Vehicle sales reflect dismal picture

New vehicle sales ended 2008 on a dismally weak note, according to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa). “December monthly sales were normally the lowest in any calendar year and aggregate new vehicle sales during December 2008 at 32 765 vehicles (including vehicles not reported in detail to Naamsa) reflected a massive decline of 12 162 vehicles or a fall of 27.1% compared to the total new vehicle sales of 44 927 units during the corresponding month of December 2007. “On a market segment basis, vehicle sales during December, 2008 (with the exception of the small volume bus sector) registered sharp declines in every segment relative to the corresponding month of December 2007.”