Algeria 6 months 2012: Peugeot up 96% in market up 49%

Can the 301 help Peugeot become the best-selling brand in Algeria? 

* See the original articles in the Algerian press by clicking on the title! *

Given my traditional source for Algerian sales has dried up and hasn’t been updated since last January, the only information I have about Algeria is patchy at best. If you have access to regular models figures please make sure to let me know by commenting on this post!

Over the first 6 months of 2012 the Algerian new car market is going absolutely gangbusters, up no less than 49% on the same period in 2011 (which was a record already) to 263,787 registrations. Now some of the previous year info published here conflicts with the data I got monthly in 2010-2011 but in any case we may be looking at a 500,000 unit Algerian market in 2012 which would be an all time record by far, up from around 400,000 in 2010 (or 289,385 according to my source). Exceptional times indeed… This astonishing growth is fuelled by a couple of government measures: substantial aids allocated to young entrepreneurs to create new companies with bank loans at zero credit and car price reductions, as well as significant salary increases granted to civil servants with 4-year retroactive effects.

The ageing Peugeot 207 is still the brand’s best-seller in Algeria

In this euphoric context, for once it’s the French brands that do best in the country. Renault leads the way by far with 63,221 sales including Dacia, up a massive 59% on the 39,659 it sold at the same time last year and nearly up to the 70,000 it sold in the Full Year 2011! Renault is even looking into building a brand new factory in Algeria to expand its very successful Moroccan operations. Expect the Renault Symbol to still lead the models ranking ahead of the Toyota Hilux.

In second place, while it is hit hard at home and having to cut jobs and close a plant, Peugeot is up a huge 96% year-on-year in Algeria to pass long-term runner-up Hyundai with 26,781 sales vs. 22.842 for the Korean. And this with an ageing range: the 207 is still Peugeot’s best-seller in the country as neither the 208 nor, most importantly, the 301 have launched there yet…

The Suzuki Swift Dzire is off to a great start in Algeria

Finally, the other brand going from strength to strength this year in Algeria is Suzuki, ranking in the Top 5 best-selling brands in January, breaking its monthly sales record twice this year in March (2,209) and June (2,591). Best-sellers over the first 6 months of 2012 are the M800 (4,585), Alto (2,764), Celerio (2,067) and Alto K10 (1,172), giving Suzuki a huge 41% market share in the mini segment. Plus the Swift Dzire, available since June 19, got 825 orders in July alone.

Previous post: Algeria May 2012: Renault breaks records

Previous year: Algeria Full Year 2011: Renault Symbol #1 again, Hyundai up 53%

One year ago: Algeria June 2012: Chevrolet Sail confirms Top 10 spot

The links to the original Algerian articles are below.