YEAR IN REVIEW
Advances put a smile on a gloomy year
2016 was dominated by declining new car sales, but among the issues were also some positives
This year will be one to forget for many in the local vehicle industry, especially those on the front line: the dealers. Sales of new cars plummeted 12.3% to the end of November. The same was true in most segments of the truck market, although buses were up 12.6% for the year to date. Overall the industry dropped 11%. It is dire news for the new-car market, creating a ripple effect through all elements of the chain, including finance. Sadly, it might also have had an effect on budgets, which affected media, with the closure of one of SA’s best-know motoring titles in 2016. We also said goodbye to brands. Just last week we broke the news that Citroen vehicles will no longer be available in the country. Instead, the company is going to focus on Peugeot models, while hoping to find a joint-venture partner that can re-establish Citroen within the next three years. Dodge and Chrysler announced they would not make their new models in right-hand drive, effectively putting an end to their p...
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