SA car sales drop, but exports near record levels

Domestic vehicle sales and exports continued in opposite directions in August‚ with total vehicle sales down but exports up.

Domestic sales dropped by 8.2% year-on-year to 51055 units for the month‚ while exports increased by 12.3% year-on-year to 28069 units.

This is according to figures released yesterday by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).

The contraction in sales of passenger cars continued for the sixth consecutive month‚ with the annual change in passenger vehicle sales having been negative for seven of the first eight months of this year.

“The weakness in domestic sales was broad-based‚ with all categories of vehicles declining in August‚” the Nedbank Economic Unit said yesterday.

Passenger car sales were down by 7.8% year-on-year‚ totalling 34885 units for the month. Commercial vehicle sales were down by 9% year-on-year to 16170 units.

Light commercial vehicles decreased by 7.8%‚ medium commercials down by 11.2%‚ while heavy commercials slumped by 17.9%.

Total exports, however, were up 12.3% year-on-year to 28069 units.

Exports of passenger vehicles rose by 22.6%. Commercials were down 8‚4%.

“The outlook for domestic sales in 2015 remains unfavourable,” the unit said.

Naamsa previously projected domestic sales growth of 2% in 2015‚ but this was likely to be revised due to “challenging” realities.

Vehicle exports were still projected to rise by about 20% to a record 330000 in 2015. — RDM News Wire