15 000 SUBSCRIBERS www.autolive.co.za Issue No. 81 | 29 January 2016 The Tumble Continues The Toyota Hilux was able to fend off a determined challenge from Ford’s Ranger for superiority in the SA one-ton bakkie market in 2015, but managed to do so by a margin of 1 768 units at the end of December. Ranger topped both the double cab and extra cab segments, but Hilux continued its dominance in the single cab sector where it retailed 18 902 units to the 9 547 Ranger single cabs sold. Sales of Hilux, together with Etios, Corolla, Quest and Quantum all played important roles in ensuring Toyota retained overall leadership of the SA vehicle market for the 36th consecutive year. BY ROGER HOUGHTON was set by Minister of Trade and Industry Rob However, a cloud hanging over the industry Davies to sell one million vehicles a year by 2020, this year is that it is again time for negotiating a with a signifi cant number built locally. (possible) three-year wage and working conditions Year-on-year retail vehicle sales in South Africa fell Th e bad news is set to continue as 2016 is ex- agreement with the unions. NUMSA’s political for the second successive year in 2015 with a drop pected to be a lacklustre year for the SA automotive aspirations coupled with the aims for wider recog- of 4.1% in the overall market compared to 2014. industry, particularly in the case of domestic new nition of the fl edgling Limusa union, which repre- Total sales last year amounted to 617 927 units vehicle sales according to NAAMSA. One bright sents metalworkers in Cosatu, mean that we could compared to the 644 259 units retailed in 2014 and spot, however, is that production levels which rose be in for another rough ride on the labour front. the 649 215 units sold in 2013. A sorry picture in a last year, should remain in an upward phase on the country where several years ago the industry target back of further growth in exports. continued on next page Page 11 Page 14 Page 20 Exports into Africa collapse New Porsche, new Kyalami Fiat makes a bakkie Subscribe for free @ www.autolive.co.za Page 2 Editor and General Manager continued from previous page see that the passenger car segment Some good news was the strong Liana Reiners took the biggest plunge with a fall of growth in the export of built-up [email protected] Domestically economic growth 5.9%. Th ere was a decrease of 3% in units, which reached the highest an- 083 407 4600 continues to disappoint, the falling sales of trucks and buses, while light nual total on record at 337 748 units. value of the rand has alarm bells commercials just held their head Th is was an improvement of 20.5% Contributors ringing and the country’s fi scal posi- above water with an increase of 0.4% on the performance in 2014. tion remains under pressure. over 2014. Th e big interest on the local sales Roger Houghton NAAMSA is forecasting total NAAMSA ascribes the down- front was the battle for supremacy in [email protected] vehicle sales in 2016 of 598 200 units, turn in local sales to a slowdown in the one-ton bakkie market between 082 371 9097 made up of 393 000 cars, 175 000 the economy, increases in interest the long-time champion Toyota LCVs and 30 200 trucks and buses. rates, pressure on consumers’ dispos- Hilux and Ford’s feisty challenger Stuart Johnston Th is equates to a further 3.2% drop able income while infl ationary pres- the Ranger. [email protected] in sales this year. sures and the falling rang increased Although Ranger won a couple 083 450 9255 Th e global economic environ- retail prices. of rounds during the year in the end ment is in a period of turmoil as we it was the entrenched Hilux that Advertising Sales all heard during the fi nancial sum- The passenger car came out on top on a full-year basis. Liana Reiners mit in Davos. International events segment took the Hilux sold 35 684 units to not only be [email protected] which dominated 2015 are likely to biggest plunge with king of the bakkies, but also the top- continue in the current ydear. Th ese selling vehicle model range overall in 083 407 4600 include the global economic slow- a fall of 5.9%. SA for 2015. Ranger sold 33 916 units down, notably in Asia, Africa, South and came out top in the double-cab Address America and parts of Europe, which It was a particularly diffi cult year for and extra-cab categories with Hilux 237 Rigel Avenue all adds to the relentless downward dealers, with many under pressure dominating single cab sales. Th is was Waterkloof Ridge pressure on commodity prices. Th e to pre-report sales to make targets also the fi rst time in many years that Pretoria turn in the US credit cycle is also a so as to qualify for fi nancial bonus the Hilux has not been dethroned in PO Box 914 005 factor according to NAAMSA. benefi ts from OEMs and importers. the year of a model run-out as the On the other hand the global Besides that the industry in South new model arrives here next month. Wingate Park economic outlook, despite recent Africa is currently one of the most Th ird in the LCV market was the 0153 modest reductions in growth competitive in the world with no Nissan NP 200 (18 124), fourth the 012 460 4448 projections, generally remains fairly fewer than 52 brands off ering 2 595 Chevrolet Utility (16 341) and fi ft h positive going forward. Th is situation model derivatives. the Isuzu KB (16 318). Website should lend support to SA’s improv- Th e rental industry was again Th e Volkswagen Polo Vivo was www.autolive.co.za ing built-up vehicle export perfor- a major player and accounted for top of the pile among passenger cars mance in 2016. Vehicle exports to the 12.5% of sales. with sales of 32 384 units, ahead Facebook US, Europe, Australasia and South Preliminary estimates indicate of its Polo stablemate (22 758). Th e America are expected to show good that the motor industry’s sales- Toyota Etios (16 270) was third, fol- www.facebook.com/pages/AutoLive upwards momentum. related turnover grew by only 3.6% lowed by the Mercedes-Benz C-Class © 2015 WCM Media CC Looking back at the vehicle sales in 2015 to reach about R235-billion (12 592) and the Toyota Corolla/ situation in South Africa in 2015 we for the year. Quest (11 975). ■ Production Aggregate annual industry sales by sector over the past six years Marketing Support Services +27 (0)12 346 2168 2015 / 2014 SECTOR 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 [email protected] % CHANGE Cars 337 130 396 292 442 604 450 296 438 942 412 826 -5.9% Disclaimer While reasonable precautions have Light Commercials 133 756 149 301 160 174 167 996 173 759 174 490 +0.4% been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given Medium Commercials 7 557 9 218 10 104 11 584 11 024 10 488 -4.9% to readers, neither the editor, the Heavy, Extra Heavy proprietors, nor the publishers 14 464 17 438 17 737 19 340 20 534 20 123 -2.0% Commercials, Buses can accept any responsibility for any damages or injury which may Total Vehicles 492 907 572 249 630 619 649 216 644 259 617 927 -4.1% arise therefrom. Supplied by Naamsa MONTHLY SALES STATISTICS The growing amount of advertising in AutoLive has made it necessary to relocate the four pages of detailed monthly vehicle sales analysis to the website www.autolive.co.za. CLICK HERE to access Subscribe for free @ www.autolive.co.za Page 3 Winners Both New and Used Editor’s Note There is little over a month to go before the 2016 WesBank/SA Guild of Motoring Journalists’ Car of the Year is announced. So the fi rst month of 2016 is on its head and the 2015 sales fi gures are in. Th e picture Th e competition has grown signifi cantly in up a runners-up medal and can now also be is glum, to say the least. stature over the last few years to become a found on Gumtree, ranging from R160 000 But then we expected that respected sign of excellence for its winners to R240 000. didn’t we? and since it is judged on criteria such as Th e competition has also seen the So what is there to value for money, safety, technology and Range Rover Evoque and the Nissan Juke get excited about? Well, as performance, it can help you establish what emerge as fi nalists in recent years and both always we’ll be treated to a host of new models and prob- cars to consider and pursue in the search for are now fi rm favourites amongst Gumtree’s ably the most eagerly anticipated of those is the new Toyota your next purchase. vast second-hand fl eet, as are the updated Hilux. Th at launch happens next month. Another newcomer It’s interesting to note, though, that past Nissan Qashqai and the Renault Duster. to the local market we are particularly keen to set eyes on is winners and fi nalists remain popular in the “Vehicle sales, both new and used, are a a bakkie from Fiat.