Chinese Vehicle Sales In NZ 2009-14

The MG3. Interesting to look at and quite a good car.

Chinese vehicles are slowly making inroads into New Zealand. They haven't come with the speed I expected for reasons such as quality and passenger safety concerns. Despite that, they seem to be here to stay and as they get better, so will sales.

NZ vehicle sales are about 94,600 so far so 1,700 sales is a small slice. The figures below are for full years except 2014, which is for nine months. To look at the brands (you can click on the brand name to see the NZ website):

Great Wall: Mainly sell pick-up trucks, but SUVs do well too. The ratio is about 4:1. They seem to have reached a peak at about the 1,000 sales mark for now. A lower price point is the attraction.

Foton: A recent brand to arrive. They do just a pick-up, in two body configurations and value for money is again the attraction.

LDV: When LDV vans went broke in the UK, the operation was bought and shipped to China. They are now arriving here and have done really well in a short time. Lower prices and European heritage are the selling features.

Chery: They sell a car and small SUV, both selling evenly. The low prices are very good, but most Kiwis are cautious about committing to them just yet.

SAIC MG: The 3 and 6 models are now sold here, at good prices. Their UK origins and R&D imput plus familiarity of name should mean the cars will be accepted more readily than other Chinese makes. As the range and options improve, they should kick on. The lack of automatics has kept sales low, as NZers buy few manual shift cars.

	Make	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
	Great Wall	125	306	538	999	1027	775
	Foton				4	154	322
	LDV					45	310
	Chery		1	172	227	370	247
	SAIC MG				5	12	42
	JAC			9	27	7	3
	Geely	5	60	56	8	1
	Others			16	11		2
	Total	130	367	791	1281	1616	1701

So sales are modest, but improving. It will take time to establish confidence in buyers but one assumes quality will improve and if the price is right, then sales will follow in much greater numbers. 

Picture source: Stuff Motoring (which has a road test on the car by clicking on the name Stuff Motoring).

VW Brand LCV Production By Model : 2000-2009

The Caddy up to 2003

Then from 2003 shown here as a Kombi version.

With commercial sales doing well this decade, VW must have been satisfied. The Caddy was growing more popular, with a maxi version added. The Amarok pick up had just arrived too. Production for the LT ended and its replacement, the Crafter was now being made by Mercedes Benz and not part of VW figures. The 'other' for this period was the Golf pick up.

After the slump of 2009,  VW LCV production improved strongly into the 2010's.

		Transpt	Caddy	Saveiro	Amarok	LT	Other	Total
		Caravel
	00	166.1	46.2	29.7	-	39.4	0.7	282.1
	01	171.9	41.8	33.9	-	33.8	0.8	282.2
	02	156.4	33.7	25.0	-	33.0	0.8	248.9
	03	155.0	24.1	19.1	-	34.3	0.8	233.3
	04	148.6	94.7	25.1	-	33.0	1.0	302.4
	05	178.0	127.9	21.8	-	35.9	0.8	364.4
	06	204.1	140.1	26.6	-	20.4	0.9	392.1
	07	210.3	145.5	31.2	-	-	0.8	387.8
	08	213.8	160.1	40.4	-	-	-	414.3
	09	135.0	127.1	38.9	0.2	-	-	301.2

Data source: Thanks to VW group.

SEAT Brand Car/LCV Production By Model : 2000-2009

SEAT cars fell away through this decade, which is hard for me to explain when the brand doesn't exist where I am. understanding what has driven customers away seems something hard to find any information on.

The only thing I can think of is that SEAT was known for making a sporty car. The name means 'Spanish Touring Car Company' in English. The brand seemed to move away from making touring cars but didn't really define itself in another way that made it special. It has an identity crisis. If I have got that right, then VW has to hold its hand up for that error.

1) Ibiza/Córdoba. The Ibiza 3/5 door hatchback along with the 4 door Córdoba was the mainstay of production through the decade. Despite that, numbers dropped over 100,000 in this time.

SEAT Ibiza lost in the woods maybe?

2) León/Toledo. The León 3/5 door hatchback along with the 4 door Toledo were the rest of mass production for the brand. Figures for each model were reported separately but I combined them here. Then when the 2005 Toldeo arrived, it's production numbers soon became part of the Altea model. I split the 2005 figures of the Toledo between the two.

3) Altea/Toledo. The Altea arrived as a compact MPV, much as the MK 3 Toledo, although that was more hatchback now. I must say that SEAT seemed to treat the Toledo in a muddled way. Four door car then Hatchback. Perhaps they should have made it an SUV, something SEAT really miss. Of course they are not sporty, but neither is SEAT anymore is it?

4) Exeo. Out of nowhere comes this compact executive car based on the Audi A4. Was this part of the sporty image VW was trying to engender? Sales were poor and it has since been  dropped.

The more upmarket Exeo

5) Alhambra. The large MPV still trucks along but sales had got pretty low by the end of the 00's.

6) Arosa. This tiny car in the range was axed in 2004 without replacement although it has now been reborn as the Mii.

7) Inca. The small van in the brand was decided not to fit the sporty image and was dropped in 2003, with the VW Caddy taking over this model's role.

Overall, production kept falling as the decade progressed. With nearly 200,000 of production lost, someone took their eye off the ball. A shame as I still am looking for the sporty car range promised to materialise. Maybe that isn't a growth area anyway. An SUV with a sporty style to it would be a good start I would have thought. Over to you VW.

	00	287.0	139.2	-	-	23.9	28.4	21.9	500.4
	01	267.2	139.6	-	-	26.5	23.0	20.5	476.8
	02	256.0	133.1	-	-	26.3	19.6	15.7	450.7
	03	279.8	132.6	-	-	23.7	13.8	10.1	460.0
	04	230.6	129.8	67.1	-	21.6	9.4	-	458.5
	05	206.2	108.4	75.5	-	14.9	-	-	405.0
	06	214.9	126.5	66.9	-	14.4	-	-	422.7
	07	202.0	120.6	76.1	-	14.2	-	-	412.9
	08	212.9	96.8	60.2	0.4	10.3	-	-	380.6
	09	178.6	66.4	33.3	23.0	6.2	-	-	307.5

Car pics: NetCarShow.com

VW Brand LCV Production By Model : 1990-1999

The light commercial division of VW is quite a successful part of the business. Not many models but some popular ones nevertheless.

1) Transporter/Kombi/Caravelle. The Transporter van in currently in its 5th generation, going back to 1950. The 1990's was series four. The Kombi is either a van or private transport and the Caravelle is a plusher people mover. All very popular.

The Caravelle from 1995 I believe

2) Caddy. This small pick up started in 1980, based on the VW Golf. It could also be a van with a body over the tray. Then in 1995, the Mk II arrived, as a van and made in Spain because the SEAT Inca van was phased out.

The LT Kombi

3) LT. This medium sized van started in 1975 and proved moderately popular.

4) Saveiro. A small pick up based on the Latin American Gol/Voyage.

5) Taro. A rebadged Toyota Hilux. VW got a one-tonne pick up and Toyota got more of that market by using VW. It was eventually moved across to the passenger car side of the data, then finished.

Summary. Production number did grow in this period but not massively so. It's a challenging yet potentially profitable sales area.

		Transptr	Caddy	LT	Saveiro	Taro	Other	Total
		Caravel
	90	153.3	8.4	23.7	19.9	10.0	3.9	219.2
	91	190.6	6.4	24.8	22.6	12.0	3.5	259.9
	92	219.6	1.6	18.0	27.1	11.6	4.7	282.6
	93	182.3	-	14.3	33.8	8.9	3.8	243.1
	94	197.6	-	14.0	36.3	7.3	1.9	257.1
	95	210.6	3.7	15.5	37.0	4.9	1.4	273.1
	96	211.7	41.5	11.3	35.3	-	2.1	301.9
	97	218.3	43.1	30.1	38.2	-	1.2	330.9
	98	191.3	48.5	33.0	45.3	-	13.6	331.7
	99	171.0	54.9	35.5	24.2	-	8.9	294.5

Data source: Thanks to VW Group.

SEAT Brand Car/LCV Production By Model : 1990-99

The nicely styled Toledo from 1998. Still looks sharp even today

SEAT is a Spanish car maker with an interesting history. It is now part of the VW Group and not one that has shone. Back in the 1990's things were looking OK, with an expanding range of models and production increasing. It is mainly sold in Europe with some in Latin America too. I remember seeing a few around the year 2000 in New Zealand when an attempt was made to sell them here, but were soon withdrawn.

As for the various models:

1) Ibiza/Córdoba/Málaga. The small 3/5 door hatchback Ibiza (super mini) was the main seller of the two variants. The Málaga (small 4 door saloon version) finished in 1991 and in 1993 came its replacement the Córdoba.

2) Toledo/León. The small family car the Toledo (5 door liftback) was a stand alone model until 1998. In 1999 it became a saloon car and the and the León hatchback commenced production.

3) Arosa/Marbella. This city car (three door hatchback) was a rebadged Fiat 126 and called the Marbella. Then in 1997 the Arosa took over, based in the VW Lupo.

The Fiat 126 derived Marbella. 

4) Alhambra. For a brand with mainly small cars, the large MPV Alhambra stands out. Built in Portugal, it was quite successful and that is all it needed to be with other brands using the same vehicle in order to to spread costs.

5) Inca/Terra. I included light commercials and the Terra was a very small van based on the Marbella. It ended production in 1996 and was replaced by the Inca. That was based on the VW Caddy, it was a more substantial van and included a kombi version (people carrier). A few Córdoba vans make up the list.

So SEAT were doing well back in the 90's. Unfortunately things slipped in the 2000's as discussed in a future blog article.

All production numbers are in hundreds.

		Ibiza	Toledo	Arosa	Alhamb	Inca	Cór	Total
		Cór/Mál	León	Marbel		Terra	LCV
	90	235.3	-	90.9	-	35.4	-	361.1
	91	182.0	76.3	80.0	-	22.2	-	360.5
	92	112.3	144.2	74.6	-	25.0	-	356.2
	93	162.3	90.5	33.2	-	10.6	-	296.6
	94	225.1	48.0	27.1	-	6.5	-	306.7
	95	238.1	55.5	29.6	-	4.0	-	327.2
	96	230.4	53.4	21.9	10.5	26.2	-	342.4
	97	259.8	42.6	60.9	16.5	25.5	-	405.3
	98	284.2	42.3	40.7	21.3	24.9	5.3	418.7
	99	303.4	111.9	46.4	27.4	27.8	2.8	519.7

Data source: Thanks to the VW Group.

Audi Brand Car Production By Model : 2000-09

In typical Germanic fashion, this decade was about an expansion of models. The Q range of SUVs arrived as did the A5. production fell in 2009, during the economic downturn, but rebounded thereafter.

A4: The compact executive model remained the most popular throughout.

A3: It clawed its way to the second most popular model through the decade, although not that convincingly.

A6: This medium executive model was a strong performer and continues to be so.

Q5. The second of the Q models quickly established itself as a strong seller. The medium SUV as I would call it benefited from the rush to anything high riding with pretensions of off road ability.

A5. As a compact executive, in reality it is a sporty A4. However, the sloping roof of the hardtop sportback gave Audi the idea to have it as a unique model. A coupé and convertible round out the range.

The sporty A4... I mean A5.

Q7. This large SUV has been arrived with a splash but since has been only moderately successful. It is built in Slovakia.

TT. Audi have had a good run with the small sports executive, considering sports cars are not as popular as they once were. Production is variable depending on when a new model arrives.

	A4	A3	A6	Q5	A5	Q7	TT	A8	R8	A2	Tot
00	234.8	145.9	246.0	-	-	-	56.8	12.9	-	32.2	728.5
01	309.3	144.8	182.3	-	-	-	39.3	11.7	-	49.4	736.8
02	360.3	125.5	178.8	-	-	-	34.7	10.9	-	37.6	747.8
03	353.8	159.4	168.6	-	-	-	32.3	21.7	-	27.3	763.3
04	345.2	181.3	195.5	-	-	-	23.6	22.4	-	19.7	787.8
05	337.7	225.0	215.4	-	-	1.2	12.3	21.5	-	10.0	823.1
06	341.1	231.8	229.0	-	0.5	72.2	23.7	22.5	-	-	920.8
07	314.2	231.1	243.8	-	25.6	77.4	56.8	22.2	4.1	-	975.3
08	378.9	222.2	214.1	20.3	57.6	59.0	41.8	20.1	5.7	-	1019.7
09	282.0	206.7	182.1	105.1	84.9	27.9	22.8	8.6	2.1	-	922.3

A8. The luxury barge of the range continued its uneventful passage through the 10 years covered here. 

R8. This 2 seater, mid-engined sports car is based on a Lamborghini platform and is built by quattro, near Stuttgart. It is made in small numbers as the halo car for Audi.

A2. Audi entered the super mini executive class in 2000 with this 5 door hatchback. It was never popular and was quietly withdrawn after only a few years. 

Summary: A decade that laid the platform for a title bid of top selling premium marque in the world. More recently, strong sales in China has made this possible. VW has turned a solid performing part of its empire into a successfully selling and very profitable brand for the company.

The A2 lost in the desert somewhere.