Japan's April-Sept. imported car sales fall 18.7%

TOKYO, Oct. 6 Kyodo - Japan's imported vehicle sales, including those built by Japanese carmakers abroad, in the six months to September fell 18.7 percent from a year earlier to 107,441 units amid worsening economic conditions, an industry body said Monday.

Imports of foreign-brand vehicles dropped 13.5 percent to 96,120 units,
according to the preliminary data by the Japan Automobile Importers
Association.
Imports of vehicles manufactured abroad by Japanese carmakers dived 46.0
percent to 11,321 units, partly because Nissan Motor Co. shifted a portion of
the manufacturing of its sport utility vehicle Dualis to Japan from Britain, an
association official said.
''With gasoline prices remaining still high in the six-month period, worsening
economic conditions, coupled with the ongoing financial crisis, have apparently
affected consumer sentiment,'' he said.
The official also said, as many foreign-brand vehicles run on high-octane
gasoline, consumers were unwilling to purchase foreign models.
In the April-September period, Volkswagen took the top-selling spot for the
third straight year with 19,750 units, while Mercedes-Benz and BMW followed
with 19,348 and 18,652 units, respectively.
In September alone, sales of new imported vehicles, including those
manufactured overseas by Japanese automakers, fell 15.2 percent from the
previous year to 24,134 units, marking the fifth monthly decline.
Imports of foreign brands fell 10.1 percent to 22,291 units, while those of
Japanese brands declined 49.8 percent to 1,843 units.
By automaker, Mercedes-Benz came out on top with 5,212 units but logged a 13.7
percent year-on-year decline. BMW came second with sales of 5,034 units, down
2.5 percent, and Volkswagen took third spot with sales of 4,187 units, down
15.7 percent.
Despite the October price hikes of some models by foreign automakers, such as
Mercedes-Benz and BMW, consumers did not rush to buy foreign-brand cars amid
persistent concerns over the economy, the official said.