French November car sales drop 7.6 pct (01/12/2011)

There was a 7.6 per cent decline in the number of new cars sold in France in November, according to the national CCFA automakers' association. In an email to Reuters, the organisation indicated that this was a 0.3 per cent decline across the first 11 months of the year.

However, light commercial vehicle sales increased in November by 9.9 per cent, contributing to a more favourable 11-month average of 2.9 per cent. There were also substantial declines in new car sales across Europe during the same period, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EAMA).

Maruti Sales Fall, Rival Carmakers Gain (01/12/2011)

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has posted a decline in car sales for the sixth consecutive month in November, failing to capitalise where other manufactures grew. Tata Motors Ltd and the India units at Toyota Motor Corp, Hyundai Motor Corp and Ford Motor Corp all took advantage of the spurt in demand for diesel-powered vehicles.

Maruti Suzuki India posted an 18 per cent fall, selling just 82,870 vehicles, despite a 22 per cent rise in demand for April-October. By contrast, sales by India's biggest sport utility vehicle maker, Mahindra & Mahindra, increased by 53 per cent compared to earlier in the year.

Car sales down again in Nov. (01/12/2011)

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors were buoyed by export sales in November, while both suffered domestically in the Korean automotive market.

Hyundai Motor sold 320,790 units abroad in total, including exports and overseas production, while Kia Motors reported 13.4 per cent year-on-year growth with sales of 202,259 units overseas.

However, both saw sales at home drop. Hyundai recorded a 9.3 per cent year-on-year decline to 54,732 units in November 2011, while Kia Motors sold just 39,031 units, down 11.4 per cent over the same period.

GM Korea and Ssangyong Motor also followed similar trends with overseas and domestic sales, while Renault Samsung Motors saw both exports and domestic sales decline.

U.S. auto sales rise to near two-year high (01/12/2011)

Car sales in the US received a substantial boost in November, with Chrysler Group LLC and Volkswagen AG recording 45 per cent and 41 per cent increases respectively. Total average sales were on track to hit a two-year high, with Hyundai Motor Co (22 per cent), Nissan Motor Co (19 per cent) and Ford Motor Co (13 per cent) also posting double digit gains.

These results suggest November sales will exceed expectations for annualised sales rates, with anything above 13.4 million set to be the strongest market since the introduction of government purchase incentives in 2009.

Strong sales came despite lower discounts from automakers, with average vehicle prices rising to $30,000, according to research by TrueCar.com. General Motors and Toyota Motor Co sales were less impressive, with just seven per cent increases, while Honda Motor recorded 6.4 per cent declines.

New car sales down 4.2 percent in November - SMMT (06/12/2011)

Sales of new cars in the UK fell by 4.2 per cent in November. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show 134,027 units were sold throughout the month, although this puts the sector on course to exceed forecasted sales for the full year of 1.923 million.

Car registrations for the year to date were down 4.5 per cent, but look set to reach close to 1.94 million. However, while fleet sales were up by 7.5 per cent, private and business car sales were both down. HIS Global Insight economist Howard Archer explained that the outlook for car manufacturers is being viewed in the context of a struggling economy and waning business and consumer confidence.

"Increasingly worried businesses are under pressure to contain costs as the economy struggles for growth and the outlook appears ever more difficult. This increases the risk for car manufacturers that many businesses and fleet operators could delay replacing vehicles," he said.

Brazil November Auto Sales Fall 2% On Year, Rise 16% On Month (07/12/2011)

Sales of new vehicles in Brazil totalled 3.1 million at the end of November, a 4.3 per cent climb over the first 11 months of 2010, according to the automaker association Anfavea. There was a 15.7 per cent increase in sales of cars and light commercial vehicles compared to October.

However, totals were down year-on-year by two per cent. Fiat SpA remains the top selling brand in Brazil (53,008), while Volkswagen AG), General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co sold 50,917, 47,213 and 21,542 sales respectively.

Exports sales also showed strong increases compared to 2010, with $1.1 billion sales in November and $11.3 billion for first 11 months of the year. Total sales across Brazil totaled 3.1 million, a 4.3 per cent rise compared to the first 11 months of the year.

Car sales up 7 pct; cos may 'just break even' in FY12 (08/12/2011)

India's car makers face a struggle to break even for the fiscal year to the end of March 2012, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The organisation's senior director, Sugato Sen, has told Reuters it will revise down its car sales growth estimates for the year, in the face of rising output costs and higher interest rates. "There is some revival in demand. But this is not enough to turn around the industry," he explained.

While sales rose by seven per cent in November, year-on-year, sales over the first eight months of the fiscal year are down 3.5 per cent over a 12-month period. Speaking to the news agency, Angel Broking auto analyst Yaresh Kothari explained: "Maruti's strike is still distorting the numbers a little, and adding to the undeniable slowdown in the market."

Mexico Auto Sales Increased 10% in November, AMIA Reports (14/12/2011)

Sales of cars and light trucks in Mexico reached 83,107 units in November compared to 75,582 in November 2010, reflecting a ten per cent increase year-on-year, according to the Automobile Industry Association.

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