Automobile market picks up steam The latest sales figures confirm that despite lingering market difficulties, sales of domestic automakers continue to grow with Toyota, Thaco and Ford outperforming foreign manufacturers in recent months. According to statistics released by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), total automobile sales in July reached 12,609 units, up 35% on-year and 2% on-month. In the first seven months of the year, 77,998 cars were sold, a rise of 32% when compared to the same period in 2013. Exceptional growth Leading market analysts are saying the automobile market is continuing to rapidly expand and point to the July sales figures as demonstrable evidence. Specifically, Ford Vietnam reported an increase in sales of 91% on-month to 1,307 units in July and obtained its highest market share since appearing in Vietnam. Its sales increase helped push its market share to 10.4%, up 3.1%. Jesus Metelo Arias, Ford Vietnam Director General, attributes the achievement to increased sales of the Ranger and Transit models which hit a record high and a new model, the EcoSport, which first appeared on the market in June. “In its first month on the market we sold an amazing 269 units of the EcoSport model, Arias said. Toyota Vietnam also enjoyed impressive growth, selling 20,412 units in the first seven months of the year.  In July alone the company sold 3,759 units with 1,101 of those traceable to sales of its latest model, the Vios, which first appeared on the market 4 months ago. Sales of the Vios were 1,101 units and 3,700 in the past four months. Thaco’s sales, in contrast, declined slightly in July. It sold just 3,232 cars in July, 200 units lower than previous month. A Thaco representative revealed, however, that the company had unfilled orders at the end of the month of 500 units.  If the sales of the 500 had been consummated then their sales volume would not have decreased. In addition to the top three carmakers, a significant number of the 15 other VAMA members achieved high growth including Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, Isuzu, Vinamotor, VEAM and SAMCO. Expanding market share The sales of Ford Vietnam shot up 60% to 6,571 cars and market shares jumped from 6.9% to 8.4% in the first seven months of the year. Jesus Metelo Arias says Ford will continue to expand production in Vietnam and introduce more new models to Vietnamese customers, adding his company will also bring about the best services to customers. Like Ford, many other automakers are bullish on the Vietnamese marketplace and optimistically see nothing but bright spots on the horizon.  They are committed to the market with plans to increase investment in all areas of the Southeast Asian nation. Recently, Mitsubushi Motors announced its decision to shift its operations and jump into the Vietnamese market head-on.  The company is focusing on Vietnam targeting this year’s sales of 3,000 units and a whopping 10,000 cars in 2018. Kazuhiro Yamana, Vinastar Director General, says the Mitshubishi Motors brand name is popular and trusted by Vietnamese customers. Vietnam is a market with a great potential, he said adding that the company is investing heavily and has placed high hopes for the market. Toyota Vietnam Director General Yoshihisa Maruta says the automobile industry has developed stably thanks to the Government’s open door policies and sustained efforts to stabilise the macro-economy and reducing taxes. Macroeconomic stabilisation will spur market demand and in accordance with normal market rules, sales turnover in the second half of the year is often higher than that in the first half, Maruta said. Based on current market trends, Yoshihisa predicts that this year’s sales will be a record high, greatly outpacing last year. Meanwhile, VAMA’s is forecasting a rosy year for domestic automakers, projecting this year’s sales turnover may jump up 10% to 130,000 units over last year. VOV