Japan Auto Sales Dec 2008: Non Minis -22.3% LEXUS - 43.0%

[AMERICA 123]

Japan non-mini auto <vehicle> sales down 22.3 pct in Dec.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/market...10698220090105

Includes a useful chart.


- Lexus ( cars and trucks)

1,405 (-43.0 %) December 2008 vs industry average..........non mini -22.3%

25,945 (-25.5 %) Calender Year 2008 vs industry average.... non mini -6.5%

This means Lexus turned in the second worst Japanese non mini brand performance in the Japanese Domestic market for the month of December only ahead of Mitsubishi Motor (- 47.1%) and also the second worst non mini brand performance for Calender Year 2008.

Daihatsu, who is better known for their much larger mini auto production was technically the worst performer for the Calender Year in the non mini segment with;

- Daihatsu

573 (-18.6%) December 2008

7,300 (-37.5%) Calender Year 2008.

Both Daihatsu and Lexus are Toyota brands.

Non mini 'autos' are composed of two groups also referred to as 'small' and 'standard' size and includes 'trucks'..

The numbers here include 'passenger' 'trucks'.

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As far as non mini autos ( vehicles) go, this is the lowest Calender Year industry total since 1974.

Counting non mini and mini together, 2008's results are the lowest industry total in 28 years ie since 1980.

From AFP; Japan auto sales fall to 34-year low in 2008: industry group

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...rDgTfglmKjGMKQ

Bloomberg is reporting both groups ( mini and non mini ) together here;

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...ws&refer=japan

[AMERICA 123]

Here are the mini's - with 'chart' from Reuters.

TOKYO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Japanese sales of minivehicles in
December fell 6.7 percent from a year earlier to 122,770 units,
the Japan Mini Vehicle Association said on Monday.

For the full year, sales fell 2.6 percent, down for a second
straight year. The industry group forecast 2009 sales to total
1.84 million vehicles, down 1.6 percent.

Sales of minivehicles, which have maximum engine
displacements of 660cc and account for roughly one-third of the
domestic auto market, for December and 2008 were as follows.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/market...T8946520090105

And with that, we now know that Lexus was also outperformed by all the mini's in regards to both December and for the full year in comparison to last year's results.

***************

Worth noting;

"We never imagined sales would fall this badly," JADA Director Takeshi Fushimi told reporters. "This is a bleak situation."

Fewer Japanese are buying cars every year as more people populate urban areas where trains and buses are the preferred mode of transportation. A shrinking population and diminishing interest in cars among young people are also driving down demand.

The weak economy is not helping, but Fushimi said a lack of financing was not behind the fall in Japan, unlike in many other markets, where sales have been hit by tight credit.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/govern...30253020090105

[zete]

I wonder sometimes if the aging Boomers will have another negative on sales mostly due to the fact as folks age they drive less. I've watched as my parents annual mileage dropped from 15,000 kms to about 5,000. At that pace they've said they may not need to ever replace their car, unless it rusts away. If Boomers follow their parent's driving habits as they age this is not going to be good for the car industry.

[Hurricane]

Luxury brands not selling well....not much of a shocker, there...

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by zete

I wonder sometimes if the aging Boomers will have another negative on sales mostly due to the fact as folks age they drive less. I've watched as my parents annual mileage dropped from 15,000 kms to about 5,000. At that pace they've said they may not need to ever replace their car, unless it rusts away. If Boomers follow their parent's driving habits as they age this is not going to be good for the car industry.

So true.

All the oldsters around here are doing about 2500 (us miles) per 9 -18 months.

Commentary elsewhere suggests that in Japan part of whats going on is the 'vehicle' or really the concept of vehicle ownership is now a liability ie 'undesirable' due to relative costs, complexities of ownership, and lack of joy to drive and for many, to park.

They didn't build enough automotive infrastructure and 'joyful' automotive ownership thru less population centralization.

All this could be a good thing - as long as you're not in the automotive sector.

[Butz]

Japan needs to build new cities and encourage people to procreate.