Japan In October 2011: Up By A Good Clip
Regular Vehicle Sales Japan October 2011
ManufacturerOct ’11Oc t ’10ChangeFYTD’11FYTD’10ChangeDaihatsu44128952.6%2,5785,364-51.9%Hino2,7941,62871.6%27,72424,07715.1%Honda36,35530,42219.5%314,810425,375-26.0%Isuzu2,9372,59713.1%33,61737,321-9.9%Lexus4,3082,068108.3%36,32829,81421.8%Mazda11,4576,09588.0%124,357159,803-22.2%Mitsubishi4,0632,50062.5%46,95561,859-24.1%Mitsubishi Fuso2,9311,88355.7%21,28920,6103.3%Nissan33,63125,37332.5%372,341442,894-15.9%Subaru5,7853,13884.4%62,11869,562-10.7%Suzuki6,0254,45035.4%64,92750,53528.5%Toyota122,208101,51820.4%935,8001,357,027-31.0%UD Trucks85546185.5%6,6386,951-4.5%Other14,13710,83630.5%165,396155,6126.3%Total247,927193,25828.3%2,214,8782,846,804-22.2%Sales of new cars in Japan rose 28.3 percent in October to 247,927 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association reports today. For the current fiscal year (April-October), sales are still 22.2 percent in the hole at 2,214,878 units, compared to 2,846,804 units sold in the same period of 2010. The numbers do not include sales of separately reported minivehicles. The numbers are not a sign of newfound health. They are simply the effect of a comparison with a market that had crashed in fall 2010 after subsidies were withdrawn.
Sales of mini, or kei cars rose 19.9 percent in October year-on-year, the Japan Mini Vehicle Association reports. While the growth looks less dramatic than regular cars, Japanese kei cars had not fallen as deep. For the tens month of the calendar year, sales are only down 16.5 percent.
Mini Vehicle Sales Japan October 2011
ManufacturerOct ’11Oct ’10ChangeYTD’11YTD’10ChangeSuzuki39,26540,671-3.5%392,996485,909-19.1%Daihatsu52,14840,16029.9%445,466523,890-15.0%Mitsubishi6,0746,333-4.1%79,03992,925-14.9%Subaru6,4935,82211.5%66,96785,721-21.9%Honda10,3067,32240.8%106,336138,548-23.2%Mazda3,8222,50552.6%38,60644,556-13.4%Nissan13,2268,25560.2%119,064126,253-5.7%Toyota1,84502,061Other82300.0%3779-53.2%Total133,187111,07019.9%1,250,5721,497,881-16.5%Careful: Fiscal (April-October) year for regular cars, calendar (January-October) year for kei cars. Who says it’s easy.
Consolidated across mini and regular vehicles, sales grew 25.2 percent according to our spreadsheet. No year-to-date numbers due to the aforementioned differences.
All Vehicle Sales Japan October 2011, Consolidated
ManufacturerOct ’11Oct ’10ChangeDaihatsu52,58940,44930.0%Hino2,7941,62871.6%Honda46,66137,74423.6%Isuzu2,9372,59713.1%Lexus4,3082,068108.3%Mazda15,2798,60077.7%Mitsubishi10,1378,83314.8%Mitsubishi Fuso2,9311,88355.7%Nissan46,85733,62839.3%Subaru12,2788,96037.0%Suzuki45,29045,1210.4%Toyota124,053101,51822.2%UD Trucks85546185.5%Other14,14510,83830.5%Total381,114304,32825.2%
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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How does Hyundai and Kia compare to these numbers?
Wow, Daihatsu only sells hundreds of cars each months? And their sales fell by half this year? Not even 300 units a month? That's one seriously small niche manufacturers. Good thing they're hitched to Toyota then, otherwise they would be extinct long ago. I thought Kei cars were big in Japan?