Global automakers find sweet spot in Canada
by CanadianManufacturing.com Staff
December 2013 sales were stronger than the five-year historical average for the month
TORONTO—December sales helped propel global automotive companies in Canada to a record year for auto sales in 2013.
1,743,112 units sold in 2013 eclipsed the old sales record set in 2002 by more than 40,000 units. A total of 113,036 units were sold in December, representing a 3.8 per cent increase over last December. Sales for the year were four per cent higher than 2012.
According to Global Automakers of Canada (GAC), December’s sales were stronger than the five-year historical average for the month, representing a 4.5 per cent increase over the average sales for December of 108,151 vehicles.
“Canadians continued to respond to very attractive vehicle finance and lease options in December,” said David Adams, president of Global Automakers of Canada. “Waning consumer confidence may have affected other consumer purchases but it does not seem to have impacted auto sales to any great degree.”
For the member companies of the Global Automakers of Canada, overall sales of 64,508 units represented growth of 2.7 per cent compared to last December. Annual sales for GAC members of 966,157 units were 3.8 per cent better than sales in 2012.
Overall passenger car sales for the month of December fell by 9.7 per cent to 43,354 units, while light truck sales of 69,682 units, were up by 14.4 per cent.
Car sales were down 9.4 per cent to 34,051 units, for GAC members, while light truck sales increased to 30,457 units (up 21 per cent) in December. On an annual basis, passenger car sales were up by 0.6 per cent to 764,382 units, while light truck sales advanced 6.9 per cent to 978,730 units. For GAC members, annual passenger car sales were down by 0.2 per cent to 575,920 units, while light truck sales increased 10.4% to 390,237 units.
Light trucks represented more than 60 per cent of the market at 61.6 per cent of all sales in December compared to 55.9 per cent for the same month last year. For the full year, light trucks represented 56.1 per cent of total sales compared to 54.7 per cent last year
GAC members’ sales represented 57 per cent of total market sales, about the same as a year ago. For the year, GAC member sales were 55 per cent of the market, the same as for 2012.
The Global Automakers of Canada is a national industry association representing companies “domiciled” outside of North America that manufacture, import, distribute and service light duty vehicles.
GAC members include: BMW Canada Inc., Honda Canada Inc., Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., Jaguar Land Rover Canada ULC, Kia Canada Inc., Mazda Canada Inc., Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, Inc., Nissan Canada Inc., Porsche Cars Canada Ltd., Subaru Canada Inc., Suzuki Canada Inc., Toyota Canada Inc., Volkswagen Group Canada Inc. and Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
