- Passenger vehicle sales remain strong supported by Ford Figo with 1204 units in March 2011 – FMCSA top three in passenger vehicle sales.
PRETORIA, 1 April 2011 – March 2011 saw continued growth for Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) with its Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) range and Ford Figo passenger car cementing its standing as an overall top-four manufacturer in South Africa.
FMCSA’s strong sales in March reflects the positive sentiment in new vehicle sales in South Africa. The company’s strong LCV performance in March contributed to a 33.1% increase on FMCSA’s February 2011 sales, 10.7% up on the same period last year. Its top three position in the LCV market continued to be supported by strong Ford Ranger sales (930 units).
“Sales in the passenger car segment for FMCSA continue to reflect the demand for entry-level vehicles, Figo performing well with sales of 1 204 units in March,” says Vice President Marketing, Sales and Service, Dean Stoneley. “The Ford Figo’s independent recognition as a finalist in the South African Car of The Year competition will certainly continue to maintain Ford’s presence as a leader in this highly competitive space,” he says.
According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), overall passenger vehicle sales (Incl. AMH and AAD) were up 3.3% in March to 35 167 units compared to February 2011 and 23.5% up on March 2010. FMCSA’s passenger vehicle sales out-performed market growth, up 55.2% on March 2010.
Total market sales grew 22.8% year on year, 8,8% up on February, ending first quarter sales in a very strong position. March sales accounted for 53,478 new vehicle registrations.
“While first quarter sales have been exceptionally strong, April will be a challenging month for the market due to fewer selling days as a result of the public holidays.
TOP PERFORMING NEW PASSENGER VEHICLES March 2011
- VW POLO Vivo 2 144
- TOYOTA Corolla 1 984
- VW POLO 1 823
- TOYOTA Yaris ZEN 1 445
- MERCEDES C-Class 1 342
- FORD Figo 1 204
- BMW 3-Series 1 169
- TOYOTA Fortuner 983
- CHEV Aveo 894
- CHEV Cruze 725
TOP PERFORMING NEW LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES March 2011
- TOYOTA Hilux 3 767
- CHEV Corsa Utility 1 690
- ISUZU KB 1 680
- NISSAN NP200 1 264
- TOYOTA Quantum 1 121
- FORD Ranger 930
- NISSAN NP300 Hardbody 857
- FORD Bantam 786
- MAZDA BT-50 465
- VW Amarok 456
Source: Naamsa
