The Australian production has dropped by half since 2004

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The Australian production has dropped by half since 2004
 
- The Australian car production has dropped by half since between 2004 and 2012 (from 400 000 units per year to 200 000 units in 2012), while over the same period, the Australian market had increased by 20% (from 750 000 units in 2004 to 900 000 units in 2012).

- The Australian market importations are growing rapidly, mainly from Japan, China, Korea, and Thailand, but also from Europe and South Africa. From 350 000 units in 2004, their imports rose to 700,000 in 2012, doubling their volume size in eight years.

- Two reasons explain this trend: 
1.Carmakers deem unprofitable assembling vehicles on Australian soil (too costly). There are only three carmakers left (GM, Ford, Toyota), Mitsubishi stopped it's production in 2008.
2.The range of vehicles produced locally is too small in relation to the demand of the Australian market.

- Given these two reasons, the Australian production can only decline over the next few years and Australia could eventually become a country without any automobile industry.

13-15-8

 

The 2012 production levels of the NAFTA region have decreased back to the 2006 levels

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The 2012 production levels of the NAFTA region have decreased back to the 2006 levels
 

- NAFTA (USA-Canada-Mexico) PC + LUV 2012 production have reduced back to the 2006 levels, ie. 16 million units, following the collapse caused by the 2008 and 2009 financial crisis . However, the distribution by country and by groups has changed between 2006 and 2012.


- Breakdown by country: 

§The U.S. produced 65% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 72% in 2006.

§Mexico produces 19% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 12% in 2006.

§Canada produced 16% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 16% in 2006.


- The 7% lost by the USA have been collected by Mexico. Canada's production has remained stable.


- Breakdown by group : 

§GM, Ford and Fiat-Chrysler produced 53% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 64% in 2006.

§Japanese groups (including Nissan) generated 32% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 28% in 2006.

§Koreans (Hyundai-Kia) produced 5% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 2% in 2006.

§Finally, the Germans produced 8% of the NAFTA production in 2012 against 4% in 2006.

§The 11% lost by GM, Ford and Fiat-Chrysler were collected by Japanese groups (4%), German groups (4%)and Korean groups (3%).

13-15-5

 

The Smart Fortwo has succeeded in establishing itself as a “trendy” city car

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The Smart Fortwo has succeeded in establishing itself as a “trendy” city car
 

- The Smart Fortwo, established in 1998, has launched in a trend for urban chic and "fashionable" city cars (European segment A)with its two seaters, its small size, its customization and its high price (compared to its size ).


- Originally scheduled for a production of 200,000 units per year (on the French site of Hambach), the Smart Fortwo saw its objectives diminished by 50,000 units per year towards 2001-2002, in other words to 150,000 units per year.

 

- The model was not far from achieving this second objective in 2008 (140 000 units), partly tanks to its launch on the US market. Since 2010, the Fortwo has maintained its sales at 100,000 units per year.


- The Smart Forfour(European segment B) which should have broaden the Smart range ( 2004 onwards) was a commercial failure, because this model lost the uniqueness of the Fortwo while entering in a extremely competitive market (European segment B cars) with lower prices or with a stronger image.


- The Fortwo has seen in recent years the arrival of new competitors making the most of the trend for "fashionable" city cars:

§The European segment A, micro and city cars with the Toyota IQ (a failure for now ) and the Fiat 500.

§The European segment B, with the BMW Mini, the Citroën DS3 and more recently the Audi.

13-15-4

 

30% of Japanese vehicles sold in the U.S. are imported from Japan

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30% of Japanese vehicles sold in the U.S. are imported from Japan
 
- With the constant increase in sales of Japanese carmakers in the U.S. over the past twenty years, the production of the latter is more and more located on American soil. And the majority of Japanese models sold in the U.S. are manufactured locally, such as the Toyota Camry and Corolla, the Civic or Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima.
 
- However, the share of imports from Japan has remained more or less stable with 5.6 million vehicles (PC + LCV) sold in the U.S. in 2012, 30% were imported from Japan (1.7 million units).
 
- This consistency is due to new production capacities introduced on a regular basis by the Japanese, but who do not follow the growing demand of the U.S. market.
 
- The exchange rate between the dollar and the yen (detrimental to the Japanese currency) forces the Japanese to accelerate the decrease in exports from Japan, and to increase their production capacity in the NAFTA region (USA-Canada-Mexico) .

- The task will last a long time, the NAFTA region being by far the largest export area of Japan (39% of total exports), followed by Europe (18% of exports) and Asia (12% of exports).

13-15-6

 

The South African market has not yet found back its 2005-2006 levels

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The South African market has not yet found back its 2005-2006 levels
 
- The South African market (Passenger cars sales in South Africa) had broken its record in 2006, with more than 470,000 vehicles sold (against 400,000 vehicles sold in 2005 and 300,000 vehicles sold in 2004). Severely affected by the 2008-2009 financial crisis, the South African market lost 45% of its volume between 2006 and 2009, then rebounded well from 2010 on, to finally  overpass 300,000 vehicles sold in 2011 and 350,000 vehicles sold in 2012.
 
- It is to be noted that South Africa was since ever the largest automobile market of Africa, but its dominance is now being challenged by Algeria (around 350 000 Passenger Cars in 2012).
 
- Concerning carmakers, the VW group (which also produces in South Africa), remains the market leader in 2012,  with a 27% penetration rate. Toyotagroup has progressed significantly over the past five years. It  comes now in second position  with a 18% market share. GM and Ford groups, former market leaders, have lost much influence, and occupy now only respectively 9% and 7% of the market.

13-15-9

 

  1. The Czech and Slovak markets have resisted well to the 2008-2009 crisis
  2. In China, DS is a completely different brand from Citroën
  3. The blooming European SUV market.
  4. Honda will build a second assembly plant in India
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