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posted on January 9th, 2009 at 08:28 AM
2008 - VW's 2nd-best year ever
The VFACTS/FCAI Australian sales figures for 2008 are in.
Volkswagen sold 29,875 vehicles in Australia in 2008, VW's second-best year ever. Only 1964 was better (31,419 sales plus 2000+ exports), but then VW
had a local manufacturing plant then. VW's 2008 sales was a 9% increase on 2007, an excellent effort in troubled financial times.
The Golf was VW's best selling model, with 11,632 - a new record for this model, and 5.9% better than 2007. Next best was the Passat with 3,334, 7.8%
more than in 2007. The Jetta sold 2,936 and was third, but this model dropped 27.9%. The Polo sold 2,362, another new record for this model and a
36.5% increase over the previous year. Even the New Beetle went up 5.3% to 613 sales, but the New Beetle Cabrio dropped 14.9% to only 177. The Eos was
more popular, selling 1,852, a 29% growth, and Australia's second-best selling cabrio behind the BMW 3-series (2,683, down 8%).
VW sold 1,066 Touareg luxury SUVs, 43.7% more than in 2007, and 1,109 Tiguan compact SUVs in its first year.
It is the commercial division that needs work. The Caddy was the success with 1,725 sales, 27.4% more than 2007, but the Transporter dropped 5.3% to
only 1,624. This compares poorly with the Hiace (9,493), a cheaper but much inferior vehicle. The T5 Transporter was also outsold by the Mitsubishi
Express (3,169), Ford Transit (2,180) and Hyundai Iload (2,000). Perhaps VW Australia should source the T5 from South Africa rather than Germany, and
bring the price down a bit.
The big Crafter was also a flop, selling only 480. The identical Mercedes Sprinter sold 2,265. Someone in VW Australia's commercial division needs to
pull their finger out.
VW finished tenth on the Australian market, for the third year in a row.
donn
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posted on January 9th, 2009 at 08:53 AM
This coment may seem a little strange considering the purpose of this site but I can't help feel a little concerned about the figures above.
Considering the global financial situation at this time perhaps we should be giving preference to the "local product", sure I know that a lot of the
local product is simply rebadged and imported, maybe the local vehicles are not up to the same standard, maybe that is, (although I reckon that is
prety true about the Generals product I drive as a work vehicle) but if we are to stave off the worst of what many experts say we are in for then
preservation of Ausie jobs should be at the top of the list of measures needed. Sure it's not all that simple but by increasing the sales of imported
product can't be a good thing. Ok you can start throwing the rocks now.
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!
Phil74Camper
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posted on January 9th, 2009 at 09:43 AM
Yeah Donn, in one sense I agree with you, but I am a VW enthusiast first and foremost. If more people bought VWs, we would have more Australians
driving VWs, more Australians needing VW service, and more Australians working in VW dealerships, workshops and parts outlets (and VW clubs!)
Australian parts suppliers could even start lobbying the VW factories in South Africa, and South America, to have Australian-made parts fiitted. And
how many parts for our classic air-cooled VWs are made here nowadays?
At least Volkswagen once invested 20 million pounds in an Australian factory, which had flow-on effects for all VW-related jobs, as well as for local
suppliers like Bosch and VDO (set up specifically to supply VW), Pilkington, Dulux, Dunlop and many others. The Government's ridiculous rules (at the
time) about local content levels was the main reason for VW bleeding red ink for years trying to comply, and for our models to fall behind German
models in terms of improvements etc. VW got no government handouts in the 1960s and 1970s, unlike the local makers today; they did it all from their
own pockets.
I am personally thrilled that VW is doing so well now, after 20 years of local sales of less than 1,000 (sometimes less than 100!). Sure 30,000
imported VWs is a lot. But then it pales against 79,826 fully imported Mazdas, 60,692 Mitsubishis, 59,214 Nissans, 52,571 Hondas, 45,409 Hyundais and
38,492 Subarus, which were all sold here in 2008. Not to mention Toyota, who sold no less than 238,983 vehicles ! I think they only make the Camry
(23,067) and Aurion (19,562) here, which leaves 196,354 imported Toyotas in 2008.
Sales of SUVs - all kinds - was 194,458 which, amazingly, was a 1.9% drop. Still, every single one of them is imported. And how many of these 'Mosman
Taxis' or 'Toorak Tractors' do we really need? Surely your concerns would be better directed here.
We should also be asking why the local makers are not making smaller, more economical and efficient vehicles here instead of large cars (sales of
large local sixes dropped 14%).
Leave Volkswagen alone ! Buy a new foreign-made VW (safe, reliable, economical, efficient, comfortable), and be happy. It also means one less Japanese
or Korean-made vehicle sold.
squizy
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posted on January 9th, 2009 at 11:01 AM
I don't if people read yesterday, but Porsche have increased their stake in VW from 42% to 51%.
Phil74Camper
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posted on January 9th, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Yes the saga is ongoing. There are a number of different VW share categories, with different 'voting rights' on the VW board. 20% of VW will remain
with the German state of Lower Saxony (as it has since 1948); the rest depends on the type of shares. Apparently Porsche has up to 75% of VW,
depending on how you measure it. I don't understand finance - I can't see how little Porsche can buy the world's third-biggest car maker. But
better Porsche buy VW, if it has to happen, than any other company.
Porsche sales dropped 16.2% in Australia in 2008. They sold 1,157 vehicles, compared with 1,380 in 2007. The Cayenne SUV was the biggest seller - 534
of them, up from 495 in '07. Now tell me why you would want one of those - some people just have way too much money. Porsche also sold 358 911s (down
from 522), 142 Boxters (down from 215) and 123 Caymans (down from 148).
More VW Group sales in Australia last year - Audi sales boomed by 30.2%, to an all-time record of 9,410 vehicles. Their best sellers were the A4
(3,678) and A3 (1,769). Third was their huge Q7 SUV - 1,297. More Mosman taxis. Only 95 Bentleys were sold, down from 127 in 2007. 46 Lamborghinis
were sold, which was exactly the same as 2007, although two more hard-tops and two less convertibles were sold than 2007. There were 818 Skodas sold -
707 Octavias and 111 Roomsters.
phaeton
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posted on January 10th, 2009 at 08:10 AM
Quote:
Originally
posted by Phil74Camper
The VFACTS/FCAI Australian sales figures for 2008 are in.
Volkswagen sold 29,875 vehicles in Australia in 2008, VW's second-best year ever. Only 1964 was better (31,419 sales plus 2000+ exports), but then VW
had a local manufacturing plant then. VW's 2008 sales was a 9% increase on 2007, an excellent effort in troubled financial times.
The Golf was VW's best selling model, with 11,632 - a new record for this model, and 5.9% better than 2007. Next best was the Passat with 3,334, 7.8%
more than in 2007. The Jetta sold 2,936 and was third, but this model dropped 27.9%. The Polo sold 2,362, another new record for this model and a
36.5% increase over the previous year. Even the New Beetle went up 5.3% to 613 sales, but the New Beetle Cabrio dropped 14.9% to only 177. The Eos was
more popular, selling 1,852, a 29% growth, and Australia's second-best selling cabrio behind the BMW 3-series (2,683, down 8%).
VW sold 1,066 Touareg luxury SUVs, 43.7% more than in 2007, and 1,109 Tiguan compact SUVs in its first year.
It is the commercial division that needs work. The Caddy was the success with 1,725 sales, 27.4% more than 2007, but the Transporter dropped 5.3% to
only 1,624. This compares poorly with the Hiace (9,493), a cheaper but much inferior vehicle. The T5 Transporter was also outsold by the Mitsubishi
Express (3,169), Ford Transit (2,180) and Hyundai Iload (2,000). Perhaps VW Australia should source the T5 from South Africa rather than Germany, and
bring the price down a bit.
The big Crafter was also a flop, selling only 480. The identical Mercedes Sprinter sold 2,265. Someone in VW Australia's commercial division needs to
pull their finger out.
VW finished tenth on the Australian market, for the third year in a row.
This is great news
On the commercial front there are alot of products on the way Caddy 4Motion and possibly Caddy and Transporter Sportline like the UK has.
Also I read an article in a CV based mag that VW know the Crafter is better than its better selling half brother (Sprinter) and are hoping the with 3
year contracts ending soon that VW may get a bigger slice of the Large van market.
Lets not forget the new Ute will be here within 24 mths also a T5
update
BTW if you look at the iload you can easily see VW influences.
I had an idea that VW and an Asian marque should co-develop a van for our region and build it in that marques factory.
also a T5
update 
