Car sales not firing on six cylinders

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Car sales not firing on six cylinders
By Ian Porter
Car Industry Reporter
March 4, 2006

LARGE car sales continued to plummet in February as the market itself started to contract after years of record demand and overheated marketing activity.

Sales of Australian-made six-cylinder cars were off 16.3 per cent in February, falling more than three times faster than the overall market, which was down 4.6 per cent for the month.

The lack of interest in large cars saw Mitsubishi's make-or-break 380 model again fall well short of target, with just 1011 cars leaving the showrooms. Mitsubishi was aiming at monthly sales of 2500 when it launched the car late last year.

Mitsubishi chief executive Rob McEniry said the sales were 41 per cent better than in January and that the rise kept the 380 on track to reach its target in the middle of the year.

Mitsubishi unveiled a $29,990 LE version of the 380 at the Melbourne Motor Show at a price $4500 below the normal base model to kick-start sales.

Elsewhere in the sector, Ford's Falcon came within 44 units of knocking off Holden's Commodore as the country's best-selling car. Falcon sales of 4743 were up on the previous January while Commodore sales were down 1103 units to 4787.

Toyota remained leader with market share of 20.7 per cent after two months while Holden, Ford and Mitsubishi all eased from their levels of 12 months ago.