The SA Vehicle Industry Thread

SA’S 12 WORST-SELLING CARS (UNDER R500K) OF MARCH 2018

The monthly Naamsa stats generally make for rather interesting reading. But, naturally, we tend to focus on the best-performing vehicles in terms of sales.

Indeed, we’ve already reported the 10 best-selling passenger cars of March 2018, as well as listed the 10 best-selling bakkies in our market for the same period.

But now we’ve decided to take a look at the worst-selling passenger car models on our shores. Thankfully, Hyundai, Kia and BMW have started reporting their individual model sales figures again, which certainly helps to paint a more accurate monthly picture. But, of course, some other automakers (such as Mercedes-Benz) still disclose only aggregate sales statistics.

Also, take note that – in order to make this list more relevant – we’ve excluded vehicle ranges that start at more than R500 000. Otherwise, this table would be dominated by luxury manufacturers such as Bentley, Ferrari and Maserati, whose high-priced vehicles traditionally sell in tiny numbers.

In addition, we don’t count sales from run-out stock of vehicles that have been officially discontinued locally (such as the Volkswagen Beetle). And we’ve also heeded the call to include model ranges that failed to sell a single unit.

So, what happened during the month of March? Well, not a single Hyundai i30 or Veloster was sold (perhaps the Korean brand’s local distributor is finally preparing to bring in the new-generation versions of these models?), while the Mahindra Xylo, Renault Kadjar, Tata Manza and Toyota Prius also all failed to register a sale. Meanwhile, the Abarth 595 range and the Tata Indica managed just one apiece.

Tata sold two units of its Vista, while Renault registered just three examples of its Mégane (we’re told the poor sales performances of the Kadjar and Mégane are due to local stock issues). Alfa Romeo could muster just four Giulietta sales and Suzuki only five Grand Vitara registrations.

For reference, see February’s list here.

SA’s 12 worst-selling passenger cars (under R500k) of March 2018:

Hyundai i30 – 0
Hyundai Veloster – 0
Mahindra Xylo – 0
Renault Kadjar – 0
Tata Manza – 0
Toyota Prius – 0
Abarth 595 – 1
Tata Indica – 1
Tata Vista – 2
Renault Mégane – 3
Alfa Romeo Giulietta – 4
Suzuki Grand Vitara – 5

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/sas-12-worst-selling-cars-r500k-march-2018/
 
SA's top selling vehicles in eight key segments: March

South Africa’s new vehicle market shifted to a state of marginal growth in March, with overall sales increasing 1.1 percent year-on-year, however this has largely been attributed to pre-emptive buying ahead of April’s triple tax punch that saw government increase VAT, ad valorem and emissions penalties.

It was passenger vehicles sold through the dealer channels that saw the biggest gain last month (8.8 percent year-on-year), while rental sales took a 14.9 percent knock, reportedly due to seasonal factors.

Light commercial vehicle sales were down 2.3 percent overall, although they were up 1.3 percent through the dealer channel.

WesBank’s marketing head Ghana Msibi said: “Following the budget speech indicating an increase in VAT and ad valorem tax from 1 April, it is our view that consumers opted to avoid the increases these factors will have on vehicle purchase prices. These, combined with the renewed consumer and business confidence, and a reduction in the repo rate contributed to the growth in the passenger car segment.”

Both WesBank and Naamsa are anticipating a total market growth of around three percent this year.

Medium term prospects for South Africa’s economy have improved considerably on the back of Moody’s decision to retain the country’s credit ratings at investment grade, with an upgraded stable outlook, Naamsa said.

Furthermore, the association expects the current rand strength to keep new car price inflation at bay, while improved business and consumer confidence would result in economic growth, ultimately translating into improved vehicle sales.

Top sellers in March

Volkswagen’s new Polo Vivo range gathered full sales steam in March, romping to the top of South Africa’s passenger vehicle sales charts, while the NEW Polo tapered off from 2847 units to 2121.

Another notable performer was Renault’s Kwid (up from 582 to 856), while Hyundai’s Grand i10 range - which recently became more affordable with the addition of a 1-litre model - put on another strong 1000+ unit performance.

Volkswagen’s Tiguan once again upset the C-segment SUV applecart, topping the chart with 525 sales, while Nissan’s recently facelifted Qashqai and X-Trail both put in strong 400+ performances, pushing the usual front-runners - Toyota’s Rav4 and Hyundai’s Tucson - to third and fifth respectively.

Below we’ve listed the 12 best sellers in eight of the key segments. Keep in mind that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are excluded from the list as the company does not report individual sales figures.

Budget Hatch/Sedan

VW Polo Vivo2736
Hyundai Grand i101032
Renault Kwid856
Kia Picanto789
Toyota Etios696
Datsun Go610
Hyundai i10516
Nissan Micra396
Ford Figo370
Renault Sandero294
Suzuki Swift279
Volkswagen Up150

Compact Hatch/Sedan

VW Polo2121
Toyota Yaris664
Ford Fiesta477
Toyota Avanza425
Renault Clio422
Nissan Almera403
Kia Rio355
Honda Jazz199
Mazda2174
Hyundai Accent143
Opel Corsa128
Honda Ballade104

Compact-Medium Hatch/Sedan

Toyota Corolla/Quest/Auris1189
VW Golf381
Ford Focus286
Audi A3279
Mazda3240
BMW 1 Series169
VW Jetta147
Hyundai Elantra141
Volvo V4046
Opel Astra31
Kia Cerato28
Honda Civic24

Executive Sedan/Coupe

BMW 3-Series570
Audi A4110
BMW 5 Series87
BMW 4 Series80
Ford Mustang56
Audi A555
Lexus ES19
Volkswagen Passat14
Porsche Panamera11

Compact SUV/Crossover

Ford Ecosport813
Hyundai Creta413
Mazda CX-3349
Suzuki Ignis290
Renault Duster186
Honda HR-V122
Renault Captur120
Suzuki Jimny115
Suzuki Vitara69
Mahindra KUV66
Jeep Renegade55
GWM M449
Opel Crossland X49

Compact-Medium SUV/Crossover

VW Tiguan525
Nissan Qashqai489
Toyota Rav4463
Nissan X-Trail444
Hyundai Tucson400
Mazda CX-5378
Honda BR-V277
BMW X1224
Kia Sportage181
Jaguar E-Pace136
Ford Kuga119
Honda CR-V114

Large SUV/Crossover

Toyota Fortuner1274
Ford Everest559
Toyota Land Cruiser200136
BMW X5171
Range Rover Sport147
Toyota Prado119
Land Rover Discovery94
Range Rover Velar72
Jeep Wrangler65
Mahindra XUV64
Jeep Grand Cherokee52
Volvo XC9039

Bakkie

Toyota Hilux3825
Ford Ranger2753
Nissan NP2001562
Isuzu KB1273
Nissan NP300 Hardbody745
Nissan Navara447
Hyundai H100 Bakkie285
Toyota Landcruiser PU262
Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up196
VW Amarok176
GWM Steed163
Mazda BT-5098

TOP COMPANIES

Toyota11 378
Volkswagen7541
Ford5595
Nissan5410
Hyundai3065
Mercedes-Benz2379
Renault1904
BMW1713
Isuzu1581
Kia1517
Mazda1246
Suzuki1012

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...vehicles-in-eight-key-segments-march-14237441
 
Here’s how April’s tax hike hit car prices

April was a month that South Africa’s motor industry was not looking forward to, with Treasury's 2018 Budget - announced in February - having imposed a taxation triple whammy on vehicles that came into effect on April 1.

In addition to the infamous one percent VAT hike that has affected everything we buy barring a few essentials like bread, the assault on car buyers also came in the form of a small hike in emissions taxes (R10 per gram of CO2 above 120g/km) and a five percent hike in the maximum ad valorem excise duty for imported vehicles - although the latter is only expected to affect more expensive cars costing upwards of R750 000.

Expectedly, these pre-increase price jitters were enough to get motorists into showrooms ahead of the expected hikes, with Naamsa having attributed the increase in vehicle sales in March (in spite of fewer selling days) to pre-emptive buying.

But how was SA vehicle pricing impacted in the end?

We compared March and April pricing data supplied by information specialist Duoporta, using a wide selection of cars from all ends of the market, and here’s what we found:

MARCH 2018 APRIL 2018 %
Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI auto R452 000 R456 000 0.9%
Audi RS5 Coupe quattro R1 285 500 R1 297 000 0.9%
BMW 320i R552 912 R557 812 0.9%
BMW X5 30d R1 108 404 R1 118 554 0.9%
BMW M760Li xDrive R2 801 836 R2 828 411 0.9%
Datsun Go 1.2 Lux R131 500 R132 900 1.1%
Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir Pop R194 900 R196 900 1.0%
Ford EcoSport 1.0T Trend R283 900 R286 400 0.9%
Ford Ranger 3.2 DC 4x4 Wildtrak auto R624 900 R633 500 1.4%
Haval H2 1.5T Luxury R274 900 R274 900 0%
Honda Brio hatch 1.2 Comfort R174 800 R176 599 1.0%
Honda CR-V 2.0 Elegance R477 900 R482 800 1.0%
Hyundai Grand i10 1.0 Motion R149 900 R154 900 3.3%
Hyundai Elantra 1.6 Executive R299 900 R299 900 0%
Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Premium R379 900 R384 900 1.3%
Isuzu KB 250 D-Teq DC X-Rider R404 200 R407 800 0.9%
Jaguar XE 2.0d Pure R569 500 R575 900 1.1%
Jaguar F-Pace 3.0d AWD Pure R921 646 R950 034 3.1%
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD Limited R1 017 900 R1 026 900 0.9%
Kia Picanto 1.0 Start R137 995 R139 495 1.4%
Kia Rio hatch 1.2 EX R254 995 R257 495 1.0%
Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDI AWD SXL R748 995 R755 495 0.9%
Range Rover Evoque SE TD4 R768 696 R792 471 3.1%
Land Rover Discovery HSE TD6 R1 249 618 R1 288 006 3.1%
Lexus RX 350 EX R916 600 R926 100 1.0%
Mahindra XUV500 2.2 CRDe W8 R364 995 R367 995 0.8%
Mazda2 1.5 Active R217 300 R219 500 1.0%
Mazda CX-5 2 R419 900 R424 000 1.0%
Mercedes-Benz C200 auto R576 842 R584 257 1.3%
Mercedes-Benz S560 L R2 047 524 R2 066 244 1.0%
Mercedes-Maybach S650 R3 229 266 R3 259 537 1.0%
Mini One hatch 3dr R299 500 R302 200 0.9%
Nissan Micra Active 1.2 Visia R159 900 R161 500 1.0%
Nissan X-Trail 1.6 dCi Visia R395 900 R400 500 1.2%
Opel Astra hatch 1.0T Enjoy R307 800 R310 500 0.9%
Peugeot 3008 1.6T Allure R459 900 R459 900 0%
Porsche Panamera R1 361 000 R1 361 000 0%
Porsche 911 GT3 R2 750 000 R2 750 000 0%
Renault Kwid 1.0 Dynamique R136 900 R137 900 0.7%
Renault Duster 1.5 dCi Dyn 4WD R309 900 R312 900 1.0%
Suzuki Vitara 1.6 GL+ R310 900 R313 900 1.0%
Toyota Etios hatch 1.5 Sprint R174 300 R176 300 1.1%
Toyota Corolla Quest 1.6 R212 700 R215 200 1.2%
Toyota Hilux 2.8 DC 4x4 Raider auto R595 700 R601 600 1.0%
Toyota Land Cruiser 200 4.5 D V8 VX-R R1 345 000 R1 372 800 2.1%
Polo Vivo hatch 1.4 Trendline R179 900 R179 900 0%
VW Polo hatch 1.0 TSI Comfortline R264 700 R264 700 0%
VW Golf GTI R548 600 R548 600 0%
VW Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI DC Extreme R784 400 R791 300 0.9%

Despite this being a month when carmakers usually impose quarterly price increases, April’s price hikes were moderate across the board, with some manufacturers even having absorbed the VAT increase.

Pricing for most of Volkswagen’s range, for instance, remains the same as in March, and the same goes for Peugeot, Porsche and Haval.

The steepest increases took place within the Jaguar Land Rover stable, and even these amounted to just 3.1 percent. Most manufacturers hiked prices by around 1 percent, as per the VAT increase.

It’s worth bearing in mind however, the the ad valorem rates only apply to cars that dock in SA ports from April 1, thus it won’t yet affect cars currently sitting in showrooms.

Another factor to consider is current rand strength, which car manufacturers could factor into their sums to offset all those aforementioned tax hikes because let’s face it, although growth is predicted, the vehicle market is still in a depressed state and the car companies need to move metal.

Extravagant price increases is the last thing this industry can afford right now, and that - for you, the consumer - is certainly a good thing.

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/heres-how-aprils-tax-hike-hit-car-prices-14330991
 
Car resale values: SA's heroes and zeros

Here's the situation: You’re interested in buying vehicle X but your car-guy mate has warned that this particular brand holds poor resale values. He suggests vehicle Y instead.
While it’s possible your buddy’s comment is based on factual figures, it’s also often the case that beliefs of vehicle depreciation are built on inaccurate perceptions. So, to help separate some fact from fiction, here’s a random sampling of trade-in values taken from the latest TransUnion Auto Dealers’ Guide - that handy little book car dealers use to determine what they’ll offer on trade-in towards your next purchase.

The chart reflects value retention for a list of new 2017-model cars after one year. We wanted the exercise to include models which can still be bought new today, and besides, it’s in the first year that a vehicle’s value goes through its steepest decline. The general trend is for cars to drop between 20 and 25 percent of their value, which means they’re worth between 75 and 80 percent of their original price one year on.

There are some interesting exceptions though, with vehicles like Subaru’s XV and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee dropping by around a third in value, and others such as Porsche’s Boxster and VW’s Tiguan retaining almost 90% of their original price.

This list represents a random cross section of 2017 models, listing the new price, followed by the current trade-in value, and in brackets the percentage of the original prices they’ve retained.

Please note this is just a guide, and actual values can fluctuate according to mileage, condition, colour, options and regional popularity among other factors.

Car New Now Percentage
Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4T: R319 900 R247 200 77.3%
Audi A1 1.0T: R286 000 R222 900 77.9%
Audi A4 2.0D: R559 000 R419 600 75.0%
BMW 120i 2.0T: R463 784 R356 900 77.0%
BMW 740i 3.0T: R1 445 576 R1 102 400 76.3%
Chery QQ3 1.1: R114 995 R83 800 72.9%
Datsun Go 1.2: R106 900 R84 000 78.6%
Fiat 500 875cc: R204 900 R153 500 74.9%
Ford Figo 1.5: R187 900 R145 400 77.4%
Ford Mustang 5.0: R873 900 R707 700 81.0%
Honda Brio 1.2: R179 700 R143 200 79.7%
Honda CR-V 2.0: R394 400 R301 700 76.5%
Hyundai i20 1.4: R261 900 R203 100 77.5%
Hyundai 1.6T: R534 900 R421 700 78.8%
Jaguar F-Pace 2.0T: R794 466 R635 200 80.0%
Jaguar F-Type 5.0S: R2 074 286 R1 599 500 77.1%
Jeep Renegade 2.4: R498 900 R376 000 75.4%
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0CRD: R1 070 900 R745 000 69.6%
Kia Rio 1.4: R248 995 R194 900 78.3%
Kia Sorento 2.2D: R686 995 R521 800 76.0%
Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0T: R748 478 R585 900 78.3%
Land Rover RR Sport 3.0D: R1 337 810 R1 043 400 78.0%
Lexus IS 2.0T: R659 100 R500 900 76.0%
Lexus RX 3.5: R907 700 R688 400 75.9%
Mahindra KUV 100 1.2: R177 995 R137 400 77.2%
Mahindra XUV 500 2.2D: R327 995 R253 800 77.4%
Mazda CX-3 2.0: R310 700 R256 700 82.6%
Mazda3 sedan 1.6: R296 700 R232 800 78.5%
Mercedes A250 2.0T: R554 822 R462 700 83.4%
Mercedes C300 2.0T: R695 922 R571 900 82.2%
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 5.5T: R2 083 884 R1 785 900 85.7%
Mercedes-AMG C63 4.0T: R1 211 908 R1 010 400 83.4%
Mini Cooper 1.5T: R346 000 R270 300 78.1%
Mini Countryman S 2.0T: R512 806 R418 300 81.6%
Mitsubishi ASX 2.0: R414 900 R314 200 75.7%
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.5D: R589 900 R461 100 78.2%
Nissan Juke 1.2T: R292 900 R230 900 78.8%
Nissan X-Trail 2.0: R370 900 R294 900 79.5%
Opel Adam 1.0T: R230 700 R181 500 78.7%
Opel Astra 1.6T: R402 700 R317 400 78.8%
Peugeot 208 1.2T: R224 900 R176 900 78.7%
Porsche Boxster 2.0T: R884 000 R782 900 88.6%
Porsche Macan 3.0T: R1 112 200 R977 700 87.9%
Renault Kwid 1.0: R124 900 R101 700 81.4%
Renault Kadjar 1.5D: R394 900 R306 500 77.6%
Subaru XV 2.0: R360 000 R257 900 71.6%
Subaru Forester 2.5: R475 000 R372 400 78.4%
Suzuki Swift 1.4: R222 900 R179 400 80.5%
Suzuki Vitara 1.6: R303 900 R237 200 78.0%
Tata Indica Vista 1.4: R154 995 R122 800 79.2%
Tata Bolt 1.2T: R167 995 R133 600 79.5%
Toyota Quest 1.6: R224 900 R185 700 82.6%
Toyota Fortuner 2.4D: R474 200 R390 300 82.3%
VW Golf GTI 2.0T: R503 100 R399 800 79.5%
VW Tiguan 2.0D: R477 000 R427 000 89.5%
Volvo S60 2.0T: R552 250 R425 900 77.1%
Volvo XC90 2.0T: R966 524 R788 500 81.6%

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/car-resale-values-sas-heroes-and-zeros-14553319

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South Africa’s 10 best-selling bakkies of April 2018

The sales figures for April 2018 are in … and just 307 units separate the top two vehicles as the battle for the title of South Africa’s best-selling bakkie continues.

According to Naamsa, April’s new vehicle industry sales came in at 36 346 units, representing an increase of 3,6%, year on year. The light commercial segment, meanwhile, fell 1,2% to 10 580 units for the month.

So, exactly what happened in terms of bakkie sales in April 2018? Well, the Toyota Hilux remained in first place (after beating the Ford Ranger by a whopping 1 072 units in March 2018), with the Ranger again having to settle for second. By our maths, that puts the Hilux 2 921 units ahead of the Ranger after the first four months of the year.

In April, the Isuzu KB climbed one to third, pushing the Nissan NP200 down to fourth. The Nissan NP300 held steady in fifth, while the Nissan Navara managed to hold onto sixth.

The Volkswagen Amarok climbed two places to seventh, forcing the Toyota Land Cruiser Pick-up down one to eighth and the Mahindra Pik-Up down one to ninth. The Mazda BT-50 returned to snaffle the final spot on the table.

That means there was no room for the GWM Steed (103), Mahindra Bolero (56) or Mitsubishi Triton (28) in April. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles SA has yet to report a figure for the Fiat Fullback.

See the top ten list below, and have a look at March 2018’s figures here.

South Africa’s 10 best-selling bakkies of April 2018:

1. Toyota Hilux – 2 679
2. Ford Ranger – 2 372
3. Isuzu KB – 1 071
4. Nissan NP200 –1 058
5. Nissan NP300 – 370
6. Nissan Navara – 261
7. Volkswagen Amarok – 208
8. Toyota Land Cruiser Pick-up – 192
9. Mahindra Pik-Up – 130
10. Mazda BT-50 – 106

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/south-africas-10-best-selling-bakkies-april-2018/
 
Naamsa: April 2018 – improvement despite fewer working days

Commenting on the new vehicle sales statistics for the month of April 2018, Naamsa said that the latest vehicle sales and export numbers had been “in line with general industry expectations”. The domestic sales total would probably increase by about 350 units once the delayed sales report by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa was received by mid-May 2018.

The configuration of public holidays at the end of April, preceded by national industrial strike action, would have impacted on domestic sales. Despite this, domestic new vehicle sales at 36 346 units showed an improvement of 1 260 vehicles or 3,6% from the 35 086 vehicles sold in April last year. April 2018 aggregate export sales at 24 422 vehicles reflected an improvement of 193 units or a gain of 0,8% compared to the 24 229 vehicles exported in April 2017.

Overall, out of the total reported industry sales of 36 346 vehicles, an estimated 31 476 units or 86,6% represented dealer sales, an estimated 7,0% represented sales to the vehicle rental industry, 5,1% to industry corporate fleets and 1,3% to government.

The April 2018 new car market at 23 928 units had registered an improvement of 1 438 cars or a gain of 6,4% compared to the 22 490 new cars sold in April last year. Seasonal factors had affected the car rental industry contribution but had still accounted for about 8,6% of new car sales in April.

Domestic sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini buses had been marginally weaker and at 10 580 units during April 2018 had registered a fall of 127 vehicles or a decline of 1,2 % compared to the 10 707 light commercial vehicles sold during the corresponding month last year.

Sales in the low-volume medium- and heavy truck segments of the industry reflected a mixed picture but had again remained under pressure and at 493 units and 1 345 units, respectively, had recorded a fall of 68 vehicles or a decline of 12,1%, in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and, in the case of heavy trucks and buses, a modest improvement of 17 vehicles or a gain of 1,3% compared to the corresponding month last year.

Naamsa expected new vehicle sales to show steady improvement over the medium-term due to further recovery in domestic demand supported by continued moderation in new vehicle price inflation, rising real disposable consumer income, recent improvement in South Africa’s political and policy environment, lower interest rates and the maintenance of an investment grade rating with a stable outlook by a major credit ratings agency.

As a result of these developments – reinforced by improved business and consumer confidence as well as increases in the Reserve Bank leading indicator – economic growth for 2018 could recover to around 2% and this in turn would benefit domestic new vehicle sales over the balance of the year and an annual improvement of domestic sales volumes of 3% plus compared to 2017 was expected.

Robust global growth should benefit new vehicle exports going forward. Exports were expected to show substantial upward momentum in the months ahead.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/naamsa-april-2018-improvement-despite-fewer-working-days/
 
Stronger rand puts the brakes on car price hikes

Difficult though this may be to believe, price increases for both new and used cars actually slowed down during the first quarter of 2018, compared to the same period during the previous year.

According to the TransUnion SA Vehicle Pricing Index, new and and used car prices went up 2.3 percent and 2.9 percent respectively year-on-year - a sharp drop from the 8.8 percent and 3.7 percent of the first quarter of 2017.

That 8.8 percent average rise in new car prices, in particular - caused by a long period of rand weakness - pushed customers away from buying new cars and into the used-car market, according to TransUnion boss Kriben Reddy, but now the pendulum is swinging back to the new vehicle market, he says.

Thanks to the stronger rand, lower interest rates and lower inflation, South African finance houses financed 2.09 used vehicles for every one new car in the first three months of 2018, compared to 2.49 in 2017; in fact the rise in car prices, both new and used, has been slowing gently for the past three quarters.

'New-car price increases below CPI inflation'

The number of new car deals financed in South Africa rose six percent in the first quarter of 2018 against the final; quarter of 2017, whereas used-car finance deals declined by 10 percent.

Of course, said Reddy, the impending rise in VAT also helped push new car sales as buyers jumped in to beat the expected price rises, but “the interest rate cut announcement in March also helped push vehicle sales higher,” said Reddy.

“In addition, many dealers chose to absorb the VAT increase rather than passing it on, so that new-car price increases are now actually below CPI inflation.”

The number of new cars financed in South Africa during the first quarter of 2018 increased by six percent, while used-car deals went down by 10 percent.

Extra benefits

Four out of five new vehicles in South Africa, he pointed out, are imported, so the stronger rand helps car companies keep prices down, making the extra benefits of buying new, such as warranties and service plans, even more attractive.

“But we’re coming off a low base”, he said, “with new cars sales of around 450 000 - 500 000 a year, and we have a long way to go to get back to where we were in 2007, at well over 600 000.

Nevertheless, Reddy believes that the market has bottomed out and that car sales, especially of new cars, are now on the rise - which is good news for second-hand car prices as well with fewer buyers chasing the same finite number of cars.

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...d-puts-the-brakes-on-car-price-hikes-14737839
 
Passenger car sales in March were 32,176 and light commercial 14,701.
The figures for April are 23,828 and 12,383.
The April figures exclude Fiat/Chrysler but with combined sales in March of 276 cars hardly impacts on the overall sales drop.

At a glance the biggest drop percentage wise, in sales is Porsche which dropped from 141 to 74. This is because of vat and additional duties which is lots of cash for the very expensive cars
Toyota dropped 3165 units, VW = 1280, Hyundai lost 432, Mercedes down by 994.

If you need other manufacturers' sales performance please ask, the fee is only a six pack;)
 
SA’s 10 best-selling passenger cars of April 2018

April 2018’s aggregate new vehicle sales in South Africa came in at 36 346 units or an increase of 3,6% year-on-year, according to Naamsa. Here’s what happened in the fourth month of the year in terms of passenger cars…

As always, it’s interesting to take a look at what’s happening in terms of individual model sales. We’ve already examined the figures and picked out the 10 best-selling bakkies for the month, and now it’s time to do the same with the passenger vehicle market.

Interestingly, BMW recently opted to resume the release of its individual model sales figures, while certain other automakers – most notably German rival Mercedes-Benz – still disclose only aggregate sales statistics. Kia and Hyundai also thankfully started releasing their individual model sales figures a few months ago, which makes the picture a little clearer. Note that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa has yet to release its figures for April.

So, what happened in the fourth month of 2018? Well, the Volkswagen Polo Vivo held on to top spot, with the Polo some 236 units behind in second. The Hyundai Grand i10 climbed two places to grab third, forcing the Toyota Fortuner down one to fourth.

The Kia Picanto jumped three places to fifth, pushing Toyota’s combination of the Corolla, Auris and Corolla Quest (the brand reports an overall figure rather than individual model sales) down two to sixth. And the Toyota Etios moved up two places to seventh, while the Renault Kwid fell two to eighth. The Hyundai Creta entered the table to snaffle ninth, while the BMW 3 Series reappeared on the list to grab the final place.

Other interesting titbits

So, what other interesting bits and bobs can we share? Well, BMW’s locally built X3 managed 244 registrations for the month, with the new X2 having to settle for 41. Ford endured a tough April (totalling just 1 098 passenger vehicle units for the month), with the Everest (312), EcoSport (213) and Focus (168) proving its top performers. With the new Fiesta firmly on the horizon, sales of the outgoing model fell to just 140 units.

Honda’s best-seller was the BR-V (93), while the Tucson fell to 227 units for Hyundai. Just a single Jaguar XE was registered, with the Range Rover Sport (62) doing the big lifting for Jaguar Land Rover. The new E-Pace, though, managed 57 units, outselling the X2 above and the Audi Q2 (30).

The Rio added 246 units for Kia, while the CX-3 and CX-5 (the latter having just enjoyed a range tweak) each managed 378 units for Mazda. Mitsubishi’s top performer was the Pajero Sport (44), while Nissan enjoyed notable contributions from the Datsun GO (447), Almera (409), Qashqai (246), X-Trail (222) and Micra (162). Interestingly, the Japanese automaker sold a single example of the GT-R and one of the 370Z, too.

The Corsa (149) led the way for Opel, with the Crossland X adding a further 81 units. Peugeot’s top-seller was the 2008 (41), while the 911 (27) was again Porsche’s most popular vehicle. Renault registered 313 examples of its Duster, while the Sandero (261) and Clio (220) also came to the sales party. The XV accounted for 25 of Subaru’s 73 sales, while only the Ignis (212) and Baleno (105) broke into three figures for Suzuki.

Toyota enjoyed a useful showing from the new-look Yaris (402), even though it fell from the top ten, with the Avanza (389), RAV4 (337) and C-HR (187) also contributing gamely. The top performer for Lexus was again the NX (21). Volkswagen registered 424 examples of its Tiguan along with 114 units of the new Tiguan Allspace, while the Golf added a handy 271 units to the Wolfsburg-based brand’s total.

And the new Volvo XC40? Well, the baby crossover managed a pleasingly round 100 units, making it the Swedish brand’s most popular product by a country mile … and seeing it outsell the E-Pace, X2 and Q2.

See the top ten table below (and have a look back at March 2018’s figures here):

South Africa’s 10 best-selling passengers cars of April 2018:

1. Volkswagen Polo Vivo – 2 143
2. Volkswagen Polo – 1 907
3. Hyundai Grand i10 – 1 013
4. Toyota Fortuner – 879
5. Kia Picanto – 798
6. Toyota Corolla/Auris/Quest – 771
7. Toyota Etios – 729
8. Renault Kwid – 693
9. Hyundai Creta – 611
10. BMW 3 Series – 502

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/sas-10-best-selling-passenger-cars-of-april-2018/
 
SA’s 10 worst-selling cars (under R500k) of April 2018

The monthly Naamsa stats generally make for rather interesting reading. But, naturally, we tend to focus on the best-performing vehicles in terms of sales. Indeed, we’ve already reported the 10 best-selling passenger cars of April 2018, as well as listed the 10 best-selling bakkies in our market for the same period. But now we’ve decided to take a look at the worst-selling passenger car models on our shores.

Thankfully, Hyundai, Kia and BMW have started reporting their individual model sales figures again, which certainly helps to paint a more accurate monthly picture. But, of course, some other automakers (such as Mercedes-Benz) still disclose only aggregate sales statistics.

Also, take note that – in order to make this list more relevant – we’ve excluded vehicle ranges that start at more than R500 000. Otherwise, this table would be dominated by luxury manufacturers such as Bentley, Ferrari and Maserati, whose high-priced vehicles traditionally sell in tiny numbers.

In addition, we don’t count sales from run-out stock of vehicles that have been officially discontinued locally. And we’ve also heeded the call to include model ranges that failed to sell a single unit.

So, what happened during the month of April? Well, bear in mind that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa has yet to release its figures for April, so usual suspects such as the Abarth 595 and Alfa Romeo Giulietta are missing. In addition, Hyundai has officially removed the i30 and Veloster from its price-list (perhaps finally preparing to bring in the new-generation versions of these models?), while Tata SA has seemingly discontinued all passenger vehicles bar the Bolt (the Indian brand often had entrants on this list in the form of the Indica, Vista and Manza). The slow-selling Mahindra Xylo has also been culled locally.

Toyota again failed to sell a single example of its Prius in South Africa, while Renault suffered the same fate with its Kadjar. The French brand could register just two units of its Mégane, while Mini managed four examples of its Convertible (although a facelifted version is on the way).

The Suzuki Grand Vitara managed five units, while the Mahindra Thar and Opel Adam could each muster just seven. Kia’s Cerato fell to eight units, as did the Kia Soul and Volkswagen Passat.

For reference, see March’s list here.

SA’s 10 worst-selling passenger cars (under R500k) of April 2018:

Toyota Prius – 0
Renault Kadjar – 0
Renault Mégane – 2
Mini Convertible – 4
Suzuki Grand Vitara – 5
Mahindra Thar – 7
Opel Adam – 7
Kia Cerato – 8
Kia Soul – 8
Volkswagen Passat – 8

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/sas-10-worst-selling-cars-under-r500k-of-april-2018/
 
SA's 10 top selling vehicles in 8 key segments: April

South African new vehicle sales held up relatively well in April 2018, considering the month marked an increase in VAT, emissions taxes and ad valorem duty, although in fairness this taxation triple whammy did not radically affect vehicle prices.

Nonetheless, April did see a 3.6 percent year-on-year improvement in overall vehicle sales, which totalled 36 346 units, but this was still a whopping 26 percent lower than the March 2018 sales, where pre-emptive buying ahead of April’s tax hikes boosted the numbers.

But perhaps a more practical indication of the industry’s performance this year is the year-to-date decline of 2.6 percent versus the first four month of 2017, WesBank’s communications head Rudolf Mahoney pointed out, although dealer sales have bucked that trend.

“It’s encouraging to note that dealer channel sales have been up for the first four months of the year,” Mahoney added. “The slow performance of the rental segment, particularly over the first three months of the year, has weighed heavily on the overall market performance.”

Econometrix chief economist Azar Jammine said April’s growth rate was as good as could be expected for the new vehicle market this year.

Nonetheless, it was passenger car sales that led April’s modest growth, increasing 6.4 percent year-on-year to 23 928 units, according to Naamsa, while bakkies and minibuses declined by 1.2 percent to 10 580 units.

The bakkies still dominated the top end of the sales charts, however, with the Toyota Hilux (2679) and Ford Ranger (2372) taking the top two overall spots, considerably ahead of Isuzu’s KB, which took third place with 1071 sales.

Volkswagen’s Polo twins continued their stranglehold of the passenger car market, with the older-generation car (2143) taking a slight lead over its newer sibling (1907). Hyundai’s Grand i10, which recently dropped down the price ladder with the introduction of a 1-litre derivative, took a solid third place with 1013 sales.

Below we’ve listed the 10 best sellers in eight of the key segments. Keep in mind that Mercedes-Benz vehicles are excluded from the list as the company does not report individual sales figures, while the Jeep numbers are also excluded as FCA figures are only expected mid-month.

Budget Car April March

VW Polo Vivo 2143 2736
Hyundai Grand i10 1013 1032
Kia Picanto 798 789
Toyota Etios 729 696
Renault Kwid 693 856
Datsun Go 447 610
Hyundai i10 179 516
Nissan Micra 162 396
Renault Sandero 261 294
Ford Figo 104 370

Compact Car April March

VW Polo 1907 2121
Nissan Almera 409 403
Toyota Yaris 402 664
Toyota Avanza 389 425
Kia Rio 246 355
Renault Clio 220 422
Mazda2 177 174
Hyundai Accent 154 143
Opel Corsa 149 128
Ford Fiesta 140 477

Compact/Medium Car April March

Toyota Corolla/Quest/Auris 771 1189
VW Golf 271 381
Mazda3 249 240
Audi A3 239 279
Ford Focus 168 286
Hyundai Elantra 136 141
VW Jetta 103 147
BMW 1 Series 96 169
BMW 2 Series 67 103
Opel Astra 39 31

Executive Car April March

BMW 3-Series 502 570
Audi A4 80 110
Ford Mustang 63 56
BMW 5 Series 50 87
Audi A5 47 55
BMW 4 Series 44 80
Porsche Panamera 17 11
Volkswagen Passat 8 14
BMW 7 Series 7 5
Volvo S60 6 8

Compact SUV/Crossover April March

Hyundai Creta 611 413
Mazda CX-3 378 349
Renault Duster 313 186
Ford EcoSport 213 813
Suzuki Ignis 212 290
Renault Captur 121 120
Suzuki Jimny 91 115
Honda HR-V 83 122
Opel Crossland X 81 49
Suzuki Vitara 50 69

Compact-Medium SUV/Crossover April March

VW Tiguan 424 525
Mazda CX-5 378 378
Toyota Rav4 337 463
Nissan Qashqai 246 489
BMW X3 244 78
Hyundai Tucson 227 400
Nissan X-Trail 222 444
Toyota C-HR 187 65
Kia Sportage 114 181
VW Tiguan All-Space New 114 0

Large SUV/Crossover April March

Toyota Fortuner 879 1274
Ford Everest 312 559
Toyota Land Cruiser200 96 136
Toyota Prado 82 119
BMW X5 65 171
Range Rover Sport 62 147
Land Rover Discovery 49 94
Range Rover Velar 49 72
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 44 24
Volvo XC90 36 39

Bakkie (All) April March

Toyota Hilux 2679 3825
Ford Ranger 2372 2753
Isuzu KB 1071 1273
Nissan NP200 1058 1562
Nissan NP300 Hardbody 448 745
Nissan Navara 261 447
Hyundai H100 Bakkie 219 285
VW Amarok 208 176
Toyota Landcruiser PU 192 262
Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up 130 196

Top companies April March

Toyota 8213 11 378
Volkswagen 6261 7541
Ford 3570 5595
Nissan 3403 5410
Hyundai 2633 3065
Renault 1611 1904
BMW 1393 1713
Mercedes-Benz 1385 2379
Isuzu 1310 1581
Kia 1304 1517

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...ing-vehicles-in-8-key-segments-april-14759808
 
supersunbird said:
The Figo, Fiesta and EcoSport had dramatically better March numbers than April numbers, why is that?

*Many other cars had an April drop too
Click to expand...

Fiesta and EcoSport have new models incoming, but I too am speechless as to the EcoSport drop in numbers. Maybe stock shortages?
 
FiestaST said:
SA’s 10 worst-selling cars (under R500k) of April 2018

The monthly Naamsa stats generally make for rather interesting reading. But, naturally, we tend to focus on the best-performing vehicles in terms of sales. Indeed, we’ve already reported the 10 best-selling passenger cars of April 2018, as well as listed the 10 best-selling bakkies in our market for the same period. But now we’ve decided to take a look at the worst-selling passenger car models on our shores.

Thankfully, Hyundai, Kia and BMW have started reporting their individual model sales figures again, which certainly helps to paint a more accurate monthly picture. But, of course, some other automakers (such as Mercedes-Benz) still disclose only aggregate sales statistics.

Also, take note that – in order to make this list more relevant – we’ve excluded vehicle ranges that start at more than R500 000. Otherwise, this table would be dominated by luxury manufacturers such as Bentley, Ferrari and Maserati, whose high-priced vehicles traditionally sell in tiny numbers.

In addition, we don’t count sales from run-out stock of vehicles that have been officially discontinued locally. And we’ve also heeded the call to include model ranges that failed to sell a single unit.

So, what happened during the month of April? Well, bear in mind that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles South Africa has yet to release its figures for April, so usual suspects such as the Abarth 595 and Alfa Romeo Giulietta are missing. In addition, Hyundai has officially removed the i30 and Veloster from its price-list (perhaps finally preparing to bring in the new-generation versions of these models?), while Tata SA has seemingly discontinued all passenger vehicles bar the Bolt (the Indian brand often had entrants on this list in the form of the Indica, Vista and Manza). The slow-selling Mahindra Xylo has also been culled locally.

Toyota again failed to sell a single example of its Prius in South Africa, while Renault suffered the same fate with its Kadjar. The French brand could register just two units of its Mégane, while Mini managed four examples of its Convertible (although a facelifted version is on the way).

The Suzuki Grand Vitara managed five units, while the Mahindra Thar and Opel Adam could each muster just seven. Kia’s Cerato fell to eight units, as did the Kia Soul and Volkswagen Passat.

For reference, see March’s list here.

SA’s 10 worst-selling passenger cars (under R500k) of April 2018:

Toyota Prius – 0
Renault Kadjar – 0
Renault Mégane – 2
Mini Convertible – 4
Suzuki Grand Vitara – 5
Mahindra Thar – 7
Opel Adam – 7
Kia Cerato – 8
Kia Soul – 8
Volkswagen Passat – 8

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/sas-10-worst-selling-cars-under-r500k-of-april-2018/
Click to expand...

A few good deals on some of these cars on Autotrader, demo to 3 years old.
 
Why Audi SA scrapped 21 derivatives (including the base R8)

Audi South Africa has applied what it describes as an “engine rationalisation” to its local range, quietly culling as many as 21 derivatives.

We reached out to the local arm of the Ingolstadt-based automaker, which confirmed that it had earlier this year discontinued a number of variants, removing them from its official price-list (hat-tip to the studious folks over at duoporta, who first alerted us to Audi’s action).

So, which models have been scrapped? Well, Audi SA confirmed to CARmag.co.za that it has discontinued the S1 (both three-door and Sportback versions) as well as the 1,8T FSI Sport derivatives (again, in both three-door and Sportback guises). That leaves two powerplant options in the A1 range: the 1,0T FSI and the 1,4T FSI.

The automaker also removed the 2,0TDI engine option from its A3 Sportback and Sedan line-ups, as well as killed off the base version of the A4 2,0T FSI. The A4 2,0T FSI Quattro Sport variant is likewise no longer, meaning all models in the regular A4 range (excluding, of course, the S4) are now front-wheel drive.

As many as six derivatives have been removed from the A5 line-up, from the base Quattro-equipped 2,0T FSI and 2,0TDI versions of the Coupé and Sportback (the higher-spec Sport models remain) to the base 2,0T FSI versions (both front-drive and Quattro) of the A5 Cabriolet.

The Q2 range hasn’t escaped the axe either, with all three manual models being discontinued, alongside what was the sole diesel model in the line-up, the 2,0TDI Sport. The 2,0T FSI Quattro version of the Q3 was likewise killed off.

The 2,0T FSI Quattro version of the TT coupé was also culled (leaving a pair of front-wheel-drive petrol variants below the Audi Sport models), while the base Audi R8 V10 also faced the chop (leaving the V10 Spyder and full-fat V10 Plus).

So, why the seemingly drastic cull? Well, Audi SA told us that the action was taken “in an effort to simplify and reduce complexity” of the local model range and to “keep pace with evolving customer and market needs”. In short, that means the brand is focusing on the variants that sell relatively well and getting rid of those that don’t.

http://www.carmag.co.za/news/why-audi-sa-scrapped-21-derivatives-including-the-base-r8/
 
Cars make up 14 percent of SA's total exports

South Africa’s automotive industry achieved total export sales of vehicles and components worth R164.9 billion in 2017, which represented almost 14 percent of total South African exports.
This enabled the domestic automotive industry to register its third consecutive annual trade surplus at R10.3 billion despite a 3.6 percent decline in the total export value from R171.1 billion in 2016.

National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa and Automotive Industry Export Council executive manager Norman Lamprecht said on Friday the timing of new model launches towards the end of 2017 also impacted on vehicle exports, which declined by three percent to 338 093 in 2017 from the record 344 821 exported in 2016.

But Lamprecht, who was speaking at the launch of the 2018 Automotive Export Manual that he produces, said this figure still comprised the third highest export level on record.

Morocco produced 345 000 passenger cars in 2017, compared to the 331 000 produced in South Africa, to overtake the domestic industry and become the largest producer of passenger vehicles on the African continent for the first time.

But Lamprecht did not believe Morocco posed a threat to South Africa’s automotive industry because it was about 16km from Europe and focused on that market rather than sub-Saharan Africa.

Global footprint

Lamprecht said the South African automotive industry continued to strengthen its global export footprint. The number of export destinations with export values in excess of R1 million declined to 149 in 2017 from 154 in 2016, but 22 countries recorded export values in excess of R1 billion and 68 countries in excess of R100 million.

Germany at R46.7 billion followed by the US at R18.8 billion were the South African automotive industry’s top export markets. He said Africa remained a priority focus for the South African automotive industry and highlighted the enormous potential for growing vehicle demand in Africa.

Automotive exports to 40 African countries amounted to R29.7 billion or 18 percent of the country’s total automotive exports of R164.9 billion in 2017. But Lamprecht said the motorisation rate at 42 per 1000 persons, compared to the global average of 180 vehicles per 1000 persons, remained the lowest in the world.

“Considering a population of more than 1.2 billion and a burgeoning middle class, there is enormous potential for growing vehicle demand on the continent.

“We exported 22 000 vehicles to Africa last year. Five years ago we sold 80 000 vehicles, but we no longer have any exports of the doubling of import duties in Nigeria and import regulations in Algeria.

“But 22 000 vehicles out of one million vehicles sold in Africa is two percent. If we can increase that to 10 percent you go to 220 000 vehicles,” he said.

Lamprecht said regional integration would unlock intra-Africa trade, better customs co-operation between countries, the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers, and the improvement of investments on the back of economies of scale.

Catalyst

Naamsa director Nico Vermeulen said the catalyst for the industry’s extraordinary export performance had been the Motor Industry Development Programme introduced in September 1995 and its successor, the Automotive Production and Development Programme introduced in 2015.

Vermeulen said that the post 2020 programme had not yet been finalised, but stressed that to sustain the industry’s remarkable and extraordinary export track, it was absolutely imperative it continued to enjoy globally competitive levels of incentives and support.

“If that is not the case, we will start losing to the likes of Morocco,” he said.

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/industry-news/cars-make-up-14-percent-of-sas-total-exports-14817788
 
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