June VFACTS: Aussie sales rush upward

AN all time monthly sales record in June has carried the Australian motor industry to its best ever half yearly result.

Australians bought 97,212 new vehicles in June – 5.6 per cent more than the previous all time record set in the same month last year.

They have now bought 473,516 new vehicles in the year, 6.3 per cent more than the all-time record set also in 2003.

Defending market leader Toyota topped both the month and the year so-far, selling 22,116 vehicles in June (up 9.6 per cent), establishing a new monthly sales record for any brand in the Australian market. Holden sold 17,502 vehicles and Ford 13,314.

For the year so far Toyota has sold 100,727 vehicles, an increase of 9.9 per cent on the company’s previous record of 91,627 set last year.

It is the first time a single brand has sold more than 100,000 vehicles in Australia in the first half of the year.

Year-to-date, Toyota now leads Holden by 12,346 vehicles and Ford by 36,393 vehicles.

The Prado, HiLux 4WD and Echo set new individual monthly records in June for Toyota, with Prado selling 1796 units (up 7.6 per cent on June 2003), HiLux 4WD retailing 1822 units (up 8.5 per cent) and Echo retailing 1877 units (up 11.8 per cent).

Corolla was the company’s biggest seller though, breaking through the 4000 barrier for only the second time in its local history to record 4,032 sales.

Other strong June performers for the brand were Camry four-cylinder (up 17 per cent to 3009), Camry six-cylinder (up 21.7 per cent to 1696), HiLux 2WD (up 19.9 per cent to 1498) and Tarago (up 69.7 per cent to 526).

While Toyota was the strongest local performer, both Holden and Ford are ahead of last year’s sales. Mitsubishi is struggling, reflecting the fact that Magna V6 sales are well down.

Nevertheless the good news for the Adelaide-based manufacturer is that it was back in its traditional fourth place in June with 6857 sales, usurping leading importers Nissan and Mazda, although the former remains fourth for the six month period.

The Holden Commodore (7466) and Ford Falcon (6716) are still one-two outright in sales volumes, although their six month sales are off compared to 2003.

But Ford is being strongly boosted by the arrival of the Territory, which recorded 1372 registrations in June. That’s more than the Holden Adventra has managed in its entire six month sales life (1277), and helps explain why $4000 was chopped off the price of the Commodore-based all-wheel drive wagon last week.

FCAI chief executive Peter Sturrock said the VFACTS results put the industry well on track to achieve its prediction of a record 960,000 sales for 2004. But he stopped short of claiming the first one million vehicle sales year was now possible.

"Many factors, amongst them the looming federal election, could stand in the way of a million sales," Mr Sturrock said.

"Traditionally sales demand in the second half of the year runs marginally above that of the first half," Mr Sturrock said.

"But demand has become so strong and so constant that last year the split between the first and second half of the year was only 2.5 per cent.

Demand for locally manufactured vehicles was 4.7 per cent stronger this June than in 2003.

Mr Sturrock said a major imperative of the Australian manufacturers would be to continue to lift local demand.

Impending launches of new local models in the second half of 2004 would play a pivotal role in the success and growth of the market.

"The potential for major model launch activity from more than one of our local manufacturers will excite the market," Mr Sturrock said.

"It will be a significant factor in achieving our goal, and it could be the trigger to take the market beyond current prediction." That’s a reference to the significantly updated VZ Commodore, which will include the new locally-built Global V6 engine, as well as an updated Falcon, Camry and Magna.

According to VFACTS sales in all four major segments are up. Half yearly sales of passenger vehicles reached 290,850 up 2.1 per cent. Sports Utility Vehicles claimed 85,545 deliveries, an increase of 13.8 per cent. Demand for light trucks is up 16.4 per cent to 84,049 and the heavy truck market is up 20.5 per cent at 13,072 vehicles.

Significant highlights for the month and year include: * Holden’s 17,502 vehicle sales was its best monthly sales result since December 1982. The Rodeo light commercial scored a record monthly total of 2553 sales, while the Commodore utility was on 2216 sales.

Commodore had its strongest month for the year with 7746 sales and now leads Falcon by more than 5000 units or almost 15 per cent. Astra and Barina also had their best months for 2004 with 2756 and 646 sales respectively while Caprice completed a record first half.

Holden is currently forecasting 950,000 total sales for the market although it suspects tariff reductions in January 2005 may have a dampening effect in the second half of 2004.

* Ford Australia’s 13,314 sales is its best June sales result since 1989 and best overall monthly result since August 1995.

The company’s June sales were up by 1056 units on 2003, an increase of 8.6 per cent.

* Mitsubishi Australia sold an all-time record 2083 Lancer sedans. It was also the second best month ever for total Lancer sales.

June also saw the company's best overall light commercial sales for 10 years, and the third best performance in the company's history. Triton stepped up to record the second best total sales (combined two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive) in history, while the 2WD Triton range recorded its best ever sales result.

The SJ Express Van recorded its best sales for five years, while the Pajero recorded its best monthly sales for 10 years, and the third highest monthly sales in history.

* Nissan Australia’s total of 6377 sales is the best June result in 14 years, an 11 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Nissan passenger vehicle sales during calendar 2004 are 18 per cent higher than for the same period last year.

* With a year on year sales increase of 58 per cent, Kia is the fastest growing major car brand in Australia. The company is aiming for 25,000 car sales in 2004.

* Honda Australia set an all-time sales record with 3533 units sold in June, contributing to the company’s best year-to-date sales result ever of 18,114.

* Mazda Australia experienced its best month on record in June, retailing 5543 cars and commercial vehicles. That total was up 190 sales on the same month last year, which had stood as Mazda’s best monthly performance since the brand arrived in Australia in 1959.

* Hyundai’s resurgence escalated in June with best-ever monthly retail sales achieved by three of its models, Getz, Elantra and the Tiburon V6 sports coupe.

Hyundai’s June sales totalled 4684, up 44 per cent on June 2003 and up 41 per cent over last month.

In the first half of 2004, Hyundai has sold 20,751 vehicles, up 45 per cent year-over-year and held its seventh spot outright.

Hyundai’s share of the total Australian vehicle market rose from 4.2 per cent from May to 4.8 per cent in June and year-to-date moved up to a 4.4 per cent share that by June 2003 was 3.2 per cent.

* Subaru achieved an all-time monthly sales record of 3460 vehicles in June, while at the year's halfway point, it has captured 3.7 per cent of the total vehicle market year-to-date, with a total of 17,537 sales - 2749 ahead of the same period last year.

* BMW sold 7306 vehicles in the first six months of 2004, compared with 6421 in the same period last year, according to VFACTS. Year-to-date BMW has claimed 31 per cent of the luxury passenger car market with 5131 sales, well ahead of its rivals.

In the luxury SUV segment the BMW X5 is six percentage points clear of its nearest rival.

* Peugeot Automobiles Australia has recorded its best-ever monthly sales record, with 757 Peugeots registered in the month of June. The monthly result reflects an increase of 18 per cent compared to June last year, and eclipsed the previous record of 753 sales in September 2003.

* Chrysler and Jeep have achieved combined sales of 594 units in June taking year to date sales to 3617 - a 13 per cent increase on last year's figure. Second quarter sales were up six per cent, giving Chrysler Jeep its second consecutive quarter of increased year-over-year sales.