Imports To Japan Strong, Despite Claims By Detroit That The Market Is Closed

And here, by popular demand, the sales of cars imported to Japan in June, and for the first half year of 2013, as published by the Japan Automobile Importers Association.  For those with open eyes and mind, a few items quickly become clear: Imports to Japan, June 2013 June 2013 vml]>vml]>   January – June 2013 2013 Share 2012 Growth 2013 Share 2012 Growth Volkswagen Grp 10,075 29.1% 8,573 17.5% 49,660 29.1% 43,103 15.2% Volkswagen 6,662 19.2% 5,751 15.8% 32,842 19.2% 28,897 13.7% Audi 2,930 8.5% 2,403 21.9% 14,356 8.4% 11,974 19.9% Bentley 16 0.0% 19 -15.8% 93 0.1% 79 17.7% Lamborghini 15 0.0% 19 -21.1% 96 0.1% 78 23.1% Bugatti 1 0.0% 0 1 0.0% 2 -50.0% Porsche 451 1.3% 381 18.4% 2,272 1.3% 2,073 9.6% BMW Grp 6,605 19.1% 6,231 6.0% 29,329 17.2% 27,606 6.2% BMW 4,867 14.1% 4,681 4.0% 20,887 12.23% 19,284 8.3% BMW MINI 1,724 5.0% 1,532 12.5% 8,298 4.86% 8,242 0.7% BMW Alpina 4 0.0% 12 -66.7% 96 0.06% 40 140.0% Rolls Royce 10 0.0% 6 66.7% 48 0.03% 40 20.0% Daimler 5,943 17.2% 4,672 27.2% 25,007 14.6% 20,289 23.3% Mercedes-Benz 5,735 16.6% 4,384 30.8% 24,339 0.14 19,669 23.7% smart 208 0.6% 287 -27.5% 662 0.00 609 8.7% Maybach 0 0.0% 1 -100.0% 4 0.00 6 -33.3% Unimog 0 0.0% 0 2 0.00 5 -60.0% Nissan 3,235 9.3% 3,550 -8.9% 20,194 11.8% 23,264 -13.2% Fiat-Chrysler 2,343 6.8% 2,110 11.0% 9,363 5.5% 9,125 2.6% Fiat 897 2.6% 644 39.3% 3,340 0.02 2,823 18.3% Jeep 518 1.5% 595 -12.9% 2,246 0.01 2,461 -8.7% Chrysler 399 1.2% 57 600.0% 1,194 0.01 334 257.5% Alfa Romeo 385 1.1% 663 -41.9% 1,653 0.01 2,447 -32.4% Dodge 59 0.2% 84 -29.8% 430 0.00 607 -29.2% Ferrari 59 0.2% 42 40.5% 291 0.00 234 24.4% Maserati 24 0.1% 19 26.3% 163 0.00 148 10.1% Lancia 2 0.0% 6 -66.7% 46 0.00 71 -35.2% Toyota 1,454 4.2% 1,466 -0.8% 8,477 5.0% 8,475 0.0% Volvo 1,888 5.5% 1,624 16.3% 7,398 4.3% 6,681 10.7% Mitsubishi 846 2.4% 0 7,841 4.6% 2 391950.0% PSA Group 808 2.3% 940 -14.0% 4,416 2.6% 4,988 -11.5% Peugeot 590 1.7% 627 -5.9% 2,983 0.02 3,080 -3.1% Citroen 218 0.6% 313 -30.4% 1,433 0.01 1,908 -24.9% JLR Group 445 1.3% 225 97.8% 2,291 1.3% 1,267 80.8% Jaguar 101 0.3% 108 -6.5% 499 0.00 537 -7.1% Land Rover 344 1.0% 117 194.0% 1,792 0.01 730 145.5% Ford 335 1.0% 309 8.4% 2,146 1.3% 1,858 15.5% General Motors 269 0.8% 301 -10.6% 1,580 0.9% 1,577 0.2% Cadillac 119 0.3% 125 -4.8% 772 0.00 665 16.1% Chevrolet 127 0.4% 151 -15.9% 692 0.00 734 -5.7% Hummer 12 0.0% 15 -20.0% 58 0.00 116 -50.0% GMC 10 0.0% 8 25.0% 46 0.00 54 -14.8% Pontiac 1 0.0% 1 0.0% 7 0.00 7 0.0% Buick 0 0.0% 5 0.00 Saturn 0.0% 1 -100.0% 0.00 1 -100.0% Renault 201 0.6% 353 -43.1% 1,606 0.9% 1,525 5.3% Suzuki 101 0.3% 3 3266.7% 930 0.5% 413 125.2% Lotus 27 0.1% 16 68.8% 168 0.1% 134 25.4% Aston Martin 25 0.1% 12 108.3% 118 0.1% 65 81.5% Mclaren 6 0.0% 0 43 0.0% 1 4200.0% Honda 6 0.0% 10 -40.0% 39 0.0% 153 -74.5% Hyundai 5 0.0% 6 -16.7% 27 0.0% 43 -37.2% Rover 3 0.0% 4 -25.0% 22 0.0% 34 -35.3% Morgan 2 0.0% 0 18 0.0% 5 260.0% MG 0 0.0% 0 5 0.0% 5 0.0% Scania 0 0.0% 5 0.0% Saab 1 0.0% 6 -83.3% 3 0.0% 14 -78.6% Autobianchi 1 0.0% 0 2 0.0% 1 100.0% Kia 0 0.0% 1 -100.0% 2 0.0% 1 100.0% PROTON 0 0.0% 1 0.0% Detomaso 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 -100.0% RUF 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 -100.0% Ssangyong 0.0% 0 0.0% 2 -100.0% Zagato 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 -100.0% Others 7 0.0% 5 40.0% 37 0.0% 34 8.8% Total  34,631 100.00 30,417 13.9% 170,728 100.00 150,668 13.3% Source: Japan Automobile Importers Association Complaints of a closed market are nonsense. Quite evidently, car imports to Japan are alive and well. Imported cars are the best performing segment in Japan. Imports were up 13.9 percent in June, while the total market was down 10.8 percent, and while even sales of the vaunted kei cars were down 2.3 percent. The Volkswagen Group continues to be Japan's largest importer. Three out of ten cars imported to Japan come from the Wolfsburg-based company. Compared to the cars imported by European makers, imports by Ford and GM are anemic. Ford and GM are the loudest complainers about closed markets and onerous technical standards. At the same time, they omit that most of their cars come in under Japan's Preferential Handling Procedure. It allows small series of up to 2,000 units into the country with the barest of paperwork. The Preferential Handling Procedure opens the door to imports which would never make it beyond U.S. borders. America does not have this procedure. Europe does. Japan's borders are even open for a handful of Hummers, Pontiacs, and the odd Saturn. Try bringing a non-federalized  car to the U.S., and you will experience a boarded-up market. The numbers also help to debunk a few rumors. Commenter BD2 said that "roughly half the imports are actually Japanese models" built elsewhere and imported into Japan. And that for the other half, "the vast majority are German luxury autos." Bunk. Japanese makers had 21 percent of all imports in the first six months of the year. For them, it was cheaper to produce elsewhere and to import, while being exposed to the same importation rules and zero percent tariffs as foreign makers. Japan's best-selling imports are small compact cars made by Volkswagen, the Golf, the Polo, and lately the Volkswagen Up! While growing, the market for imported cars remains limited in Japan.  Four out of ten cars sold in Japan are 0.6 liter minivehicles. Importers have no offer in the kei car segment. To drive an imported car is a display of individualism in Japan. Individualism is not big in Japan, a country where people want to blend in, not stand out.  A low share of imported cars is no proof of a closed market. It simply is a reflection of customer preferences. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

Put the internet to work for you. via Personal Recipe 680102