Australian vehicle sales set new record in September

Australian new vehicle sales set a new record in September with a sales surge in four-wheel drives, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) said Tuesday.

Overall motor vehicle sales totaled to 85,054 units in September, which includes passenger cars, special utility vehicles and commercial vehicles, an improvement by 8.9 percent or 6,293 units on the corresponding month in 2009, according to FCAI.

FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar said the number of units sold during September was a new record for the month.

Sales of four-wheel drives rose 36.3 percent in September, followed by a 3.1 percent increase in passenger cars and light commercials up 1.7 percent.

The automotive body said vehicles sales were 780,720 in the year to September 30, an increase of 14.5 percent on the same period in 2009.

"It is encouraging to see that sales to private buyers recorded the largest increase this month (up 14.2 percent) which is further evidence of renewed confidence in the marketplace," McKellar said in a statement.

"Given the continued strength of the market in recent months, the industry has revised its annual sales forecast to more than one million sales - up from the previous projection of more than 980,000."

McKellar said, "The Australian market has only twice recorded a market with more than one million sales so this will be quite an achievement."