September 3^rd, 2003

Import leadership, 30 months of growth

MAZDA was Austrralia’s top-selling import brand in August, retailing 5130 vehicles and securing 6.7 per cent market share.

The August total was Mazda’s second-best month ever, with the company pushing through 5000 sales for the first time in June this year with a total of 5353, and gives Mazda 30 months of year-to-date growth.

With YTD sales of 36,023 (up 46.9 per cent on last year, 6.0 per cent market share) Mazda will surpass last year’s record annual total of 39,152 sales this month and is on target to set a sales benchmark of about 52,000 vehicles.

A record-breaking August retail performance from Mazda’s 323, of 2284 sales, has delivered Mazda Australia more than 4000 passenger car sales in a month for the first time.

The 323 range of sedan and hatch surpassed its previous best monthly sales (2065 in June this year) by 10.6 per cent, pushing Mazda’s August passenger sales to 4031 and total sales to 5130.

Record sales of the Mazda2 (430) and strong performances from the Mazda6 (992) and Mazda’s revolutionary RX-8 sports car (242) contributed significantly to the total.

The Tribute 4WD range of V6 and four-cylinder models also sold well with 604 sales.

The managing director of Mazda Australia, Malcolm Gough, said: “Achieving 30 months of Y-T-D growth shows that Mazda’s car and commercial line-up has the right mix of style, performance and quality.

“Our product revival started with the Tribute and has seen the arrival of the Mazda6, Mazda2 and RX-8 all to critical acclaim. Next week in Frankfurt the covers come off the Mazda3, a car that will bring Zoom-Zoom to what has traditionally been a conservative small car market”.

The Mazda3 sedan and hatch will make its public debut in Australia at the Sydney motor show next month and goes on sale during the first quarter of 2004.