The April holiday season of Easter and Anzac Day has contributed to a slowdown in new motor vehicle sales for the month.
Official VFACTS data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) today showed that 74,214 new vehicles were sold in April, down 8.8 percent compared with April 2010.
“It seems likely that the timing of the Easter and ANZAC Day holidays, combined with school holidays has been the major factor contributing to lower sales in the past month,” FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar, said today.
“Potentially some brands and model lines may face issues with supply over coming months, as a flow-on from the Japan earthquake and tsunami.
“However most brands have positioned themselves to ensure that they will have adequate stock to meet strong demand over the coming months.
“While this is a factor, we don’t expect it to detract from competitive pressures in the new vehicle market,” Mr McKellar added.
Mr McKellar also pointed to the ongoing strength of the Australian dollar as a factor underpinning record levels of vehicle affordability.
Motor Vehicle Sales – Top Ten Brands: April 2011
| 1 | Toyota | 13,683 |
| 2 | Holden | 9,113 |
| 3 | Hyundai | 6,857 |
| 4 | Ford | 6,465 |
| 5 | Mazda | 6,346 |
| 6 | Mitsubishi | 5,281 |
| 7 | Nissan | 4,248 |
| 8 | Volkswagen | 3,032 |
| 9 | Subaru | 2,457 |
| 10 | Honda | 2,445 |
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John Fuhrman
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