Australia sets new-car sales record in June
Car buyers were on the accelerator until last Saturday. Now the motor industry is bracing for a buyer backlash and price rises.
The Federal election failed to put the brakes on new-car sales in June.
It was the single thickest month in Australian automotive history, with 128,569 vehicles delivered – up by Two.Two per cent on the previous record set in 2015, according to figures supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
With 598,140 fresh vehicles reported as sold in the very first six months of the year, the annual tally is on track to eclipse the 1.Two million mark for the very first time.
It’s unclear at this stage what the outcome of the Federal election will do to consumer confidence.
However the car industry is bracing for a slowdown in the 2nd half of two thousand sixteen amid the uncertainty of a dangled parliament.
“We had a bumper embark to the year and the lead-up to the election appeared to have a negligible influence on car sales,” said Martin Benders, the boss of Mazda Australia, the number two brand overall behind market leader Toyota.
“But it’s unclear at this stage what the outcome of the Federal election will do to consumer confidence,” he said.
There is also the possibility “Brexit” could drive up prices of Japanese cars – more than one-third of all models sold in Australia – as the Yen becomes a “safe haven” currency and increases in value.
“Add in global disruptions like Brexit … we may proceed to see adverse currency impacts as well,” said Mr Benders. “So we see the 2nd half of the year as coming under pressure.”
As reported exclusively by News Corp Australia on Friday, the Hyundai i30 hatchback was the top-selling car for the fourth month in a row – with the highest monthly tally of any vehicle in eleven years.
Driven by a $Nineteen,990 drive-away price – a staggering $7000 discount – the Hyundai i30 now leads the market year-to-date ahead of the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3.
Hyundai as a brand has also defeated Holden every month so far this year; it is the very first time General Motors has finished outside the Top Three in the half-yearly tally since 1948.
However, Hyundai’s victory may be short-lived as it raised the price of its most popular model – the i30 automatic – by $3000 to $22,990 drive-away in July.
Most of the Top ten brands posted solid gains or sales records in June – including Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai – and Ford posted its eighth month in a row of growth after eleven straight years of decline.
The Ford Ranger – in its popular 4×4 ute guise – hit the equivalent Toyota HiLux model for the third time in six months – but Toyota still leads ute sales year-to-date once all variants are combined.
Hyundai’s sister brand Kia rocketed up the charts, with forty one per cent growth in June two thousand sixteen versus the same month last year.
Kia’s sales drop was driven by acute drive-away prices across the range and the latest introduction of an industry-leading seven-year factory-backed warranty.
Holden, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen hit switch sides – the latter due to running out of its popular petite SUV ahead of an all-new model, rather than a buyer backlash to the diesel emissions cheating scandal.
Luxury brands continued to drive sales growth with Mercedes-Benz (up 7.7 per cent) completing just outside the Top Ten, but ahead of its German rivals BMW (up 15.7 per cent) and Audi (up Two.Five per cent).
Porsche (up Legal.6 per cent) and Land Rover (up thirty per cent) cashed in on the SUV boom, while Jaguar tripled its sales on the back of fresh models.
Super luxury marques also performed well: sales of Bentley cars were up by fifty per cent (from twelve deliveries to Legal) and Rolls-Royce also grew by the same percentage (from four deliveries to 6) in June two thousand sixteen compared with the same month the previous year.
The news wasn’t as good for Volvo (down 34.8 per cent), Peugeot (down 29.8 per cent) and Jeep, whose sales were slashed by more than half (55 per cent).
Top ten brands in June 2016
Toyota – 22,083 – up Two.7 per cent
Mazda – 12,455 – up 8.1 per cent
Hyundai – 12,300 – up 11.7 per cent
Holden – 11,376 – down Four.6 per cent
Mitsubishi – eight thousand seven hundred twenty six – down Trio.Two per cent
Ford – eight thousand three hundred sixteen – up 14.7 per cent
Nissan – six thousand seven hundred eighty one – up Two.Two per cent
Volkswagen – five thousand nine hundred thirty three – down 16.Five per cent
Honda – five thousand two hundred sixty five – down 0.9 per cent
Subaru – five thousand one hundred thirty five – up 14.1 per cent
Top ten cars in June 2016
Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Vehicles. Figures are based on information supplied by car manufacturers, they are not based on registrations. Percentage switches compare the same month in 2015.
What do you think of the new-car sales figures? Does your car make the top Ten? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Australia sets new-car sales record in June – Car News, CarsGuide
Australia sets new-car sales record in June
Car buyers were on the accelerator until last Saturday. Now the motor industry is bracing for a buyer backlash and price rises.
The Federal election failed to put the brakes on new-car sales in June.
It was the single thickest month in Australian automotive history, with 128,569 vehicles delivered – up by Two.Two per cent on the previous record set in 2015, according to figures supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
With 598,140 fresh vehicles reported as sold in the very first six months of the year, the annual tally is on track to eclipse the 1.Two million mark for the very first time.
It’s unclear at this stage what the outcome of the Federal election will do to consumer confidence.
However the car industry is bracing for a slowdown in the 2nd half of two thousand sixteen amid the uncertainty of a draped parliament.
“We had a bumper begin to the year and the lead-up to the election appeared to have a negligible influence on car sales,” said Martin Benders, the boss of Mazda Australia, the number two brand overall behind market leader Toyota.
“But it’s unclear at this stage what the outcome of the Federal election will do to consumer confidence,” he said.
There is also the possibility “Brexit” could drive up prices of Japanese cars – more than one-third of all models sold in Australia – as the Yen becomes a “safe haven” currency and increases in value.
“Add in global disruptions like Brexit … we may proceed to see adverse currency impacts as well,” said Mr Benders. “So we see the 2nd half of the year as coming under pressure.”
As reported exclusively by News Corp Australia on Friday, the Hyundai i30 hatchback was the top-selling car for the fourth month in a row – with the highest monthly tally of any vehicle in eleven years.
Driven by a $Nineteen,990 drive-away price – a staggering $7000 discount – the Hyundai i30 now leads the market year-to-date ahead of the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3.
Hyundai as a brand has also defeated Holden every month so far this year; it is the very first time General Motors has finished outside the Top Three in the half-yearly tally since 1948.
However, Hyundai’s victory may be short-lived as it raised the price of its most popular model – the i30 automatic – by $3000 to $22,990 drive-away in July.
Most of the Top ten brands posted solid gains or sales records in June – including Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai – and Ford posted its eighth month in a row of growth after eleven straight years of decline.
The Ford Ranger – in its popular 4×4 ute guise – hammer the equivalent Toyota HiLux model for the third time in six months – but Toyota still leads ute sales year-to-date once all variants are combined.
Hyundai’s sister brand Kia rocketed up the charts, with forty one per cent growth in June two thousand sixteen versus the same month last year.
Kia’s sales glob was driven by acute drive-away prices across the range and the latest introduction of an industry-leading seven-year factory-backed warranty.
Holden, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen hit switch roles – the latter due to running out of its popular petite SUV ahead of an all-new model, rather than a buyer backlash to the diesel emissions cheating scandal.
Luxury brands continued to drive sales growth with Mercedes-Benz (up 7.7 per cent) ending just outside the Top Ten, but ahead of its German rivals BMW (up 15.7 per cent) and Audi (up Two.Five per cent).
Porsche (up Legitimate.6 per cent) and Land Rover (up thirty per cent) cashed in on the SUV boom, while Jaguar tripled its sales on the back of fresh models.
Super luxury marques also performed well: sales of Bentley cars were up by fifty per cent (from twelve deliveries to Legal) and Rolls-Royce also grew by the same percentage (from four deliveries to 6) in June two thousand sixteen compared with the same month the previous year.
The news wasn’t as good for Volvo (down 34.8 per cent), Peugeot (down 29.8 per cent) and Jeep, whose sales were slashed by more than half (55 per cent).
Top ten brands in June 2016
Toyota – 22,083 – up Two.7 per cent
Mazda – 12,455 – up 8.1 per cent
Hyundai – 12,300 – up 11.7 per cent
Holden – 11,376 – down Four.6 per cent
Mitsubishi – eight thousand seven hundred twenty six – down Trio.Two per cent
Ford – eight thousand three hundred sixteen – up 14.7 per cent
Nissan – six thousand seven hundred eighty one – up Two.Two per cent
Volkswagen – five thousand nine hundred thirty three – down 16.Five per cent
Honda – five thousand two hundred sixty five – down 0.9 per cent
Subaru – five thousand one hundred thirty five – up 14.1 per cent
Top ten cars in June 2016
Source: Federal Chamber of Automotive Vehicles. Figures are based on information supplied by car manufacturers, they are not based on registrations. Percentage switches compare the same month in 2015.
What do you think of the new-car sales figures? Does your car make the top Ten? Tell us what you think in the comments below.