Car sales post robust growth in Pakistan

By APD writer Muhammad Sohail

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 12 (APD) -- Car sales continued to show robust growth in Pakistan, reaching 87,273 units during the period of July-November 2017 against 71,877 units in the same period of the previous fiscal year, a report said Tuesday.

However, the bus sales remained in the red as its overall sales plunged to 276 units from 468, but assemblers of heavy vehicles covered up their bus sales losses with surging sales of trucks which swelled to 3,574 units from 2,766.

Figures released by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) showed a slight fall in Toyota Corolla sales to 21,518 units in the first five months of this fiscal year from 21,628 units.

Sales of Honda Civic and Honda City reached 17,157 from 14,155 units.

Suzuki Swift sales stood at 1,760 units versus 1,789 units in the same period last year. Introduction of the new model of Suzuki Cultus boosted sales to 8,002 units from 5,805 units in July-November 2016 while Suzuki WagonR sales almost doubled to 11,383 from 6,183 units.

Amid tough challenge with 660cc used imported cars, Suzuki Mehran excelled with sales of 18,829 as against 14,394 units.

Suzuki Bolan, which was losing ground after the end of government patronage, appeared to have recovered with sales of 8,624 units in July-Nov 2017 as compared to 7,923 units in the corresponding period of 2016.

In trucks, Hino maintained its top position achieving sales of 1,496 units as compared to 1,214 units followed by 621 units by Master and 1,439 units by Isuzu as against 402 and 807 units respectively in July-Nov 2016. Nissan had already shut down its production of trucks from July 2017.

In buses, Hino and Isuzu sales fell to 149 and 20 units from 336 and 80 units while Master bus emerged triumphant by registering sales of 107 units as compared to 52 units.

In Jeeps, Toyota Fortuner reached a new height of 1,408 units from 187 while sales of Honda BR-V, introduced in July 2017, recorded 4,410 units. Suzuki Ravi sales recovered to 9,178 units from 7,459 units. Ravi was also the main vehicle delivered under Punjab Taxi Scheme last fiscal.

A total of 2,632 units of Toyota Hilux were sold in July-Nov 2017 against 1,968 units in same period of 2016.

In farm machinery, sales of Fiat and Massey Ferguson tractors hit 10,838 and 16,421 units compared to 6,767 and 10,596 units.

Overall sale of two-and three-wheeler assemblers of PAMA members surged to 787,347 from 651,983 units in which the share of Honda bikes stood at 454,195 in comparison to 374,558 units.

Sale of United Auto Motorcycle, the second biggest bike assemblers, rose to 165,481 units from 135,189 units. Suzuki and Yamaha sold 8,528 and 8,611 units as against 7,170 and 5,178 units in July-Nov 2016.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)