Mexico April Sales: Another Record

Mexican consumers remained optimistic in April, ahead of upcoming June 7 federal and state elections, pushing new light-vehicle sales to a fourth consecutive monthly record.

Buyers cruised away with 94,611 new cars and light trucks in April, an average of 3,639 on each of 26 selling days, erasing the 10-year-old benchmark of 86,908 units set in 2005.

Although last month’s pace was down 16.6% from the 4,366 units sold each of 24 days, on volume of 107,777 units, in March, it bested by 23.2% the 76,788 LVs sold in April 2014 at 2,953 units daily.

Cars buyers seemed to brush aside political speculation the June elections could lead to cuts in social-program spending, undermining consumer confidence. April car sales reached a new high of 62,921 units, wiping out the prior record of 55,363 deliveries set in 2013.

Light truck sales, on the other hand, at 31,690 units ranked only fifth-best for April, despite a 14.6% gain from the 27,645 vehicles sold in like-2014.

LV sales in the first four months of the year are up 17.4% to 745,674 units from 635,358 a year earlier.

Nissan/Infiniti widened its lead with a 24.1% year-on-year increase to 196,987 vehicles in January-April. GM retains its second-place standing with a 15.6% gain to 138,094 units, while Volkswagen/Audi, sporting a 3.8% sales increase to 113,017, remains in third position.

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