World November 2012 Roundup: When Hyundai cracked Brazil

Hyundai HB20

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Now that most November data is in, it’s time for our much anticipated World roundup. If last month the focus was on China, Japan and Austria, in November all spotlights are on Brazil. Following the same trajectory as in Russia and India where it now regularly places a locally-produced model on the podium, Hyundai launched the HB (for Hyundai Brazil) range with the HB20 hatchback aimed directly at the VW Gol and Fiat Palio, the HB20X crossover just unveiled at the Sao Paolo Motor Show and a HB20 sedan due to launch in Q1 2013. All HB models will be produced at Hyundai’s new plant in Piracicaba in the Sao Paulo state. With its new plant, Hyundai aims at going from #9 and 2.6% share in 2012 to #4 with 10% of the Brazilian market as early as by the end of 2013, passing Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Renault and Ford in the process!

The Hyundai HB20 is produced in Hyundai’s new Piracicaba plant in Brazil

What seemed like wishful thinking only a few weeks back is now turning into reality. For its first full month of sales, the Hyundai HB20 breaks into the monthly Top 10 for the first time for a Hyundai in Brazil at #9 with 8,077 sales. Hyundai has received 50,000 orders for the model and believe it will sell 26,000 by end-2012, leaving a waiting list of 24,000 into the new year. The HB20 single-handedly pushed Hyundai up to #6 carmaker in Brazil in November at 4.7% share… While we are at it, the other big event in November in Brazil is the Chevrolet Onix already up to #11 with 7,409 sales. If you are a regular reader of BSCB you will already know that the Onix is up to #6 in at mid-December…

Fiat 500L

The 2nd big event on the world car sales scene in November is the Fiat 500L breaking into the Top 10 in its native Italy at #9 with 2,115 sales and 2% share only a couple of months after launch. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves (yet), but it could be a case of the ‘right car at the right time’ for the Italian car manufacturer. Fiat’s previous incursion into the mini MPV segment, the Fiat Idea, never ranked better than #11 at home in June 2005, a position the 500L has already beaten. Fiat announced the 500L will go on sale in over 100 countries worldwide, pretty much everywhere the 500 is on sale right now including the USA and Brazil which could become its biggest market in the world if produced locally…

The Honda CR-V is the best-selling Japanese model in China this month

We can’t really go too far in our World Roundup without stopping in China, where events are 3-fold this month:

1. The Japanese manufacturers see their decline ease compared to September and October, with Toyota at -25%, Honda at -29% and Mazda at -30%. Japanese models are quietly back up the ranking with 6 of them in the Top 40 vs. just one last month: the Honda CR-V (#24), Nissan Sylphy (#29), Toyota Camry (#31), Corolla EX (#35), Corolla (#37) and Nissan Teana (#39).

BYD F3 Surui

2. Chinese brands are doing better at home, grabbing 35.1% of the overall market, their highest penetration rate in 20 years! For the first time since last May, the Chery QQ is the best-selling local thanks to the new model at #14 with 16,670 sales, its highest ranking since April 2011 and its strongest monthly volume since… January 2010!  Expect the trend to continue with the new gen BYD F3 gearing up (it cracked the 10,000 monthly units mark this month), and low-cost models like the Venucia R50/D50 (up a massive 67 ranks to #46) getting more and more successful…

38,362 Ford Focus found a buyer in China in November

3. Exceptional, outstanding, out-of-this-world, hard to appreciate the performance of the Ford Focus in China at its correct measure: it is the #1 passenger car for the 4th month in a row and the 5th time in the last 6 months, smashing its volume record again at 38,362 sales, which could even be the highest monthly volume ever recorded for a Passenger Car in China.(Note the Focus also managed to take the lead in the UK for only the 4th time in the last 3 years after May 2010, Jan 2011 and Feb 2012). While we’re at it, let’s notice the VW Lavida also lodging a record month at 31,397 units.

VW Up! Picture by Borsen.dk, all rights reserved.

Third big event and it’s a brand one, Volkswagen continues to kick arse, monopolising the models ranking podium in 2 countries outside of Germany and with the Up! reaching unheard of volumes in Denmark… To see the rest of the article just click on ‘Read more’ below.

Previous World Roundups:

World October 2012 Roundup: China, Japan and Austria in focus

World September 2012 Roundup: Ford Focus shines in China

World August 2012 Roundup: Subaru XV topples almighty Golf in Switzerland

World July 2012 Roundup: Geely CK writes history in Ukraine

World June 2012 Roundup: Hyundai Santa Fe and Ford Focus shine

World May 2012 Roundup: GM and Toyota Etios make headlines

World April 2012 Roundup: Maruti Swift and Mazda CX-5 impress

World March 2012 Roundup: Toyota Prius breaks a leg

See the Full World November 2012 Roundup article below.