New vehicle sales report – December 2012

A round of applause for Australia’s car buying public who achieved an all-time record of 1,112,032 sales in 2012. It’s only the fifth time Australians have bought more than 1 million cars in a calendar year. Last year’s results represent an overall increase of 10.3% (103,595 sales) compared with 2011.

FCAI Chief Executive, Tony Weber, explained demand for a wider range of vehicles helped to fuel the record result. “Reduced tariffs as well as changing consumer preferences have contributed to making the dynamic and innovative automotive industry that we have today,” he said.

“The 2012 sales result bears that out. Customer demand has been high and the industry has responded with a wide range of vehicles powered by a range of different fuels.”

When you read the material after the break it seems that almost everyone’s a winner except Holden and Ford. The General returned a 9.1% drop in sales compared with 2011, but managed to hold its position as the country’s second-best seller. Although, Mazda is snapping at its heels. Meanwhile, Ford held station, to a degree, returning a 0.9% drop in sales against 2011.

However, when you consider market-leader Toyota increased its annual sales by 20.1%—coupled with strong improvements from other top 10 selling brands like Honda (+18.9%), Mazda (+17.6%), Nissan (+17.4%), Subaru (+18.2%) and Volkswagen (22.6%)—we can’t imagine there’s too many smiles in the boardrooms at Fisherman’s Bend and Broadmeadows.

Individually, the Mazda3 managed to top the charts for 2012, notching up 44,128 sales. Close behind were Toyota’s HiLux (40,646) and Corolla (38,799).

It used to be that one in every four cars sold in Australia was either a Commodore or a Falcon. Not anymore. The Commodore was the fourth-best selling model (30,532 sales), while the Falcon didn’t even make it into the top 10.

Despite 2012’s record result Tony Weber expects a small drop in annual sales for 2013. “During this election year, and with production now having caught up with back orders, FCAI forecasts a national automotive market of 1,075,000 for 2013,” he said.

New record set in 2012 new motor vehicle sales

4th January, 2013

Official VFACTS data released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows that a total of 1,112,032 new passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were delivered to customers during 2012.

This is a new record and only the fifth time ever that more than one million vehicles were sold in a year. The 2012 total represents an increase in volume of 10.3 per cent (or 103,595 more sales) compared with 2011.

Announcing the result today, FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said the 2012 full year result was quite a feat in a world market that has been under financial pressure in recent years. It also reflects that the Australian market is one of the most open and competitive in the world.

“Reduced tariffs as well as changing consumer preferences have contributed to making the dynamic and innovative automotive industry that we have today,” Mr Weber said.

“The 2012 sales result bears that out. Customer demand has been high and the industry has responded with a wide range of vehicles powered by a range of different fuels.”

Mr Weber commented that the record result is also notable because of changing consumer preferences which are reflected in the segments’ changing market share. The single largest category was still the passenger car segment (51.9 per cent); however, the burgeoning SUV segment increased its market share by 3.3 per cent to 27.5 per cent with an all-time sales record set in 2012.

“For the second successive year a small imported car, the Mazda3, is Australia’s most popular model,” Mr Weber said. “The same vehicles as 2011 also hold the top five spots, but in a different order.

“And three of the top ten are also built locally, dispelling any suggestion that our domestic manufacturers aren’t producing cars that Australians want to buy.”

Sales results

Toyota was the best-selling vehicle brand in 2011, with 218,176 sales for a market share of 19.6 per cent.

Holden and Mazda finished second and third with 114,665 sales (10.3 per cent market share) and 103,886 (9.3 per cent) respectively.

Mazda3 was the best-selling model for the full year, beating the Toyota HiLux by 3,482 vehicles to finish with 44,128 sales.

Toyota Corolla was third overall with 38,799 sales, followed by the Holden Commodore (30,532) and Holden Cruze (29,161).

The SUV and light commercial segments led the sales charge throughout 2012, growing by 25.3 and 12.2 per cent respectively.

Looking forward

Mr Weber said FCAI’s outlook for 2013 was cautiously optimistic.

“In 2012 Australia thankfully avoided much of the GFC aftermath and, with production resuming in disaster affected nations, the automotive industry was able to respond to the enthusiasm of the car buying public with great deals on an almost overwhelming range of vehicles. The record 2012 result was the culmination of these factors.

“During this election year, and with production now having caught up with back orders, FCAI forecasts a national automotive market of 1,075,000 for 2013.”

Top 10 selling marques – 2012

1. Toyota – 218,176 (181,624)
2. Holden – 114,665 (126,095)
3. Mazda – 103,886 (88,333)
4. Hyundai – 91,536 (87,008)
5. Ford – 90,408 (91,243)
6. Nissan – 79,747 (67,926)
7. Mitsubishi – 58,868 (61,108)
8. Volkswagen – 54,835 (44,740)
9. Subaru – 40,189 (34,011)
10. Honda – 35,812 (30,107)

Source: VFACTS

Top 10 selling models – 2012

1. Mazda3 – 44,128 (41,429)
2. Toyota HiLux – 40,646 (36,124)
3. Toyota Corolla – 38,799 (36,087)
4. Holden Commodore – 30,532 (40,617)
5. Holden Cruze – 29,161 (33,784)
6. Hyundai i30 – 28,348 (28,869)
7. Nissan Navara – 26,045 (21,675)
8. Toyota Camry – 27,230 (19,169)
9. Toyota Yaris – 18,808 (16,214)
10. Ford Focus – 18,586 (12,863)

Source: VFACTS

Figures in brackets show 2011 results.

 

Sustainable Sales Record for Audi in 2012

January 4 2013

• Audi finishes 2012 with a strong December result
  
• Sustainable growth was a key driver to eighth record year for the German luxury brand
  
• Launch of new sponsorships and new facilities mark a year of investment and consolidation

Audi Australia has closed the month of December with a strong sales result of 1,197 vehicles, an increase of 23% compared with December 2011.

In total, the German luxury carmaker has finished 2012 with a full year sales result of 14,535 deliveries to customers – making 2012 the eighth consecutive year of growth for the brand in Australia.

Audi Australia’s managing director, Uwe Hagen, said the result is excellent in a year that has seen business confidence decline and the retail industry affected by the tough economic climate.

“We are very pleased to have closed 2012 with a modest and sustainable increase over the previous year’s sales, especially considering the strength of our 2011 result. We have been successful thanks to our retail organisation’s ability to present the important new vehicles that were launched during the year, including the all-new Audi A1 Sportback, Q3 compact SUV, A4 allroad quattro, A6 Avant and A6 allroad quattro, S6 and S7 as well as critical model upgrades for the A4, A5 and Q5 model ranges,” Mr Hagen said.

“While 2012 wasn’t the easiest year for the retail industry in general, Audi certainly fought strongly to maintain sales at a similar high level to our success in 2011. Our sales rate in the final quarter of the year was very dynamic and early indications are that this pattern will continue into 2013, supported by our January Open Haus retail sales event – in fact our showrooms are buzzing with activity.”

“We are in an excellent position heading into 2013, to ensure we continue our sustainable increases year-on-year.”

2012 was a year of consolidation for the brand, with significant investments made in a new sponsorship strategy that will see Audi more closely connected with customers thanks to numerous hosting opportunities. The company’s major sponsorship pillars include sailing, golf, contemporary art, film and theatre.

Strategic investments by the brand and the retail network in new facilities were another hallmark of 2012, with Audi opening new showrooms in Wagga Wagga (NSW), Mosman (NSW), Perth (WA) and Geelong (VIC), new aftersales facilities in West Melbourne (VIC) and Perth (WA), a significant upgrade to existing facilities in Sutherland (NSW), and appointing new dealers in Tamworth (NSW) and Toowoomba (QLD).

“We are confident that the coming year will see Audi again grow in this market, thanks to our very competitive range of vehicles including the all new Audi A3 Sportback which arrives mid-year, a host of spectacular S and RS models that Audi will unveil in 2013, and a committed national network of dealer partners. Our future is bright,” said Mr Hagen.

 

BMW is Again Australia’s Leading Luxury Car Brand

January 4 2013

BMW Australia today announced an all-time sales record for 2012 to again claim the title of Australia’s top-selling premium car brand.

BMW, the world’s leading premium car brand, has been segment leader for 19 of the last 22 years in Australia.

BMW delivered 18,413 luxury cars and Sports Activity Vehicles* in 2012, an increase of 5.2% compared to 2011.

BMW Group Australia Managing Director, Phil Horton said 2012 saw the BMW brand go from strength to strength in Australia.

“Despite highly competitive market conditions demand for BMW in Australia is stronger than ever,” said Mr Horton.

Sales highlights for BMW include:

• The flagship 7 Series has again won its competitive class for the fourth consecutive year, since launching in 2009
  
• The BMW X5 remained Australia’s most popular large luxury SAV, outselling brand new competitor models
  
• X3 sales increased by almost 20%
  
• The 5 Series Sedan has topped its class again for the second year in a row
  
• The all-new sixth generation 3 Series has seen an uplift in sales of more than a third compared to last year
  
• The new BMW 1 Series Hatch has outsold its competitors with sales up by 60% compared to 2011

Mr Horton said core volume BMWs continued to perform strongly alongside recently-launched new models.

“In spite of new competitor entrants the BMW X5 remains the performance benchmark and the most sought-after vehicle in its class,” said Mr Horton.

“It is also especially satisfying to see BMWs flagship model, the BMW 7 Series, again outsell its competitors,” he said.

Mr Horton said the result bodes well for the brand in 2013.

“With a number of exciting new models on the near horizon, as well as the unveiling of our brand new i Car series, 2013 looks set to be another landmark year for BMW,” said Mr Horton.

*BMW measures the premium segment on the basis of luxury passenger cars and Sports Activity/Utility Vehicles.

 

Fiat Chrysler Group Confirms Another Record Sales Year

January 3 2013

Fiat Chrysler Group announces 2012 as the best sales year on record, up a staggering 79.4 per cent on 2011.

Fiat Chrysler Group (FCG) today announced their annual Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge sales for 2012 climbed 79.4 per cent compared to 2011. The company sold 21,401 units, compared to 11,931 recorded in 2011.

Clyde Campbell, FCG managing director, said, “I’m absolutely thrilled with the sales results. They are a testament to our dynamic product offer, sharp pricing and our outstanding dealer network.”

“We are the fastest growing car company in Australia and we certainly won’t be holding back in the year ahead. We’re looking forward to growing our brands well into the future and 2013 is set to be filled with many more wins for the group,” said Campbell.

Veronica Johns, FCG director of sales, thanked her team and dealers for the fantastic results achieved last year.

“Our dealers have been absolutely fantastic. They’re providing Australians with outstanding customer service and professionalism; they’ve ensured that 2012 has been a year to remember for the group. We look forward to taking on 2013 with a strong team who is committed to growth,” said Johns.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee was the strongest performer of the group, retailing 8,373 units in 2012, a 248.2 per cent increase over 2011.

FCG looks forward to a new year filled with more exciting new product offerings and continued growth for the company in Australia.

 

Record Breaking Year for Hyundai

January 7 2013

• All-time annual sales record for Hyundai Motor Company Australia
  
• Hyundai finishes 2012 fourth overall for vehicle sales in Australia
  
• Veloster is the number one selling Sports Car in Australia for 2012

Hyundai Motor Company Australia finished 2012 with an all-time annual sales record with 91,536 units sold, equating to an 8.2% market share. The outstanding result saw Hyundai power ahead of local giant Ford, placing fourth overall for 2012 with an increase of +5% year-on-year.

A record December sales result for Hyundai of 7,744 units, an increase of +13% YOY, resulted in an 8.1% market share for the month. Passenger car sales of 5,631 units placed Hyundai third with an 11.1% market share, while in terms of annual passenger car sales Hyundai overtook Mazda for a ranking of third behind Toyota and Holden, with 69,427 units and a 12% market share.

As Australia’s No.1 selling Sports Car, the Hyundai Veloster continued its unbroken streak, taking first place in the competitive Sports

December produced a swag of top three sales results for the brand achieving five second places in Light Car, People Mover, Sports Car, Small SUV and Van segments, and third place in the Small Car segment.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia December highlights include:

• Veloster ranked first in the Sports < $80k segment, posting a sales result of 449 units and a segment share of 23%
  
• The ix35 ranked second in the SUV Small < $40k segment achieving 1,051 vehicle sales and a segment share of 21%
  
• The iLoad ranked second in the Van/CC 2.5-3.5t segment posting a sales result of 514 units and a segment share of 35.4%
  
• The i20 ranked third in the Light Car < $25k segment achieving 1,182 vehicle sales and a segment share of 10.2%
  
• The i30 ranked third in the Small Car < 440k segment, posting a sales result of 2,250 units and a segment share of 10.8%

“Hyundai has had the right products for Australian customers in 2012,” said John Elsworth, Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor Company Australia, “and this is reflected in another outstanding sales result for the year. We listen carefully to what our customers want, and deliver the goods via a dedicated and extremely talented national dealer network. Beating Ford is a fantastic way to finish what has arguably been one of the busiest years for the brand since it first started selling cars locally in 1986.”

Hyundai Motor Company recorded a December 2012 global sales result of 391,152 units, an increase of +5.4% for the same period in 2011. Overall Hyundai Motor Company recorded an annual sales result for 2012 of just over 4.4 million vehicles, representing an increase of +8.6% compared to 2011.

 

Mazda‘s TRIPLE TREAT – Takes Industry Top Seller Honours, Breaks 100,000 Sales, Third Overall

January 4 2013

Mazda3 has convincingly snared industry top seller honours for the second year in a row, helping Mazda become the first full-line import brand to break the 100,000 sales barrier.

Last year was Mazda’s best year on record, selling 103,886 new cars, utilities and SUVs, easily beating its previous best of 88,333 set in 2011. This new record represents a 9.3% market share and an increase of 17.6% over 2011. Overall Mazda was the third best-selling brand in 2012.

For the second consecutive year Mazda3 is Australia’s most popular car or truck. Best-ever December sales of 4,649 – a record sales month for any Mazda model – contributed to a new Mazda3 annual record of 44,128.

Also breaking records in 2012 were CX-5, Mazda2 and BT-50.

Launched in March last year, Mazda CX-5 has quickly become one of the country’s best selling SUV’s with sales of 15,681 falling just short of segment lead in its first 10 months on sale.

Mazda’s popular little hatch, the Mazda2, shows no signs of slowing, having its best ever year selling 17,574 in 2012 to finish second in segment.

Smashing its previous annual sales record set in 2009, Mazda BT-50 sold 902 new Utes in December for a 2012 total of 11,848, beating its previous best by 822.

December sales figures were bolstered further by All-New Mazda6, New-Look Mazda CX-9 and New-Look Mazda MX-5, all of which have shown strong customer interest since being launched.

Mazda Australia managing director, Doug Dickson said, “We are delighted that Mazda is the first full line import brand to break the 100,000 glass ceiling, thrilled that Mazda is the first import brand to take out a third place podium finish and over the moon that our Mazda3 has topped the sales charts for the second year in a row.

“We are once again indebted to Australia’s private customers who continued to make Mazda their choice in 2012. Also to our Dealers and staff who worked even harder this year to deliver the service that our customers demand. With our SKYACTIV product renewal cycle only just kicking off, we can look forward to an even stronger year in 2013.”

 

Mercedes-Benz Continues as Australia’s Most Purchased Luxury Car Brand

January 4 2013

• B-Class: Segment Leader
  
• C-Class: Segment Leader
  
• E-Class Coupe/Cabriolet: Segment Leader
  
• GL-Class: Segment Leader
  
• AMG Sales: Record number sold in 2012

The release of the VFACTS National Sales Figures has again recognised Mercedes-Benz as the benchmark selling brand against its Luxury Car competitors for the fourth consecutive year.

Richard Emery, General Manager – Sales, Mercedes-Benz Cars said “we’ve had a ripper year! We had to struggle with stock shortages in our passenger car range yet we outsold our nearest Luxury brand competitor by more than 30 per cent in 2012. We brought our all new B-Class to market in April 2012, but despite a three month handicap we were again the most popular model in that segment. With the release of the B250, the new A-Class joining the market in March and the CLA-Class in late 2013 we are excited by the opportunities this segment offers to our customers.

The multi-award winning C-Class continues to impress regardless of all-new segment rivals arriving during 2012. “For the fifth consecutive year the C-Class has convincingly won its segment. In one of those interesting statistics the C-Class was actually the second biggest selling medium car in Australia regardless of price.

“The Large Car Over $70K Segment is just as fiercely competitive as its Medium segment sibling is , but for the fifth consecutive year the Mercedes-Benz brand was the clear choice of more buyers than any other brand. In the Sports Under $80K Segment our C-Class Coupe was a strong second beating some more fancied competitors by a country mile. We are very pleased that the E-Class Coupe/Cabriolet has for the third consecutive year been the consistent choice of more than one in five buyers – in the same segment the new SLK almost doubled its previous year’s sales and combined these two iconic vehicles delivered a 38 per cent market share.

“In our SUV’s we continue to sell every ML-Class we can import and despite having a three month handicap by only going on sale in April 2012 we came within one week’s sales of our nearest competitor at years end in the SUV Large Over $70K segment. Our gentle giant the GL-Class has for the last five years been the vehicle of choice in the SUV Large Over $100K segment and when combined with our legendary G-Class we enjoyed a more than 50 per cent market share.

AMG vehicles continue to impress Australian performance car buyers with 2012 marking a record year in Australia.

“In 2012 we recorded our best ever year for AMG with 1233 sales. Our close relationship with AMG has seen the supply of C 63 AMG get close to meeting demand with 765 delivered in 2012. In 2013 with more than five new AMG vehicles to bring to market to provide our customers with the most complete and diverse performance brand of any manufacturer”, concluded Mr Emery.

2013 is an important year for Mercedes-Benz Australia with the introduction of two new models (A-Class and CLA-Class) the face lifted E-class with the company’s first BlueTEC Hybrid for Australia and the new GL-Class and S-Class.

 

It’s Official: Nissan Sets a New Annual Sales Record in Australia

January 2 2013

• Nissan has set a new calendar year record for sales of new Nissan vehicles in Australia.

Nissan has exceeded its 2011 January-December sales performance in Australia by 17 per cent, delivering a total of 79,787 new vehicles in 2012. This impressive result is a new local sales record for Nissan, its highest since 1990.

The company passed the milestone after delivering a record-breaking 7,329 new vehicles in December, 22 per cent higher than December 2011 and the company’s eighth consecutive monthly sales record in Australia in 2012.

Nissan’s latest results eclipse not only its previous calendar year sales (up 11,788 units or 17 per cent over 2011) but also its fiscal year to-date sales (up more than 10,000 units or 20 per cent). The company’s Australian sales performance in 2012 has been exceptional and underlines its plan for strong and sustainable sales growth is on track.

“Nissan’s popularity in Australia is on the rise and there’s no stronger evidence of this than our latest sales results,” said William F. Peffer Jr., Managing Director and CEO of Nissan Australia. “Nissan is earning its ‘unfair share’ of the Australian new car market by delivering what Australian new-car buyers expect and we’re going to intensify this when we commence our biggest-ever new-model roll-out later this month, starting with the all-new Nissan Pulsar Sedan.”

Since April 2012, Nissan has set eight consecutive new monthly sales records in Australia since becoming a full vehicle importer. During this time the company has consistently and significantly out-performed Australia’s growing new-car market. Nissan is set to further grow its Australian customer base when it commences an unprecedented number of new-model introductions, starting with the all-new Nissan Pulsar Sedan and Patrol SUV.

Australian sales highlights for December 2012 include:

X-TRAIL

• Over 16,000 units sold in CY2012* (new annual sales record)
  
• More than 1,000 X-TRAIL units sold in December 2012
  
• X-TRAIL sales up 33 per cent CYTD
  
• X-TRAIL sales up 23.6 per cent FYTD**

Dualis

• Over 13,000 Dualis units sold in CY2012 (new annual sales record)
  
• More than 1,300 units sold in December 2012 (second-highest month on record; increase of 31.4 per cent compared to December 2011)
  
• Dualis sales up 54.7 per cent FYTD

Navara

• Over 2,600 units sold in December 2012 (new December sales record)
  
• Best-ever month of sales for the Navara V6 ST-X
  
• Best sales result in previous six months for Navara ST 4×4 and Navara D22

Pathfinder

• Best calendar year of sales result since 2007

December 2012 sales for the Nissan Tiida were 47 per cent higher compared to the same month in 2011 and, also in December, the Nissan Patrol cab-chassis enjoyed its best month of sales since 2008.

*CY denotes calendar year (January-December)
**FY denotes fiscal year (April-March)

 

New Sales Record for Subaru

January 4 2013

Subaru achieved record sales of 40,189 vehicles in 2012, spearheaded by booming demand for its Sports Utility Vehicle range.

Official VFACTS figures released today show Subaru sales up 18.2 per cent for the year, outperforming the overall automotive industry increase of 10.3 per cent.

The evergreen Forester sold 11,533 in 2012 and customer interest is getting even stronger with a new generation version due on sale in February this year.

Subaru’s new entrant small SUV, the XV, sold 9908 in just 11 months on sale in Australia, commanding 17.3 per cent of its sales segment.

Other Subaru success stories included Liberty, with 4407 sales, up 13.1 per cent for the year.

New generation Impreza sold 8407 in 2012 and Outback 4408. Tribeca sales of 1326 were 16.6 per cent up for the year.

Massive global demand for the multi award-winning BRZ sports coupe saw sales capped at 200.

The sales total gave Subaru a 3.6 per cent market share in 2012 and the new record of 40,189 surpasses the previous record of 40,025 established in 2010.

Nick Senior, Subaru Australia Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted with this result, which shows our new generation cars, particularly the XV, have wide appeal, with a great combination of looks, safety, durability and fun.

“XV and BRZ again demonstrate the factory’s ability to design and produce cars that have the X factor that remind people that fun and cars can combine to produce a genuine sense of excitement.

“We’re looking forward to maintaining that momentum in 2013 as we introduce new Forester on the back of significant revisions to our Liberty and Outback ranges.”

 

SUVs Lead the Way for Strong Suzuki Sales

January 7 2013

A strong performance by its legendary SUV range saw Suzuki Australia make 2012 one of its best ever sales years.

Suzuki sales for the year totalled 24,057, making it the second best ever sales year for the brand in Australia.

The total figure was up 279 units on the 2011 result, representing an increase of 1.2 per cent year on year.

It saw Suzuki end the year with a market share of 2.2 per cent, maintaining the strong position the company has cemented in recent years.

The sales charge was led by the Suzuki SUV line-up with Grand Vitara sales up 19 per cent, while the evergreen Jimny saw a resurgence in sales to end the year up 61 per cent on the 2011 figure.

“I am very pleased to announce one of our strongest sales results, with increased sales for just about every model in the range,” said Suzuki Australia Automobiles General Manager Tony Devers.

“Given that Suzuki cars compete in less than half of the market segments, the 2012 sales figure represents a terrific result.

“It points to ongoing success for the brand in Australia, when you consider the difficulties we experienced in 2012 with limited supply of Alto and Grand Vitara.

“We now have updated every model in the range in the past 12 months. And, as we showed with the unveiling of the exciting new S-Cross concept at Paris, we have some exciting new metal coming our way soon,” Devers said.

 

Toyota drives industry to record sales

January 4 2013

Toyota has claimed its 10th consecutive year as the best-selling automotive brand in Australia, helping to propel the entire industry to an all-time record above 1.1 million sales in 2012.

Official figures released today show Toyota dealers delivered a market-leading 218,176 new cars, SUVs and light-commercial vehicles last year.

Toyota’s sales growth of 20.1 per cent was almost twice the industry average of 10.3 per cent, resulting in a total that was more than 103,000 vehicles ahead of its closest rival.

A record December for the industry lifted the national sales tally to 1,112,032 – beating the previous record of almost 1.05 million sales set in 2007.

Two of Australia’s three best-selling vehicles wore Toyota badges – HiLux and Corolla – while the locally built Camry was also in the top 10 along with Yaris.

Toyota also achieved a December record with 21,169 sales – more than the combined sales of the next two companies.

Toyota Australia senior executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said the company’s success in 2012 was due to quality vehicles, dedicated employees, an extensive dealer network and loyal customers.

“During the past 10 years of market leadership, Australians have bought almost 2.1 million Toyota vehicles – a remarkable 650,000 sales more than any other brand,” Mr Callachor said.

“Toyota is extremely grateful for the support of so many Australians and we are determined to continue earning that trust,” he said.

Toyota’s decade of market leadership had coincided with significant changes in purchasing patterns, heightened competition from more brands and a proliferation of models.

“Australian motorists can choose from almost 400 models from 67 brands – a greater degree of competition than in much larger markets such as the United States.

“SUV sales have doubled since 2002 due to a large proportion of Australian motorists opting for spacious vehicles with more flexibility than traditional sedans or wagons.

“Sales of light and medium passenger cars have also doubled during the same period, and the small-car market has grown by 52.9 per cent as many people make fuel efficiency a priority. This has also resulted in growing consumer demand for hybrid cars.

“In addition, the growing popularity of utes has resulted from the mining boom and their ability to combine workhorse and family duties.”

Last year was the 16th time Toyota has been the number one car company in Australia. It was also the number-one brand in every State and Territory.

The Australian market first reached one million sales in 2007 and has now achieved that feat in five of the past six years.

Toyota’s annual sales have topped 200,000 vehicles in eight of the past nine years and it remains the only company ever to have reached that total.

In 2012, Toyota outsold all other brands in passenger-car sales by 35.5 per cent.

In SUVs, its winning margin was 57.7 per cent. Sales of Toyota light-commercial vehicles were more than double those of the second-placed competitor.

Toyota vehicles led eight market segments: Yaris, Camry, LandCruiser Prado, LandCruiser wagon, HiLux 4×2, HiLux 4×4, HiAce bus and HiAce van.

Combined HiLux 4×2 and 4×4 sales exceeded 40,000 for just the third time, leading the light-commercial market to a record 198,302 units.

HiLux was the second biggest-selling vehicle on the local market as well as the most popular ute and best-selling four-wheel drive.

Camry was Australia’s leading mid-size car for the 19th straight year with 27,230 sales, representing a remarkable 39.6 per cent of its segment and outselling its four nearest rivals.

Built in Australia since 1987, Camry is also Australia’s leading automotive export with 64,000 shipped overseas last year. A further 8,000 V6 Aurion sedans were exported.

Industry SUV sales rocketed to a new high of 305,825 vehicles, led by LandCruiser Prado with 17,045 sales – also a record. Toyota’s RAV4 (14,651 sales) Kluger (13,239 sales) and LandCruiser wagon (10,829) were key contributors.

Corolla was the third most popular vehicle in Australia last year with motorists buying 38,799 hatches and sedans – the 10th successive year in which the car’s local sales have topped 35,000.

Last year was also a record for sales of Toyota hybrids with sales of Camry Hybrid, Prius, Prius c and Prius v exceeding 10,000 for the first time.

Toyota has been market leader in 1991-94, 1998, 2000 and every year since 2003. It is the leading brand in sales of commercial vehicles, a title it has held since 1979 – an unbroken run of 34 years.

 

Volvo XC60 Drives Volvo Car Australia to Record-Breaking Sales Result

January 8 2013

• XC60 up 38.3 percent
  
• World’s most advanced luxury hatchback set for local launch

The Volvo XC60 once again proved its position as a dominant player in the luxury SUV sector with 2,179 sales in 2012, a 38.3 percent increase over 2011.

This strong result – along with the performance of key product pillars like the S60, V60 and XC90 – propelled Volvo Car Australia to a record-breaking 2012 sales result of 5,375, up 2.0 percent on 2011.*

“To record an increase in sales in one of the toughest years in memory is a great result,” said Matt Braid, Volvo Car Australia Managing Director.

“The XC60 continues to perform for us, and will do so again in 2013 – a year which also sees the introduction of the All-New Volvo V40, the world’s most advanced luxury hatchback, to the Australian market.”

The February launch of the All-New Volvo V40 is the first highlight in a full calendar of events and launches for Volvo Car Australia in 2013.

With the top rating of five stars in the Euro NCAP collision test – the overall result being the best-ever recorded by the institute – and a well-received European launch, the All-New V40 has also been shortlisted for the prestigious European Car of the Year award, due to be announced in March 2013.

With this in mind, plus its world-first Pedestrian Airbag technology, advanced driving dynamics, and vast scope for personalisation, local expectations are high for the All-New V40.

“There’s no doubt 2013 will be a significant year for Volvo Car Australia,” says Matt Braid. “We’ve got a number of surprises coming, not least the starting price for the All-New V40, which will be revealed in due course.

“Before that, however, our premier annual sales event, Volvolution, is underway to kick start the New Year. With free registration, stamp duty, CTP and three years free servicing, now is the perfect time to take a step up in luxury and into a Volvo.”

*Highest sales figure since Volvo Car Australia became a standalone national sales company.