US light vehicle sales (cars and light trucks, including SUVs) totalled 1,514,149 (1,218,836 domestic; 295,313 import) in March, just under five percent down on the 1,593,602 units (1,325,563 domestic; 268,039 import) sold in March 2001.

Total car sales of 741,643 in March (539,194 domestic; 202,449 import) were six percent down on March 2001’s 789,312 (602,466 domestic; 186,846 import) while light truck sales also fell four percent from 804,290 (723,087 domestic; 81,193 import) in March 2001 to 772,506 last month (679,642 domestic; 92,864 import).

First quarter US sales of cars and light trucks of 3,929,689 units (3,139, 705 domestic; 779,984 import) were down 4.5 percent on the 4,114,638 units (3,421,368 domestic; 693,170 import) sold in Q1, 2001.

Car sales of 1,892,467 (1,360,722 domestic; 531,745 import) were off 9.1 percent compared with Q1 2001’s 2,082,914 (1,602,808 domestic; 480,106 import).

In contrast, and reflecting the US new vehicle buyer’s insatiable love affair with SUVs and huge pickups, light truck sales for Q1 2002 were up a fraction (0.3 percent) to 2,037,222 (1,788,983 domestic; 248,239 import) from 2,031,724 (1,818,660 domestic; 213,064 import) a year ago.

The Q1 2002 vs Q1 2001 statistics, supplied to just-auto by WardsAuto.com, clearly show that the import nameplates are continuing to increase their market share in both the car and light truck sectors, a trend which must surely be giving Detroit’s executives sleepless nights.

Though they still managed to account for 66 percent of total US volume in March, Detroit’s Big Three lost sales to the import nameplates in the first quarter of 2002. DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors sold a total of 2,481,458 cars and light trucks, 8.6 percent down on the 2,713,643 units shifted in Q1, 2001.

In contrast, the Asian marques boosted their Q1 2002 sales 3.1 percent to 1,244,122 from Q1 2001’s 1,206,282. European brands recorded a 4.8 percent increase for the quarter (204,109 for Q1 2002 vs 194,713 a year ago).

In March, the Big Three’s sales fell 5.6 percent to 957,263 compared with 1,051,541 in March 2001 while Asian brands increased their total sales 6.1 percent from 465,386 in March 2001 to 475,977 last month. The Europeans were also up: March 2002’s 80,909 sales were 9.4 percent higher than the 76,675 units sold a year previously.

The rise in both market share and volume of most of the import brands appears to reflect the large number of new model cars and SUVs recently rolled out by the Japanese marques, in particular. Recent major new model launches included Toyota’s fully redesigned volume-selling Camry and Nissan’s competing Altima while new SUVs included a full redesign for Honda’s popular CR-V and Isuzu’s all-new Axiom.

Individual brand sales highlights for March included Mitsubishi up 19 percent; Hyundai up 19 percent; BMW up 18 percent and Suzuki up 17 percent – all reflecting recent new model launches.

In contrast – and despite the Axiom’s arrival – Isuzu sales nosedived 38.1 percent and, surprisingly, Porsche was off over 15 percent. Ford sales were down 11.6 percent with DaimlerChrysler off four percent and GM down just 1.3 percent.

Kia made the most spectacular gain in the first three months of 2002, boosting sales over 25 percent, followed by Mitsubishi (22.7 percent), Hyundai (16.9) and BMW (14.6).

Isuzu also led the quarterly downward trend with sales falling 39.7 percent, followed by Porsche (-20.1) and Mazda (-18 percent; its executives must have their fingers crossed the new 6 will be a hit).

Amongst the Big Three, Ford sales for the first quarter were off 12.4 percent, DC was down 9.2 percent and GM volume reduced by 5.3 percent.

Ward’s U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Summary
	March					January – March
	Units		% Share		DSR			Vol
	Current	Year-Ago	Cur	Yra	% Chg.	Current	Year-Ago	% Chg.
Domestic Cars	539,194	602,466	35.6	37.8	-7.2	1,360,722	1,602,808	-15.1
Import Cars	202,449	186,846	13.4	11.7	12.4	531,745	480,106	10.8
Total Cars	741,643	789,312	49.0	49.5	-2.6	1,892,467	2,082,914	-9.1
Domestic Light Trucks	679,642	723,097	44.9	45.4	-2.5	1,788,983	1,818,660	-1.6
Import Light Trucks	92,864	81,193	6.1	5.1	18.6	248,239	213,064	16.5
Total Light Trucks	772,506	804,290	51.0	50.5	-0.4	2,037,222	2,031,724	0.3
Domestic Light Vehicles	1,218,836	1,325,563	80.5	83.2	-4.6	3,149,705	3,421,468	-7.9
Import Light Vehicles	295,313	268,039	19.5	16.8	14.3	779,984	693,170	12.5
Total Light Vehicles	1,514,149	1,593,602	100.0	100.0	-1.5	3,929,689	4,114,638	-4.5
Source is country of manufacture.  Domestics are from U.S., Canada, Mexico.  Imports are from overseas.
Light vehicles are cars and light trucks (GVW Classes 1-3, under 14,001 lbs.).  DSR is daily sales rate.
Source: WardsAuto.Com
©Copyright 2002, Ward’s Communications. Redistribution prohibited without permission in advance by Ward’s.

 

Ward’s U.S. Light Vehicle Sales by Company
	March					January – March
	Units		% Share		DSR			Vol
	Current	Year-Ago	Cur	Yra	% Chg.	Current	Year-Ago	% Chg.

DCC

217,158

234,495

14.3

14.7

-4.0

542,199

596,811

-9.2

Ford

324,294

380,247

21.4

23.9

-11.6

819,170

934,595

-12.4

GM

415,811

436,799

27.5

27.4

-1.3

1,120,089

1,182,237

-5.3

Big 3 Total

957,263

1,051,541

63.2

66.0

-5.6

2,481,458

2,713,643

-8.6

Daewoo

4,788

5,413

0.3

0.3

-8.3

15,159

15,829

-4.2

Honda

104,713

106,347

6.9

6.7

2.1

276,439

283,564

-2.5

Hyundai

31,805

27,715

2.1

1.7

19.0

87,434

74,773

16.9

Isuzu

5,626

9,433

0.4

0.6

-38.1

12,558

20,830

-39.7

Kia

21,478

19,159

1.4

1.2

16.3

55,561

44,337

25.3

Mazda

22,529

24,573

1.5

1.5

-4.9

53,895

65,761

-18.0

Mitsubishi

32,541

27,568

2.1

1.7

22.4

90,550

73,793

22.7

Nissan

76,232

69,218

5.0

4.3

14.2

189,138

173,746

8.9

Subaru

13,605

14,530

0.9

0.9

-2.9

39,739

41,014

-3.1

Suzuki

5,632

4,986

0.4

0.3

17.1

14,021

14,112

-0.6

Toyota

157,028

156,444

10.4

9.8

4.1

409,628

398,523

2.8

Asia Total

475,977

465,386

31.4

29.2

6.1

1,244,122

1,206,282

3.1

BMW

19,726

17,300

1.3

1.1

18.2

53,605

46,764

14.6

Mercedes

20,258

19,166

1.3

1.2

9.6

50,346

47,095

6.9

Porsche

1,769

2,163

0.1

0.1

-15.2

5,071

6,348

-20.1

Volkswagen

39,156

38,046

2.6

2.4

6.7

95,087

94,506

0.6

Europe Total

80,909

76,675

5.3

4.8

9.4

204,109

194,713

4.8

Total Light Vehicles

1,514,149

1,593,602

100.0

100.0

-1.5

3,929,689

4,114,638

-4.5

Light vehicles are cars and light trucks (GVW Classes 1-3, under 14,001 lbs.).  DSR is daily sales rate.

Source: Ward’s AutoInfoBank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

©Copyright 2002, Ward’s Communications, a division of PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc.  Redistribution prohibited.