EXCLUSIVE: COLOMBIA: Sales rise 4.7 percent in August

5,285 cars were sold in Colombia last month, according to Econometría S.A., writes Juan Carlos Vargas. This was 4.7 percent up on July sales of 5,049. The family autos segment achieved a market share of 57.9 percent; taxis, 15.0 percent; SUVs, 8.5 percent; pick-ups, 6.0 percent; vans, 1.9 percent; heavy and medium trucks, 3.3 percent; and buses, 7.3 percent.

5,285 cars were sold in Colombia last month, according to Econometría S.A., writes Juan Carlos Vargas.

This was 4.7 percent up on July sales of 5,049. The family autos segment achieved a market share of 57.9 percent; taxis, 15.0 percent; SUVs, 8.5 percent; pick-ups, 6.0 percent; vans, 1.9 percent; heavy and medium trucks, 3.3 percent; and buses, 7.3 percent.

GM continued its leadership with a market share of 27.7 percent in August. Renault, whose market share has grown almost 5 percent in the first eight months of 2001, now enjoys a comfortable second place with 19.4 percent. Third is Mazda (14.1 percent); fourth, Daewoo (9.5 percent); and fifth, Hyundai (7.7 percent).

Local assemblers took a 59.2 percent market share in August.

Colombian vehicle assemblers are facing a 20 percent cut in exports to Venezuela following an announcement by Venezuelan president Chavez. This will hit hard because almost 50 percent of Colombian production is shipped there.