Total vehicle sales surged to an all-time month high of 12.7% to 63,265 units in March 2011 from 56,139 units a year earlier due to a rush for deliveries and invoicing by companies that have their financial year ending in March, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) said in a statement yesterday.
“Year-to-date (YTD) March 2011 sales volume increased by 7.5% over the same period last year, up from 4.3% as at YTD February 2011,” said MAA, which also attributed the higher sales in March to it being a longer working month (compared to February).
“Fear and anticipation of a possible short supply and higher prices of motor vehicles caused by the catastrophe in Japan resulted in consumers buying forward,” it said.
Of total vehicle sales, passenger vehicles in March rose to 56,483 units from 50,533 units a year earlier while the number of commercial vehicles rose to 6,782 units from 5,606 units previously.
Meanwhile, total vehicle production, both passenger and commercial, rose to 53,124 units from 51,579 units a year earlier.
Passenger vehicle production increased to 49,118 units and commercial vehicle production was higher to 4,006 units from 3,850 units in the previous corresponding period.
MAA said sales volume for April would moderate and is expected to be lower than March.
“The strong sales in March 2011 is unusual,” it said, adding that adjustments of production from the impact of the catastrophe in Japan might start to affect supply.
