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Este informe no está disponible en español. CARIBBEAN BUSINESS Local Auto Sales Down 1.4% In JuneYear-To-Date Sales Of 58,694 Units Are 6.5% Lower Than During Same Period In 2002 By JOSE L. CARMONA July 17, 2003 After jumping 14.2% in May, local auto sales slipped a little in June, despite the availability of financing incentives, manufacturers’ cash rebates, and the arrival of new models at island dealerships. With 10,665 units sold (in all categories), auto sales in June were 1.4% lower than the 10,811 units sold in May, according to the latest monthly automobile retail-sales report prepared and distributed by Plaza Motors Corp. The local auto industry considers monthly sales of 10,000 units average. Last month’s sales were 7% higher than June 2002’s 9,970 units. Nevertheless, year-to-date sales of 58,694 units are 6.5% lower than the 62,795 units sold during the same period last year. Of the total units sold in June, 6,004, or 56.3%, were cars and 4,661, or 43.7%, were sport utility vehicles (SUVs), which include light trucks and minivans. Based on the year’s sales through June, Toyota remains the No. 1 brand with 14,397 units (cars and SUVs) sold, followed by Ford with 6,790 and Suzuki with 5,683. In fourth place is Mitsubishi with 5,085 units, while General Motors is in fifth place with 5,011 units. In sixth place is DaimlerChrysler with 3,842 units sold. Nissan is in seventh place with 3,819 units, followed by Mazda with 2,545, Hyundai with 2,290, and Honda with 2,170 units sold so far this year. Of the 10 best-selling brands, Honda and Toyota are the only ones to have experienced year-to-date sales gains—of 10.8% and 6.5%, respectively—in comparison with 2002. With six months remaining in the year, BMW leads in the luxury vehicle segment with 538 units sold through June, followed by Mercedes-Benz with 463 units, Lexus with 426, Acura with 289, Infiniti with 214, and Audi with 139. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, and Audi are experiencing significant sales increases despite the Calderon administration’s implementation in June 2002 of stiff excise-tax hikes on luxury vehicles. Top 10 Brands & Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles in Puerto Rico June 2002 vs. June 2003 Brand: YTD 2003 / YTD 2002 / % Change Toyota: 14,397 / 13,512 / +6.6 Ford: 6,790 / 8,450 / -19.6 Suzuki: 5,683 / 6,320 / -10.1 Mitsubishi: 5,085 / 6,426 / -20.9 GM: 5,011 / 5,234 / -4.3 Chrysler: 3,842 / 4,005 / -4.1 Nissan: 3,819 / 3,856 / -1.0 Mazda: 2,545 / 2,734 / -6.9 Hyundai: 2,290 / 2,362 / -3.1 Honda: 2,170 / 1,959 / +10.8 Luxury vehicles BMW: 538 / 341 / +57.8 Mercedes: 463 / 352 / +31.5 Lexus: 426 / 428 / -0.5 Acura: 289 / 365 / -20.8 Infiniti: 214 / 154 / +38.9 Audi: 139 / 117 / +18.8 Source: Plaza Motors Corp.’s Puerto Rico Automobile Retail Sales Report This Caribbean Business article appears courtesy of Casiano Communications.
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