August 5^th, 2003

Leading importer with strong passenger sales

WITH 4827 retails, Mazda was Australia’s top-selling importer last month, according to VFACTS figures.

The strong sales result – Mazda’s best-ever July performance and its second best overall following the June result of 5353 – gives the company 6.1 per cent market share and lifts Mazda’s year-to-date sales to 30,893, a jump of 42.4 per cent on last year.

Mazda also dominates the importer passenger car market notching up 22,721 sales YTD, an improvement of 69.9 per cent on last year. The passenger total gives Mazda 6.8 per cent market share.

Mazda’s 2003 passenger car sales are 102.1 per cent above that of its closest overall market rival.

The record-breaking July total reflects strong sales across Mazda’s mainstream models, with the 323 selling 1883, the Mazda6 1121, Tribute 4WD wagon 606, B Series 486 and Mazda2 314.

Mazda’s acclaimed, rotary-powered RX-8 sports car added an impressive 178 sales to the total.

The July result sees Mazda’s passenger cars sales remain above 3000 for the fifth month in a row.

The managing director of Mazda Australia, Malcolm Gough said: “Our sales this year, and in particular our spectacular passenger car performance, demonstrate that Australians love our new-generation of stylish, insightful and spirited Mazdas.

“With the recent introduction of the critically-acclaimed, rotary-powered RX-8 we can now look forward to the arrival of the all-new Mazda3 next year, a class leading car that‘s poised to repeat the sales success of Mazda6 and Mazda2 in the passenger car market”.

This year Mazda expects to sell about 50,000 vehicles, a significant jump on last year’s record-breaking total of 39,152 sales.

The Mazda3 range of sedan and hatch models will make its global debut at the Frankfurt motor show next month and is likely to be showcased at the Sydney motor show in October.