The run of record vehicle sales Down Under shows no sign of losing its momentum with a 900,000 unit market for calendar 2003 now looking a formality, writes Mike Duffy.
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Official sales to the end of September came in at 676,688 – 10.5% or 64,259 cars and commercials ahead of the same period last year.
A 900,000 market would eclipse last year’s record of 824,309 vehicles which was 16,640 ahead of the previous high mark set in 1998.
A sustained boom in property prices in all metropolitan centres around the nation have made high numbers of people asset wealthy.
As a result many are using an increase in home equity and cheap mortgage finance to purchase new vehicles.
This combined with the end of the drought – generating a wave of pent-up spending in rural areas – and a buoyant business economy is keeping the market on the boil.
The seemingly endless parade of new models are ensuring demand stays ahead of supply.
And with safety growing in important as a purchasing consideration, the rising number of vehicle offering stability control is prompting more and more people to upgrade their vehicles.
September was not simply a month of high numbers, but a landmark month for both models and marques.
The 72-month reign of General Motors’ Holden Commodore as the nation’s best selling car came to an end as arch-rival Ford’s BA Falcon ran out No 1.
It was the Falcon’s best month since March, 1996 and a resounding 101% up on the same month last year when the superseded AU struggled to find buyers.
Holden lost more than model leadership. The GM affiliate fell further behind Toyota which stretched its year-to-date lead to 6,153 – effectively sealing market leadership for the year and ending Holden’s hopes of three consecutive winning years.
Ford held third place year to date with 16,187 more sales than the first nine months of 2002.
Mitsubishi Motors also showed a 5,532 vehicle gain, but its results – particularly for the locally-made Magna/Verada line-up – were unspectacular.
Almost every importer achieved major gains with many claiming records.
The introduction of a new generation of ‘softroaders’, spearheaded by Holden’s all wheel drive Adventra wagon, is set to grow the Australian market in the future.
The Adventra, developed with help from an Opel engineer who designed the early-1990s Calibra coupe four-wheel drive and was lured out of retirement by Holden’s German MD Peter Hanenberger, himself about to retire – features what the GM arm calls Cross Trac all wheel drive and increased ground clearance.
The vehicle is not promoted as a ‘rock hopper’ but an ‘all-roader’. It will be followed into the marketplace by Holden’s luxury five-seat, all wheel drive Cross8 utility (pickup truck) next week.
Toyota has released the imported Kluger to compete with the Adventra in the car-like all wheel drive segment.
Ford will join in mid 2004 with the two and four wheel drive, five-and seven-seat Territory.
Top 10 models during September
1 Ford Falcon 7,409
2 Holden Commodore 7,361
3 Toyota Camry 3,307
4 Toyota Corolla 3,219
5 Nissan Pulsar 2,251
6 Holden Astra 2,169
7 Mitsubishi Magna/Verada 2,088
8 Ford Falcon Ute 1,943
9 Toyota Echo 1,733
10 Holden Ute 1,525
TOP 10 BRANDS JAN-SEPT
1 Toyota 137,811
2 Holden 131,658
3 Ford 95,756
4 Mitsubishi 54,748
5 Nissan 43,194
6 Mazda 40,237
7 Hyundai 22,622
8 Honda 22,361
9 Subaru 21,492
10 Mercedes-Benz 14,189
