2005 saw an increase in the number of new vehicles sold in Australia but at the same time it also saw an increase in unsold vehicles held my GMH and Ford.
In an effort to clear stocks Holden ran a discount campaign that was to finish at the end of December but, as I write this, it’s still going on. On the other hand Ford’s discount programme does appear to have finised at the end of December.
Final figures for the year put Toyota ahead of GMH and Ford for Australian sales.
In the United States the domestic manufacturers’ market share fell to a new low of just 57% and Toyota claimed that its Camry sedan was the best selling car in the US for the fourth year in a row. Toyota’s Lexus vehicles were the best-selling luxury brand.
And Toyota wasn’t the only foreign car manufacturer to do well in the United States during 2005. Nissan and Hyunda joined Toyota in reporting at least a 9% increase in sales in the US in 2005.