Official Kraftfahrtbundesamt data are uncharacteristically late. But Dow Jones Newswire (via Finanznachrichten.de) has it from two reliable sources that Germany’s new car market rose to 3.8m units in 2009, which would be an increase of 23 percent if it pans out. According to the report, Germans bought 3.8m units in 2009, in 2008 it was 3.09m units.
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It’s getting old (in more ways than one:) The Japanese new car market marked its fifth straight fall in 2009. Sales of new cars, including minivehicles, dropped 9.3 percent in 2009 to just 4.6 million units. For the first time since 1978, the 5m level was ruptured, reports the Nikkei [sub].
Sales of regular cars dropped 9.1 percent to 2.92 million units. Sales of minivehicles (cars with a displacement of 660cc or less) fell 9.7 percent to 1.68 million units.
The only genki part: In December, new car sales were up 21.6 percent, fueled by government tax breaks for green cars. With minivehicles are excluded, sales of new cars increased 36.5 percent.
Refer to TTAC’s roundup of 2009 sales data for a continuously updated roundup of 2009 sales data from around the world.
Ford’s Chinese joint venture with Changan sold 316,139 units in 2009, up 54.5 percent from a year earlier, Reuters reports. In December alone, sales were up 61.4 percent from a year earlier. After GM China reported a 67 percent increase for the year yesterday, all indicators point to a strong finish for the Chinese market. Numbers will be announced by the end of the week. Chinese unit sales are expected to be in the 13.5m neighborhood for the year, up 44 percent.
Elsewhere in Europe, first data releases point to a strong December there also: France up 48.6 percent, Spain up 25.1 percent, Italy up 16.73 percent, Belgium up 21.12 percent.
U.S. auto sales are due today and are expected to come in at around 10.5 – 11m units for the year.
Refer to TTAC’s roundup of 2009 sales data for a continuously updated roundup of 2009 sales data from around the world.
If you hear a loud screeching noise coming from the Stuttgart area, that’ll probably be Dieter Zetsche berating his Asian management team. The Economic Times of India reported that the Mercedes-Benz marque has lost its leadership of the luxury car segment in India to BMW after nearly ten years on top. Daimler also posted a 10.43% decline in sales in India, as volume fell to 3,247 units (if that doesn’t seem like much, consider that Mercedes also trails BMW in China by about 60k units to about 90k). And just like that, out come the excuses: “We are behind BMW in 2009 because of limited availability of our E-Class car … I don’t want to focus on leadership. We want to have a profitable growth,” Mercedes Benz India Managing Director and CEO Wilfried Aulbur told reporters. “We see a very strong growth in 2009 and it will be a blockbuster year for us. We are very bullish and we expect, it will be a high double-digit growth.”
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When CEO Chung Mong-Koo told his employees to make Hyundai’s quality world class, their competitors all had a collective laugh. Well, we all know how that ended, so when Chung told his employee to increase sales, the competition should probably heed his words as a warning. The Korea Times reports that Chung Mong-Koo wants the Hyundai-Kia group to increase sales by 17% in 2010, from 4.63 million (2009) to 5.4 million. “Our teamwork helped turn a crisis into an opportunity when the global auto industry was at its darkest,” said Chung Mong-Koo. “Based on our achievements last year, let’s work together to make 2010 a year of writing a new history.” Analysts like Sohn Myung-woo of Woori Investment & Securities sees the goal as achievable, saying “Hyundai will continue its sales momentum in the U.S. and emerging markets such as China and India.” But besides expanding volume, Hyundai wants to use its momentum to continually improve its brand image in mature markets like the US. To that end, it’s paying more attention to how it markets its Genesis luxury semi-sub-brand.
Subaru wasn’t the only automaker who bucked the misery in 2009, but it was one of the most consistent sales performers month after month. As a longtime Subaru aficionado, my initial diagnosis was that Subaru moved upmarket just as its brand equity was peaking. The brand’s new, flashier interiors, along with upsized redesigns of the Forester and Outback may not have been my cup of 30-weight, but they put the brand on more shopping lists among the automotive mainstream. That’s at least part of the message of Automotive News [sub]’s dissection of Subaru’s strong year, as Subie insiders reveal that more tech toys, better rear legroom and more “sophistication” were important in making Subaru products live up to the inherent “premium-ness” of their AWD platforms.
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J.D. Power thinks it has found some more Americans who want to kiss a new fender under the mistletoe. Based on reported transactions for the first 17 days of the month, collected from 8900 dealers, J.D. Power now projects a December SAAR of 11.2m units, Reuters reports. This would be up 9 percent from a truly dismal December a year earlier, which saw a sickening SAAR of 10.3m vehicles. In eggnog-powered exuberance, J.D. Power calls the sputtering back to life “a year-end rally.” And how’s the year going to end?
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When Ford let Jaguar-Land Rover go, the betting odds on Tata’s prospects with the perpetually-mired firm were not exactly in its favour. Now it seems that Tata might have bought low, as JLR starts to turn a corner. The Liverpool Daily Post reports that the Jaguar-Land Rover group, owned by Tata Motors, had worldwide sales rise 30% last month. Wholesale and retail sales both showed strong growth. A spokesman said: “Despite the continuing economic uncertainty, we are seeing improved economic stability in most markets, especially the UK and China.” Read More >
While Ford is slowly but surely gaining traction in North America and China, Europe is storming ahead. Over at paddocktalk.com there’s report on Ford of Europe’s latest sales, which jumped 19.8% in November. This marks Ford’s sixth consecutive volume increase, resulting in a 9.1% year to date market share. “November was another month with outstanding volume gains for Ford of Europe”, said Roelant de Waard, Ford of Europe’s Vice-President for Sales. “Having the right products at the right time is paying off, and this is why we’re continuing to strengthen our position as the clear No.2 choice for customers in the European auto industry.” A key point included how 63% of their sales went to retail customers, which was an increase of 13%. Increase in sales? Increase in retail customers? Increase in market share? It all sounds great! Until you dig a little deeper.
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( Ferdinand Porsche’s 1899 Lohner-Porsche “Mixte” gas-electric hybrid with in-wheel hub motors)
Did I save the best news for last? Hybrids bucked the trend in November, posting a healthy 21% increase over the month last year. Hybrids represented 2.7% of the new vehicle market, up from their 2.2% share in November 2008. For the first 11 months of 2009, hybrids have held a 2.8% new light-duty vehicle market share. Details and charts: Read More >
Everyone loves winners, and here’s a quick overview of the year’s top ten cars and trucks so far. Keep in mind that trucks is a big tent as defined by the industry: anything not officially classified as a passenger car. Any surprises? Read More >
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne isn’t bothered by his firm’s sliding market share, which have declined to the point where Honda will certainly surpass them to become the number four automaker in America. At least that’s what he keeps saying, and Automotive News [sub] went ahead and made it a headline. If dealers are “expecting us to call them up and give them a $6,000 check for every new vehicle, they won’t get the call,” Marchionne joked recently in the Detroit Free Press.
This first segment is my creation, and I admit it’s a bit wacky. Industry norms have these cars all over the various categories. Anyway, the not-so-tall-or-boxy HHR takes the pole. The Soul is handily outselling the Cube, which is outselling the xB. The PT Cruiser says adios. The Element doesn’t really fit in very well with this bunch, but it’s always been an outsider. And the Camaro is whippin’ the ‘Stang’s butt. The Challenger isn’t challenging very much. Details: Read More >
Did you know Mercedes still sells the G-Wagen here? I’d kind of forgotten about it. But sixty-eight buyers hadn’t in November. But then I’ve never forgiven Mercedes for how they positioned it here as a gangsta’ mobile. It was/is the ultimate off-roader. Oh well. GM continues to dominate this market with their big boyz. Range Rover looks surprisingly healthy. Did Tata buy low? Details: Read More >
Impala. That one word pretty well sums up this category, in terms of the heavy players. It’s the only one to break into six figures (YTD). That’s a long way from 1965, when over a million Impalas were sold. And that’s not counting Bel Airs and Biscaynes. Details: Read More >
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