Exports of SA-built vehicles hit high in 2018
Overseas performance compensates for disappointing sales in local market
Exports of SA-built vehicles hit a record high in 2018, compensating for what turned out to be a disappointing year for sales in the local market. A 56% export boost in December (manufacturers shipped 31,437 cars and commercial vehicles to more than 100 countries around the world, compared to 20,107 in December 2017) propelled the full-year total to 351,154. That was a 3.9% improvement on 2017’s figure of 338,096 but also took the number past the previous annual record of 344,821, set in 2016. Domestic sales fell 1% in 2018, the fourth annual decline in five years. Since 2013, only 2017 has displayed growth. Sales of all new vehicles slid 1.9% in December 2018 from the corresponding month of 2017, from 40,751 to 39,984. The result was that full-year 2018 sales fell 1%, from 557,703 to 552,190. Figures were released this week by the department of trade & industry. Car sales fell 0.2% in December from a year earlier, from 26,595 to 26,547. For 2018 as a whole, they were down 0.8%, fro...
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