New vehicle sales in South Africa rose 6.4% year-on-year to 52,356 units in February according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers (NAAMSA).
The February total included data from Mercedes-Benz South Africa although the company is currently reporting restricted information under a directive from German parent company Daimler.
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Naamsa said exports of South African-produced vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz SA, were down 10% at 22,630 units compared to 25,155 vehicles exported during February last year.
The association added that exports into Europe are likely to soften as a result of the recession and debt crisis in the euro zone, although this could be offset by higher export volumes to other African countries.
Naamsa is forecasting modest growth in total industry sales this year, helped by relatively low interest rates for consumers and an improvement in vehicle affordability.
