New cars sales down 3% in Q1

57,249 cars were delivered during the first quarter of 2013, 3% fewer than in the corresponding quarter of 2012, the Motor Vehicles Importers Association reports. March deliveries totaled 17,831 cars, down 13% from March 2012, partly because of Passover, which reduced the number of work days in March this year. Excluding this factor, sales were strong, apparently due to increased purchases by leasing companies seeking to exploit importer discounts caused by the appreciation of the shekel.

Hyundai was in first place, with 9,424 deliveries during the first quarter, down 1% from the corresponding quarter. Kia Motors was in second place, with 5,373 deliveries, down 8%; Toyota was in third place, with 5,001 deliveries, up 6.2%; Ford was in fourth place, with 4,405 deliveries, down 28.7%; Nissan was in fifth place, with 3,282 deliveries, up 2.7%; and Mazda, once the top selling car in Israel, was in sixth place, with 3,227 deliveries, down 4.2%.

Renault had 2,337 deliveries during the first quarter, including 297 electric Fluence ZE cars sold through Better Place.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 3, 2013