Car sales increased in the first quarter (Q1) of 2015 by 14.9%, with 72,100 sold cars compared to 62,800 in Q1 of 2014. The Automotive Marketing Information Council (AMIC) announced the sale operations for passenger cars at 48,900 cars, compared to 42,900 cars, an increase of 14%. Truck sales increased to 14,700 trucks, compared to 12,900 trucks, also a 14% rise. Bus sales reached 8,500 units compared to 6,800, a rise of 23% in the same period. Imported car sales exceeded the locally assembled car sales, where the former were at 38,000 cars compared to 34,100 cars for the latter. AMIC indicators revealed that there was a decline in consumers' buying operations in Q1 of 2015 for the locally assembled cars by 1%. Fully imported car sales increased by 34.3% to be at 38,000 units, compared to 28,300 sold cars last year. Chevrolet held prime position the market with its sales at 16,700 cars in total, to acquire 23% of the market, followed by Hyundai with a total of 11,600 cars sold, Toyota with 7,300 cars, and Nissan with 6,300 cars. Suzuki, on the other hand, took fifth place with a total of 4,400 sold cars, followed by Kia with roughly 4,000 cars, Mitsubishi with 2,700 cars, Renault with 2,600 cars, and Skoda with 2,400 cars. In tenth place was Speranza, whose sales increased to 1,700 cars compared to 1,600 in Q1 of last year, followed by Geely Ghabbour which took eleventh place after it was in tenth spot last month. Daily News Egypt observed the sales of the passenger cars market, which were at more than EGP 7.7bn. AMIC data came according to a study conducted by the council on 99% of the total passenger car sales in Q1 of 2015, with a total of 48,900 cars. Passenger cars with 1500 CC to 1600 CC were on top of the sold cars to acquire 48% of the total market. Hyundai Verna was one of the top sold cars in Q1, with 6,306 sold cars, followed by Nissan Sunny with 2,696 cars. Source: Daily News Egypt
