Mexico June LV Sales Up 10.9%

Light-vehicle sales in Mexico narrowly missed setting a June sales record, with deliveries topping those of the prior year by 10.9% despite one less selling day, and cars alone reaching a new high for the month.

With 26 selling days this year, new LVs left dealer showrooms at an average of 3,218 daily for a June total of 83,662, up from prior-year’s 78,357 units, when an average 2,902 were sold each of 27 selling days.

That total LV sales last month fell 3.4% short of matching the June record of 86,602 set in 2006 was entirely due to weakness in the light-truck market where 29,151 deliveries last month posted no threat to the June peak of 35,853 set seven years ago.

Some product shortages reportedly were to blame for the light-truck downturn and local analysts noted the 8.6% first-half LV sales gain, to 501,078 units from 461,369 in like-2012, puts 2013 on course to top 1.0 million for the first time in five years.

The Detroit Three posted a collective 8.9% year-over-year June LV sales increase thanks to General Motors’ 21.1% boost that more than offset declines of 6.3% at Chrysler and 1.2% at Ford.

Asian-make sales rose 9.7% over June 2012, with all but low-volume Isuzu posting gains.

Sales of European brands posted a 15.9% June increase despite a 35.5% contraction by Renault, the only European brand to fall short of its prior-year performance.

Combined sales of the new and old Volkswagen Jetta models, the latter known locally as the VW Clasico, kept the model at the top of the passenger LV sales charts in June. But according to local reports, the Clasico’s 5,009 deliveries fell short of matching Chevy Aveo’s 5,090 units.  

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