Facts and Figures of the IZB Partner Countries 2012
Find out about the vehicle market development of the IZB 2012 partner countries Argentina and Brazil.
Argentina
Buenos Aires (gtai) – 2010 was a record year for Argentina’s automotive industry, with inland sales increasing by 43 percent. A further increase in sales of at least 10 percent is expected in 2011. The share of imported vehicles was 61 percent and may now fall slightly due to the fact that the Argentinian government has taken measures to limit the surge in imports. German automotive manufacturers are well-positioned in all areas of the Argentinian automotive industry. They mainly provide Argentina with products from their factories in the country itself, as well as with imports from their branches in Brazil.
Vehicle Sales in Argentina (in units, change in %)
| Category | 2009 | 2010 | Change between 2010 / 2009 |
| Passenger cars | 373,231 | 524,154 | 40,5 % |
| Light commercial vehicles | 96,840 | 145,090 | 49.8 % |
| Vans and buses | 17,071 | 28,695 | 68.1 % |
| Total automotive sales | 487,142 | 698,299 | 43.3 % |
Despite the introduction of import restrictions for luxury-class passenger cars, deliveries of automotives to authorised dealers increased by 25 percent in the first four months of 2011. According to information provided by the dealers’ association Acara, vehicle registrations in the first four months of the year even displayed an increase of 27 percent compared to the same period in 2010. An overall sales growth of around 10 percent is forecast for 2011 as a whole. Above all due to the positive development of agriculture in Argentina, it is likely that the demand for commercial vehicles will increase even quicker than passenger car sales.
When it comes to passenger car sales, the Volkswagen Group (VW) is the market leader with a share of around 24 percent. The VW Gol compact model is imported from Brazil and has been the best-selling car in Argentina for many years, ahead of both the Chevrolet Corsa and the Peugeot 207. In Argentina, VW produces the Suran minivan, which is constructed on the platform of the Fox compact car, and the Amarok pickup truck, which was launched in 2010.
Source: Germany Trade and Invest and ADEFA (Argentinian Association of Automotive Makers)
Brazil
Sao Paulo (gtai) - Automotive sales in Brazil are continuing to increase and forecasts are currently indicating a sales growth of 3 to 5 percent in 2011. While growth in the passenger car segment is now slowing down, sectors involving light commercial vehicles, vans, buses and motorbikes are developing dynamically. The import of vehicles and automotive parts to Brazil significantly increased in 2010, with Germany continuing to be its second most important supplier country for automotive parts.
Vehicle Sales in Brazil (in units, change in %)
| Category | 2009 | 2010 | Changes between 2010 / 2009 |
| Passenger vehicle | 3,008,741 | 3,325,946 | 10.5 % |
| Light commercial vehicles | 109,873 | 157,696 | 43.5 % |
| Vans and Buses | 22,625 | 28,422 | 25.6 % |
In 2010, sales of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in Brazil increased by around 6 percent. The segment also grew by 3.6 percent in the first three months of 2011, despite the fact that the financing conditions deteriorated. Higher interest rates and shorter repayment periods weakened the demand for passenger vehicles, sales of which in turn only increased by just under one percent up to March and even fell below the previous year’s value in April.
With its Saveiro model, VW was extremely successful in 2010 and doubled its sales of pickup trucks. In 2011, the Group is bringing an automatic version of its Amarok model onto the market. One of the reasons behind the success of pickup trucks is the fact that many former compact car buyers are currently choosing to purchase a higher class of vehicle. Around 90 percent of the cars sold in Brazil up to now have been small and compact cars.
Source: Germany Trade and Invest and ANFAVEA (Brazilian Association of Automotive Manufacturers)
