The new vehicle sales statistics for the month of March have just been released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa).
Overall new car and commercial vehicle sales for the month had registered modest gains compared to the corresponding month last year, said the association.
Aggregate Industry sales had improved by 2 552 units or 4.8% to 56 110 vehicles from 53 558 units in March last year.
However, new car sales in particular had registered relatively strong gains.
Total aggregate new car sales during March, at 38 970 units, reflected an improvement of 3 802 units or 10.8 % compared to the 35 168 new cars sold during March 2011.
Including estimates for MBSA commercial vehicle sales by segment – sales of new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and mini buses, at 14 556 units, reflected a decline of 1 183 units or 7.5% compared to the 15 739 light commercial vehicle sales during the corresponding month last year.
Sales of vehicles in the medium commercial vehicles category, at an estimated 934 units, recorded a decline of 22 units or 2.3%,
The heavy trucks and buses segments of the industry sold 1 650 units, a fall of 45 units or 2.7% compared to the corresponding month last year.
For the first quarter of 2012, commercial vehicle sales had under-performed the growth in the new car market.
