SE Asian and China sales report

THAILAND: Pick-up sales plunge in June

The Thai pick-up truck market declined 23.2% to 25,260 units in June compared with 32,904 units a year earlier, according to data released by Toyota Motor Thailand - the country's dominant automotive company.

The sharp drop in June eroded gains made earlier in the year, with first-half sales declining by 0.73% to 181,191 units - including pick-up truck-derived passenger vehicles (PPVs). On average, pick-up trucks account for roughly two thirds of total vehicle sales in Thailand.

Toyota cited a sharp rise in fuel prices, particularly diesel which now costs around THB45 per litre (US$1.34), as one of the main reasons for declining pick-up truck purchases. The company suggests that buyers are turning increasingly towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, including the growing range of biofuel-compatible models.

Toyota sold 11,589 pick-up trucks in June, down by 25.9% compared with 15,643 units sold a year earlier. Isuzu sales fell by 4.3% to 9,669 units, from 10,096 units; and Mitsubishi by 34% to 1,333 units, from 2,021 units a year earlier.

In the first six months of the year, Toyota sold 74,569 pick-up-based vehicles, followed by Isuzu with 67,445 units; Nissan 13,856; Mitsubishi 11,908; Chevrolet 5,379; Mazda 4,422; and Ford with 4,270 units. India's Tata Motors, which began selling pickup trucks in May, has sold 42 units year-to-date.


PHILIPPINES: Sales up 10% in June

The Philippine vehicle market continued its recovery in June with sales rising by 10.6% to 10,772 units compared with 9,736 units a year earlier, according to data released by The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (Campi).

The growth trend is seen as weakening, however, with month-on-month sales dropping 1.2%, from 10,900 units in May.

In the first six months of 2008, sales rose 13.6% to 61,654 vehicles, compared with 54,257 units a year earlier.

Passenger car sales have under-performed during in this period, with sales rising 10.9% to 21,003 units despite the introduction of new models and a shift towards more fuel-efficient vehicles.

First half commercial_vehicle sales rose by 15.1% year-on-year to 40,651 units, although month-on-month volumes fell by 4.2% as rising fuel prices began to take their toll. Sales of SUVs and light commercial vehicles dropped particularly sharply month-on-month.

The recent typhoon is also said to have disrupted sales operations in the central provinces in June, with a significant number of purchases delayed - particularly of large trucks and buses.

In the six months, Toyota Motor sold 22,209 vehicles, followed by Mitsubishi with 8,365 units, and Honda with 7,759 units.

VIETNAM: Vehicle sales up 141% in H1

Vehicle sales in Vietnam rose 141% year-on-year in the first half of 2008 according to industry group the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA).

VAMA said from January to June its members sold 68,609 vehicles, including cars, trucks and buses, compared with 28,522 in the first six months of 2007.

Japan's Toyota topped the list with 12,510 units sold, followed by domestic companies Vinamotor with 14,594 units and Truong Hai with 11,295.

In June alone, car sales were up by 60 percent year-on-year at 9,749 units, the association said.

However, auto sales were down 15 percent from May to June after the government raised some taxes in a bid to curb imports.

CHINA: Passenger car sales up 14.2% in H1

China's domestic car market reached sales of 3.3m passenger vehicles from January to June, up 14.2% from the corresponding period of last year but lower than earlier expectations of growth of 20%, according to statement by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

Tighter government monetary policies, as well as record high oil prices are reportedly the contributing factors to the slower growth.

Rao Da, secretary general of CPCA, also attributed the slowdown to floods in South China that hindered production of some carmakers and resulted in suspension of vehicle shipments.

China raised prices of gasoline and diesel by 18% at the end of June.

[Source : Just-Auto]