VFACTS: Magic million sales smashed

AUSTRALIA new-vehicle sales have blasted past the one million mark with a full month of 2013 to go, propelled by record November registrations.

It is the first time the industry has achieved one million sales by November, busting the previous best 11-month tally of 963,732 set before the global financial crisis in 2007.

Vehicle sales are up 9.8 per cent on last year, to 1,016,605 vehicles, and well on track for the biggest annual haul in history of about 1,120,000, official VFACTS figures released today show.

Although other economic indicators in Australia are pointed down, resulting in lowered interest rates this week, the car industry shifted a November-best 98,347 cars, SUVs, utes and trucks last month.

New key models and heavy-duty marketing campaigns – including cut-price finance – are helping to drive the market to new heights.

Long-time market leader Toyota crunched all comers, aided by the arrival of its all-new Corolla small car that zoomed to the top of the sales ladder in its first month on sale here.

From top: Toyota Australia's Matthew Callachor Mazda3 Toyota Camry and HiLux.

Corolla’s 4190 sales tally is short of its one-month record of 5912 in June 2006, but up 12.3 per cent on its November 2011 performance.

It outsold its arch-rival and Australia’s top-selling car for the year to date, the Mazda3, which achieved 3703 sales last month to take second place.

Toyota had three cars in the top four sellers for the month, with Corolla being joined by the evergreen HiLux (3403 units) in third place, and its locally made Camry (3145) in fourth spot.

Camry again was Australia’s best selling locally-made model, with Holden’s Commodore slipping a further 5.3 per cent, to 2659 units last month.

Toyota’s November sales reached 19,312 vehicles, up 10.8 per cent on the corresponding month last year, and it is now running 18.6 per higher year to date.

Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Matthew Callachor said the latest results confirmed the industry would achieve a record full-year total.

"If sales over the next four weeks merely match those in December last year at 82,459 new vehicles, then the 2012 total will be tantalisingly close to 1.1 million," he said.

"Significant demand has been generated through strong competition, enticing offers, a healthy supply of vehicles and low interest rates that are continuing to fall.”

Mr Callachor said the industry's previous sales record was 1.05 million in 2007, followed by million-plus totals in 2008 and the past two years.

Holden retained second place for the month, up 6.1 per cent to 10,354 vehicles.

Top importer Mazda continued on its merry way with 8732 sales and third place on the rankings, up 8.7 per cent.

Ford’s 8529 sales last month represented a 5.3 per cent improvement over November last year, but with the overall market advancing 10.9 per cent, it effectively is still sliding.

The Falcon sedan was down 25.6 per cent for the month, on 1206 units, with Falcon ute 16.4 per cent in arrears on 444 new registrations. The Territory SUV was the one shining light among the Blue Oval’s locally built models, up 9.9 per cent on 1296 units.

Hyundai (7756) likewise was hanging on last month, up 3.2 per cent on November 2011, with aggressive rival Nissan closing the gap with a 20.1 per cent jump in sales, to 7006 per cent.

It was Nissan’s best November result, with some of its key models such as Navara, X-Trail and Dualis recording November best results.

Mitsubishi was the only top-10 company to record a sales deficit last month, with sales of its vehicles down 2.2 per cent to 5008 units, even though its Outlander (1524) was the top-selling medium SUV for the month.

The biggest November rise was recorded by Honda which came back from its 2011 year from hell – when it was massively short of stock due to natural disasters in both Japan and Thailand – to burst through the 4000-unit mark – up almost 80 per cent on November last year.

Subaru also enjoyed a 33.6 per cent sales rise in November – to 33.6 per cent – to round out the top 10.

Top 10 brands November 2012

Rank	Brand	Sales	Movement %
1	Toyota	19,312	+10.8
2	Holden	10,354	+6.1
3	Mazda	8732	+8.7
4	Ford	8529	+5.3
5	Hyundai	7756	+3.2
6	Nissan	7006	+20.1
7	Mitsubishi	5008	-2.2
8	Volkswagen	4370	+14.3
9	Honda	4005	+79.4
10	Subaru	3212	+33.6