Auto Sales Thriving in August Slack Season, Manufacturers Confident in Fourth Quarter

As a traditional slack season, part of auto companies have hot weather vocation in August, and people hold cautious expectation for sales and manufacture. However, slack season is not slack this August. According to statistics, production and sales have remained two figures growth, increase 13.2% and 13.6% respectively. As industry expected, it is no suspense that whether or not industry growth will exceed 10%. It considers about 15% growth instead, and whether sales exceeds 22 million.

With the stimulation of “golden September” and high way free on National Day, sales of August has increased obviously. General passenger car production is 1.38 million, which has increased 13.2% over the production of last month, and increased 13.2% over last year. Sales is 1.32 million, which has increased 10.7% over last month, and increase 13.6% over last year.

SUV has remained high growth. Production and sales of August have increased 44.4% and 46.3% over last year. Accumulate production of Jan. to Aug. exceeds 1.8 million and sales exceeds 1.7 million. Saloon car production and sales have reached 7.61 million and 7.15 million, which has increased 10% and 13.1%. Only minibus has negative growth, production and sales of August have decreased 0.5% and 4.9% respectively.

Contributing to new cars launching and price promotion, Japan car has taken back its market share. Although production and sales have not realized profit in the first 8 months yet, loss has narrowed already. Toyota slight decreases 4.2%, and Honda decreases 2.5%. Winners are still Germany, American and Korea cars. Volkswagen has sold 2.06 million vehicles in the first 8 months, which has hit record high and increased 17.9%. Meanwhile, GM has sold 2.03 million, which has increased 10.7%. Besides, Beijing Hyundai has sold 84,055 in August, and Dongfeng KIA has sold 40,298.

Some auto companies were still watching when July sales statistics published. But when reporter interviews companies after August, they have no doubt to achieve annual sales goal. They are considering about whether to plus new sales task in.

August sales top ten are: FAW-Volkswagen, Shanghai GM, Shanghai Volkswagen, Beijing Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, SAIC-GM-Wuling, Great Wall, KIA and Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile. Just like before, there is only one Chinese brand Great Wall on shortlist. Meanwhile, auto export has its Waterloo. Negative growth seems very sure. Secretary-general of Passenger Car Association said during interview that local auto company has to rethink deeply. When looking back auto export record, it has a huge fluctuation. It may have 100% growth, but it will come back to liberation time over year as well.