Western Australia continues to dominate motor vehicle sales growth among the states, with year-to-date sales to the end of October up more than 10 per cent to 9,591 when compared to the same period in 2005.
Western Australia continues to dominate motor vehicle sales growth among the states, with year-to-date sales to the end of October up more than 10 per cent to 9,591 when compared to the same period in 2005.
That compares to the national average of -2.8 per cent,with WA the only state where sales of cars and trucks is in positive territory.
Toyota continued to monopolise the top of the sales league ladder, with year-to-date sales hitting 21,177, a more than 24 per cent increase on the previous corresponding period.
Holden sales, by contrast, were down 4.5 per cent to 14,254.
Ford was better at 4.6 per cent growth to 9,366 and Hyundai was up 6.3 per cent to 8,670.
Top WA truck brand Isuzu saw sales climb 21.4 per cent to 816 for the year-to-date, while Hino sales jumped 29.6 per cent to 586.
At the glamour end of the market, Maserati sales in WA hit 14 so far in 2006, up from six at the same time last year. Mercedes-Benz is also driving strongly, up 33 per cent to 1,129 vehicles.
BMW is up almost 10 per cent to 1,047 and Lexus has gained more than 100 per cent to 289. Alpha Romeo is 27 per cent better at 94 cars and Audi added 45 per cent to 330.
Porsche sales were 78, compared to 66, Aston Martin has jumped to 10 from seven, Bentley was seven, up from five, Lotus and Rolls Royce have both sold one (compared to none last year), Lamborghini has doubled to two and Ferrari has slumped to five from 10.
Below is a media release we have just received from the Motor Trade Association:
Western Australian new vehicle sales continued to surge in October with 9,591 new vehicles of all types sold, compared to 8,349 in October 2005. This represents an increase of 14.9%.
Overall, Western Australia has sold 91,431 vehicles in 2006 compared to 82,824 in 2005 on a calendar year to date basis or an increase of 10.4%.
Motor Trade Association Executive Director, Mr Fitzpatrick said "this means that Western Australia is heading for its fifth consecutive record year of new vehicle sales and that sales in the 2006 calendar year will easily break through the 100,000 vehicle per year barrier set last year. It would seem likely that the year end figure will be closer to 110,000 vehicles sold."
The big movers are light passenger vehicles, up 33% which seems to be at the expense of large passenger vehicles such as Commodore, Falcon and Mitsubishi 380 which are down 11.3% this year.
The other major trend setters are small four wheel drives (SUV compacts) that are up 22.8% for the year.
Surprisingly, large SUVs were up 49.5% during October but are only up 0.9% for the year. There was a similar movement in passenger vehicles with the larger category Statesman/Fairlane, up 122% in October and up 31.3% in the year.
These figures would seem to suggest a shift in buyer sentiment following a sudden drop in fuel prices