9314.0 - Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia (Electronic Publication), Feb 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/03/2006   
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The Publication

This publication presents monthly information on sales of new motor vehicles in each state/territory in original, seasonally adjusted and trend estimated terms. The original data are sourced from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Sales data are available for passenger vehicles, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), other vehicles and total vehicles at the state/territory and national levels.

FEBRUARY 2006 KEY POINTS

Trend

The February 2006 trend estimate for total sales of new motor vehicles (81,640) increased 0.1% compared with the January 2006 estimate. This is only the second month since February 2005 that the trend estimate has increased.

The trend estimate of sales of passenger vehicles increased 0.2% in February 2006 compared with January 2006. Sports utility vehicles recorded a decrease of 0.3% over the same period, while there was no change in the trend estimate for other vehicles.

When comparing February 2006 to February 2005, sales of passenger vehicles decreased 1.6% and sports utility vehicles decreased 7.6%, while sales of other vehicles showed an increase of 2.3%.

The monthly percentage change for sports utility vehicles has remained negative since October 2005.

Northern Territory (1.0%) and New South Wales (0.7%) were the only states or territories to record an increase in the trend estimate for total sales of new motor vehicles in February 2006 compared with January 2006.

When compared with February 2005, most states and territories recorded decreases in the trend estimate for sales of new motor vehicles, with the largest decreases being Tasmania (8.2%), Australian Capital Territory (5.5%) and New South Wales (4.3%). Western Australia showed an increase of 8.4%.

The monthly percentage change in the Australian trend estimate stayed positive for the second month in succession, with February 2006 increasing 0.1% after January's increase of 0.1%.

All states and territories displayed little change in their monthly percentage changes in trend estimates from January 2006 to February 2006, unlike the larger swings experienced during 2005.

Seasonally adjusted

The February 2006 seasonally adjusted estimate for total sales of new motor vehicles (81,545) decreased 2.1% compared with the January 2006 estimate.

The states having the largest decreases over this period were Queensland (4.6%) and Western Australia (3.4%). The largest vehicle type decrease was for sports utility vehicles (3.8%).

Sales of new motor vehicles, February 2006
NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.(a)
NT(a)
ACT(a)
Aust.

Vehicle sales
Seasonally adjusted
25,722
21,133
17,257
5,246
8,521
1,645
799
1,222
81,545
Trend
25,293
21,370
17,447
5,276
8,670
1,587
787
1,210
81,640


Percentage change from previous month
Seasonally adjusted
-0.2
-2.1
-4.6
-1.3
-3.4
1.9
-2.6
-2.5
-2.1
Trend
0.7
-0.1
-0.2
-0.1
-0.6
-0.1
1.0
-0.2
0.1

Percentage change from previous year
Seasonally adjusted
-5.4
-3.0
-7.8
-7.4
3.9
-3.9
-6.5
-7.8
-4.6
Trend
-4.3
-1.1
-3.1
-3.1
8.4
-8.2
1.3
-5.5
-2.0

(a) Seasonally adjusted numbers of new motor vehicle sales in Tasmania, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory should be used with caution. For further information, see paragraph 7 of the Explanatory Notes.


NOTES

FORTHCOMING ISSUES

ISSUERELEASE DATE
March 200624 April 2006
April 200622 May 2006
May 200622 June 2006
June 200621 July 2006
July 200622 August 2006
August 200621 September 2006
TREND REVISIONS

Trend estimates are likely to be revised when new seasonally adjusted estimates become available. For further information, see Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 11 and 12.

The graph below presents the effect of two possible scenarios on the previous trend estimates.

1The March 2006 seasonally adjusted estimate of total vehicle sales is higher than the February 2006 seasonally adjusted estimate by 3.6%.
2The March 2006 seasonally adjusted estimate of total vehicle sales is lower than the February 2006 seasonally adjusted estimate by 3.6%.

The percentage change of 3.6% was chosen because the average absolute percentage change over the last 10 years has been 3.6%.


Graph: Trend revisions


SUMMARY - TREND AND SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES
Graph: New Motor Vehicle Sales(a), Total Vehicles-LongTerm

Graph: New Motor vehicle Sales, Total Vehicles-Short Term


Table 1: New motor vehicle sales by type of vehicle

Passenger vehicles (No.)
Sports utility vehicles (No.)
Other vehicles (No.)
Total vehicles (No.)
Change passenger vehicles (%)
Change sports utility vehicles (%)
Change other vehicles (%)
Change total vehicles (%)

Original

2004December
48,673
14,311
15,996
78,980
-8.0
-6.2
-1.2
-6.3
2005January
43,075
13,877
12,761
69,713
-11.5
-3.0
-20.2
-11.7
February
50,640
15,526
14,975
81,141
17.6
11.9
17.3
16.4
March
53,282
17,454
15,902
86,638
5.2
12.4
6.2
6.8
April
46,651
13,812
16,024
76,487
-12.4
-20.9
0.8
-11.7
May
50,463
15,430
18,061
83,954
8.2
11.7
12.7
9.8
June
60,781
18,317
23,047
102,145
20.4
18.7
27.6
21.7
July
49,016
13,822
15,803
78,641
-19.4
-24.5
-31.4
-23.0
August
53,648
15,173
17,356
86,177
9.4
9.8
9.8
9.6
September
52,118
15,080
17,242
84,440
-2.9
-0.6
-0.7
-2.0
October
48,434
12,503
15,181
76,118
-7.1
-17.1
-12.0
-9.9
November
52,751
14,252
16,535
83,538
8.9
14.0
8.9
9.7
December
47,945
15,046
16,286
79,277
-9.1
5.6
-1.5
-5.1
2006January
43,761
13,251
12,991
70,003
-8.7
-11.9
-20.2
-11.7
February
48,483
13,506
15,457
77,446
10.8
1.9
19.0
10.6

Seasonally adjusted

2004December
48,533
13,959
16,171
78,663
-3.7
-7.6
2.3
-3.2
2005January
52,236
15,973
17,212
85,421
7.6
14.4
6.4
8.6
February
52,852
16,362
16,240
85,454
1.2
2.4
-5.6
0.0
March
50,009
15,896
15,728
81,633
-5.4
-2.8
-3.2
-4.5
April
51,152
15,095
16,929
83,176
2.3
-5.0
7.6
1.9
May
50,841
14,673
16,652
82,166
-0.6
-2.8
-1.6
-1.2
June
51,075
14,359
16,655
82,089
0.5
-2.1
0.0
-0.1
July
50,941
14,765
16,525
82,231
-0.3
2.8
-0.8
0.2
August
51,653
14,804
17,264
83,721
1.4
0.3
4.5
1.8
September
51,569
15,949
17,064
84,582
-0.2
7.7
-1.2
1.0
October
48,704
14,079
16,343
79,126
-5.6
-11.7
-4.2
-6.5
November
50,169
13,970
16,562
80,701
3.0
-0.8
1.3
2.0
December
49,623
15,067
16,784
81,474
-1.1
7.9
1.3
1.0
2006January
51,391
14,823
17,059
83,273
3.6
-1.6
1.6
2.2
February
50,492
14,253
16,800
81,545
-1.7
-3.8
-1.5
-2.1

Trend

2004December
50,657
15,543
16,355
82,555
1.0
1.2
0.4
0.9
2005January
51,027
15,660
16,389
83,076
0.7
0.8
0.2
0.6
February
51,195
15,663
16,414
83,272
0.3
0.0
0.2
0.2
March
51,221
15,514
16,438
83,173
0.1
-1.0
0.1
-0.1
April
51,214
15,278
16,507
82,999
-0.0
-1.5
0.4
-0.2
May
51,180
15,035
16,610
82,825
-0.1
-1.6
0.6
-0.2
June
51,125
14,830
16,716
82,671
-0.1
-1.4
0.6
-0.2
July
51,017
14,720
16,801
82,538
-0.2
-0.7
0.5
-0.2
August
50,864
14,718
16,830
82,412
-0.3
-0.0
0.2
-0.2
September
50,610
14,736
16,794
82,140
-0.5
0.1
-0.2
-0.3
October
50,350
14,711
16,761
81,822
-0.5
-0.2
-0.2
-0.4
November
50,208
14,644
16,753
81,605
-0.3
-0.5
-0.0
-0.3
December
50,194
14,575
16,761
81,530
-0.0
-0.5
0.0
-0.1
2006January
50,273
14,524
16,787
81,584
0.2
-0.3
0.2
0.1
February
50,367
14,478
16,795
81,640
0.2
-0.3
0.0
0.1

Table 2: New motor vehicle sales by state/territory of registration

NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.(a)
NT(a)
ACT(a)
Aust.
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)
(No.)

Original

2004December
24,315
21,700
16,537
4,998
7,341
2,245
647
1,197
78,980
2005January
22,494
18,063
14,574
4,475
6,950
1,479
560
1,118
69,713
February
25,772
20,642
17,868
5,494
7,894
1,432
777
1,262
81,141
March
27,528
22,031
19,171
5,471
8,633
1,574
889
1,341
86,638
April
24,354
19,557
16,831
5,048
7,339
1,375
859
1,124
76,487
May
26,248
21,964
18,285
5,549
8,080
1,641
913
1,274
83,954
June
30,745
25,493
24,656
6,586
10,013
2,052
1,185
1,415
102,145
July
24,998
20,025
17,631
4,813
7,727
1,438
767
1,242
78,641
August
26,292
22,550
19,330
5,458
8,714
1,689
751
1,393
86,177
September
25,457
22,044
18,344
5,243
9,125
2,151
793
1,283
84,440
October
22,949
20,289
16,026
5,030
8,349
1,655
659
1,161
76,118
November
25,716
22,428
17,181
5,500
9,107
1,667
690
1,249
83,538
December
23,054
22,110
16,208
5,335
8,664
2,080
690
1,136
79,277
2006January
21,995
17,876
15,107
4,380
7,604
1,295
616
1,130
70,003
February
24,495
19,979
16,452
5,085
8,165
1,373
731
1,166
77,446

Seasonally adjusted

2004December
25,025
20,848
17,233
4,774
7,195
1,673
701
1,214
78,663
2005January
27,155
22,628
17,913
5,585
8,250
1,846
752
1,292
85,421
February
27,199
21,782
18,716
5,663
8,202
1,712
855
1,325
85,454
March
26,231
20,939
17,464
5,345
7,754
1,762
787
1,351
81,633
April
26,051
21,286
18,592
5,448
8,260
1,592
783
1,164
83,176
May
25,318
21,503
18,134
5,423
8,124
1,658
786
1,220
82,166
June
24,986
21,372
18,656
5,225
7,989
1,805
859
1,197
82,089
July
25,376
21,303
18,168
5,193
8,456
1,618
817
1,300
82,231
August
25,971
21,785
18,244
5,252
8,725
1,630
806
1,308
83,721
September
26,027
21,687
18,361
5,306
9,021
2,021
841
1,318
84,582
October
23,559
20,764
17,414
5,245
8,610
1,613
732
1,189
79,126
November
24,514
21,337
17,266
5,319
8,875
1,467
716
1,207
80,701
December
24,759
21,728
17,462
5,249
8,724
1,584
776
1,192
81,474
2006January
25,773
21,596
18,084
5,316
8,817
1,614
820
1,253
83,273
February
25,722
21,133
17,257
5,246
8,521
1,645
799
1,222
81,545

Trend

2004December
26,208
21,609
17,577
5,405
7,983
1,745
756
1,272
82,555
2005January
26,421
21,666
17,786
5,425
7,988
1,741
764
1,285
83,076
February
26,441
21,606
17,996
5,443
8,000
1,729
777
1,280
83,272
March
26,269
21,502
18,167
5,445
8,020
1,712
793
1,265
83,173
April
26,028
21,422
18,300
5,420
8,071
1,697
808
1,253
82,999
May
25,777
21,394
18,377
5,367
8,154
1,690
818
1,248
82,825
June
25,548
21,395
18,383
5,301
8,281
1,691
821
1,251
82,671
July
25,356
21,414
18,302
5,258
8,442
1,693
816
1,257
82,538
August
25,196
21,443
18,155
5,250
8,615
1,685
805
1,263
82,412
September
25,040
21,429
17,962
5,257
8,739
1,662
790
1,261
82,140
October
24,922
21,407
17,772
5,269
8,798
1,631
776
1,247
81,822
November
24,885
21,399
17,634
5,280
8,800
1,607
769
1,231
81,605
December
24,958
21,396
17,542
5,284
8,768
1,593
771
1,218
81,530
2006January
25,114
21,394
17,490
5,282
8,724
1,589
779
1,212
81,584
February
25,293
21,370
17,447
5,276
8,670
1,587
787
1,210
81,640

(a) Seasonally adjusted numbers of new motor vehicle sales in Tasmania, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory should be used with caution. For further information, see paragraph 7 of the Explanatory Notes.