression-ravaged Ireland, sales grew by a whopping 54.7 per cent -- albeit to a modest 88,373 units.

After a lacklustre few years and some headline-grabbing tough times, it seems the world's car industry has fought back and found new ways of winning sales -- with smaller, smarter and cleaner cars.

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