Car Sales Soar

Newcastle Herald

Thursday October 4, 2007

GREG WENDT BUSINESS EDITOR

SALES of new cars and trucks have accelerated in the Hunter in the past month, on the back of a strong national vehicle market.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, releasing its latest VFacts sales bulletin yesterday, said 83,489 new vehicles were sold in Australia in September compared with 79,993 in the same period last year.

Sales were on track for the market to break through one million vehicles over the full 12 months for the first time ever in a calendar year, according to the chamber.

Hunter dealers said yesterday the 4.4 per cent national increase was reflected in local sales of new vehicles.

Auto Advantage managing director Kyle Loades said business in the industry was strong.

"The national figures are good news for us in the Hunter as well," Mr Loades said.

"There are a number of factors contributing to the increase, including relatively low interest rates for car finance, combined with a low unemployment rate and smaller cars becoming more affordable and easier for people to buy."

The latest figures were separate from an earlier spike in sales after the June floods when buyers in the Hunter replaced damaged vehicles on insurance.

Kelly Holden dealer principal Lyndsay Trotter said family sized cars had boosted motor vehicle sales in the region.

"There is demand for commercial and fleet vehicles, but mum and dads are driving the tremendous popularity in the larger sedans," Mr Trotter said.

"We have doubled our volume of performance cars and of course there's a massive surge in the smaller car market."

The chamber said the performance took demand for the first three quarters of 2007 to 782,362, a rise of 8.3 per cent over the same period last year.

It said nationally Toyota was the top-selling car company in September with 18,358 vehicles.

TOP SELLING

COMPANIES vehicles

Toyota 18,353

Holden 11,632

Ford 8818

Mazda 6,016

Mitsubishi 4931

Nissan 4700

Honda 4321

Hyundai 4204

Subaru 3091

Volkswagen 2199

CARS

Holden Commodore 4525

Toyota Corolla 3561

Ford Falcon 2852

Mazda 3 2677

Toyota Camry 2173

Toyota Yaris 2140

Toyota HiLux 4x4 1987

Hyundai Getz 1757

Toyota Aurion 1585

Holden Astra 1441

Source: AAP

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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