Magic million goes begging

AUSTRALIA’S new-car sales tally is no longer likely to reach the seven-figure mark forecast for 2005 by analysts - including official score-keeper the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries – following another month of static sales in November.

According to the FCAI’s VFACTS service, a total of 83,538 new cars, trucks and buses were sold in November – down 0.9 per cent on last year’s record November – bringing the 2005 year-to-date sales figure to 908,992, which is 37,743 vehicles or 3.7 percent ahead of the same period last year.

So while last year’s all-time new-car sales record of 955,229 will still be shattered by a large margin – setting the fourth consecutive annual industry record - some 91,008 vehicles would have to be sold in December to crack the magic million.

Just 78,980 vehicles were sold in last year’s record December.

While large cars and 4WDs were again largely responsible for restricting November sales to 2004 levels, small cars continued their sales surge last month, when 2134 (or 12.8%) more were sold compared to November 2004.

Combined with an extra 741 light cars (up 10.2%), the tiddler car classes have added almost 39,000 units – more than accounting for the total year-on-year sales growth.

Toyota was again the best-selling brand in November, with 17,849 sales or 21.4% of the market, followed by Holden with 14,546 (17.4%) and Ford with 11,479 (13.7%).

Mazda was fourth with 5509 (6.6%) followed by an improving Mitsubishi with 5123 (6.1%).

In 2005 year-to-date figures, Toyota now holds an unassailable lead over Holden (184,397 sales to 162,110, with a margin of 22,287 vehicles or 2.5 market share points), with Ford third on 119,037, Mazda (61,168) fourth and Mitsubishi (57,608) fifth.

Mitsubishi, however, is 11% up on 2004 levels, while Mazda is up almost 12% year-on-year following its best November sales ever (up 14.6%), thanks largely to record Mazda2 sales.

Despite the industry-wide sales boom this year, however, the top three remain down on 2004 figures, with Toyota just 366 sales shy of its November 2004 YTD tally, Holden 1952 behind and Ford 3699 behind.

As a result, market shares are down for the big three, with Holden and Ford both down 0.9 market share points (to 17.8 and 13.1% respectively) and Toyota down 0.8 to 20.3%.

The rest of the top 10 YTD makes are up in market share, with the exception of Nissan, which has dropped 0.9 share points to hold 5.7% of the market in sixth place.

Top Ten YTD:
Pos	Brand	2005 YTD / %	2004 YTD / %
1	Toyota	184,397 / 20.3	184,763 / 21.1
2	Holden	162,110 / 17.8	164,062 / 18.7
3	Ford	119,037 / 13.1	122,736 / 14.0
4	Mazda	61,168 / 6.7	51,080 / 5.8
5	Mitsubishi	57,608 / 6.3	51,903 / 5.9
6	Nissan	51,486 / 5.7	58,189 / 6.6
7	Hyundai	44,349 / 4.9	39,261 / 4.5
8	Honda	43,184 / 4.8	33,861 / 3.9
9	Subaru	33,201 / 3.7	31,406 / 3.6
10	Kia	23,740 / 2.6	22,403 / 2.6

Commodore down but still on top

COMMODORE sales may be down by more than 10,800 vehicles on last year, but the Holden volume-seller remains Australia’s most popular large car.

With 62,324 sold so far in 2005, Commodore holds an unassailable segment share of 43.8%.

Ford sold 5064 Falcons in November to claim 37.7% of the segment (compared with 5276 Commodores, or 39.2%), but trails Commodore YTD on 49,543 or 34.9%.

Mitsubishi’s discontinued Magna still lies third with 11,197 or 7.9%, followed by Camry V6 (10,379, 7.3%), Avalon (2901, 2.0%) and Mitsubishi’s new 380 sedan, which attracted 1650 sales in November for a 12.3% share. In its two months on sale, 2601 have been sold for a 1.8% segment share.

Hyundai’s Getz continues to lead the light car class, with 15,417 sales YTD and an 18.5% segment share, ahead of the discontinued Echo (14,763, 17.7%) and Barina (8619, 10.3%), but a big first month for Toyota’s new Yaris (1733) saw it capture a dominant 21.6% of the light segment in November.

Corolla remains the dominant small car contender with 42,831 sales YTD (21.6%), ahead of Astra (31,523, 15.9%) and Mazda3 (29,849, 15%).

Camry four-cylinder is the medium king with 22,291 YTD sales (46.8%), followed by Mazda6 (13,706, 28.8%) and Liberty (7080, 14.9%), while Carnival remains the top people-mover (4070, 28.7%) ahead of Odyssey (3216, 22.7%) and Tarago (2407, 17%).

Monaro is unassailable as the best-selling sports car (2515, 28.6%) ahead of another Holden (Astra convertible, 1065 or 12.1%), with Integra third on 859 (9.8%).

Honda Accord (15,976 YTD, 43.2%) is by far and away the top-selling prestige car, ahead of Statesman (2662, 7.2%) and Maxima (2623, 7.1%), while 3 Series sedan (5193, 17.8%) remains king of the overpopulated luxury category, ahead of C-class sedan (3592, 12.3%) and A4 sedan (2193, 7.5%).

Forester (11,356, 16.5%) and X-Trail (11,137, 16.2%) remained locked in battle for compact SUV honours, with RAV4 (10,948, 15.9%) third.

Territory is the undisputed medium SUV king with 21,251 sales YTD (32.4%), followed by Prado (13,724, 20.9%) and Kluger (6644, 10.1%), while LandCruiser wagon remains top large SUV with 11,118 YTD sales (62.1%). Also-rans include Patrol wagon (6366, 35.6%) and Explorer (419, 3.2%).

Finally, X5 is the unbeatable luxury SUV with 2774 YTD sales and a 21.3% segment share, ahead of RX330 (2316, 17.8%) and Grand Cherokee (1263, 9.7%).

Employee pricing fails to fire

HOLDEN’S controversial staff discount pricing campaign has failed to lift sales in its first month, potentially costing the company millions of dollars in lost revenue.

GoAuto has learned some dealers had offered discounts of up to $12,000 on the recommended retail price of some models.

Despite this, Holden sold just 14,546 vehicles in November – 1164 fewer than the 15,710 it shifted in the same month last year.

Some Holden models did achieve sales increases in November, including Adventra (389 v 111 in November 2004), Astra (2356 v 2079), Barina (821 v 727), Monaro (338 v 283), 4x2 ute (1785 v 1755), 4x4 ute (131 v 93) and Vectra four-cylinder (184 v 156).

The new Viva small car also attracted 678 customers, bringing its YTD total to 1333, while the new Tigra found 80 new homes, giving it a 224 YTD total.

However, all other Holden models suffered sales declines in November, with the volume-selling Commodore leading the sales slump (5276 sales, down 2025) from Rodeo 4x2 (999, down 158), Rodeo 4x4 (757, down 108), Zafira (15, down 105), Vectra (58, down 47), Astra convertible (117, down 46), Combo (64, down 37), Cruze (232, down 34) and Caprice (64, down 25).

Holden has sold 162,110 vehicles so far in 2005 for a total market share of 17.8 per cent – down from the same period in 2004, when it sold 164,062 cars for an 18.7 per cent share.

VFACTS briefs:

CHRYSLER’S brash new 300C sedan attracted 216 customers in its first month on sale in November, to become the brand’s best-seller.

In the process, 300C outsold its nearest rivals in Holden’s Statesman (202) and Ford’s Fairlane (152).

In the prestige category, 300C was bettered only by Honda’s class-leading Accord (1276) and Lexus’ new IS250 (291), helping Chrysler-Jeep Australia/Pacific to its highest monthly sales total (of 754) in more than eight years.

CJA/P’s November sales were also 44 per cent up on October, and, with 6824 year-to-date sales, the Chrysler and Jeep brands are 11 per cent up on 2004 levels.

Meantime, Mercedes-Benz recorded its highest monthly sales result since October 2003, with a total of 1282 vehicles delivered in November - a 27 per cent month-on-month increase in passenger car sales, helped largely by more than 100 diesel passenger cars sales, the biggest number since October 2001.