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Brazil September 2016: Supplier crisis sinks Volkswagen down 56% to #7

VW Saveiro Brazil August 2016. Picture courtesy icarros.com.brThe skidding is real: handicapped by supplier issues. VW is at its lowest since its 1953 launch.

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After a respite in August (-11%), the Brazilian new car market returns to hell with September sales down an abysmal 20% year-on-year to 154.979, pulling the year-to-date tally down 22.5% to 1.458.952 units. We forecast it last month: Volkswagen accelerates its demise in a market it once dominated head-and-shoulders. However September was a freak event due to crisis with four of its suppliers resulting in almost inexistent production. As a result, the German carmaker skids down 56% to crash to a lowest-ever (gasp) 7th place in the brands ranking with 11.786 sales and 7.6% share vs. 20.5% less than four years ago in January 2013.

chevrolet-onix-brazil-september-2016-picture-courtesy-carros-uol-com-brThe Chevrolet Onix has now been the best-selling model in Brazil for 14 consecutive months. 

In September Volkswagen places no model inside the Top 20 with the Saveiro (#23) and Gol (#25) its best-sellers for the month. The Chevrolet Onix alone, best-seller in Brazil for the past 14 months, sells more than the entire Volkswagen lineup this month (12.592). This is VW’s lowest ever ranking and market share in Brazil since it started manufacturing and selling the “Fusca” (Beetle) 62 years ago in 1954. President David Powels, however, declared this week that production had resumed in all Brazilian plants and that the company will produce 100.000 cars between October and November to catch up on lost time.

hyundai-hb20-brazil-september-2016-picture-courtesy-carros-uol-com-brIn 2nd place, the Hyundai HB20 is up 13% in a market down 20%. 

At the opposite end of this particularly paltry performance, Chevrolet manages to gain volume year-on-year to cement its leadership at +4% to 28.261 sales and 18.2% share vs. 14.1% a year ago. Similarly, Hyundai is up 7% to leap onto the overall Brazilian podium for the very first time at #3 with 16.998 units and 11% share vs. 8.2% in September 2015. Fiat freefalls 31% but remains #2 at 14.2%, Toyota is stable at 9.3% in 5th and Renault is down 14% to 7.8% in 6th. Nissan surges 13% to 6.343 deliveries thanks to the Kicks up 10 spots on August to #22 and accounting for 37% of the brand’s total sales this month but all other manufacturers in the Top 20 fall by at least 16% except BMW at -7% to 1.034 sales in 15th place.

chevrolet-prisma-brazil-september-2016The Chevrolet Prisma also defies the odds and gains 13% to 4th place overall.

In the models ranking, both the Chevrolet Onix (+23%) and Hyundai HB20 (+13%) continue to defy the odds and post double-digit gains in a double-digit declining market to 8.1% and 6.5% share respectively. They are joined in the Top 4 by the Chevrolet Prisma up 13% to 5.344 sales and 3.4% share, all three aforementioned nameplates having been refreshed in the past few months. The Ford Ka (-12%) and Renault Sandero (-22%) complete the Top 5, the Jeep Renegade (-21%) reclaims the title of best-selling SUV in Brazil off the Honda HR-V (-33%) while the Fiat Toro (#11) and Mobi (#12) are now knocking on the Top 10’s door pretty loudly.

nissan-kicks-brazil-september-2016-picture-courtesy-carplace-com-brFor its 2nd full month in market, the Nissan Kicks almost breaks into the Top 20. 

Previous month: Brazil August 2016: Onix and HB20 sparkle, VW at lowest ever share

One year ago: Brazil September 2015: Chevrolet Onix retains crown, Jeep Renegade outsells VW Gol

Full September 2016 Top 20 brands and Top 150 models below.

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