Chile June 2020: Ram breaks into Top 10 in market stuck in hell (-68.5%)

The Fiat Toro is sold as the Ram 1000 in Chile.

The coronavirus pandemic has continued to worsen unabated in Chile, with total cases flaring up from 16.023 as of April 30 to 113.618 a month ago and 301.019 at the time of writing. As a consequence, a large part of the population and local economy remains under lockdown which continues to affect new car sales, down another -68.5% year-on-year in June to just 8.971 and at -45.1% YTD to 102.746. The June volume was made possible due to a growing trend towards non-contact sales channels (online or phone), especially in the communities under total quarantine, which has allowed buyers to receive their vehicles at home without contact and while complying with all sanitary measures. Regions where movement restrictions have not been imposed logically see smaller declines, such as Los Lagos (31.5%), Los Ríos (-40.5%) and Araucanía (-45.2%).

Chile 2018-2020 monthly sales. Source ANAC

Passenger cars are hit the hardest in June at -74.9% to 2.728 as well as YTD at -50.3% to 35.806. SUV sales collapse -73.4% to 2.777 this month and -45.2% to 37.018 so far in 2020, and it’s the commercial sector that enables the market to lose less ground, with pickups down -62.2% to 1.820 in June and -41.3% to 18.141 YTD and vans down -29.7% to 1.646 and -28.9% to 11.781. Brand-wise, Chevrolet (-55.4%) resists better than the market to 13.4% share vs. 11% YTD, easily distancing Nissan (-60.1%) at 7.5% with Suzuki (-69.3%), Kia (-71.8%) and Hyundai (-72.7%) in tow and all underperforming. Ram shoots up 9 spots to break into the Chilean Top 10 for the first time since FCA sales are split by brand, with Brilliance (+268.4%) bucking the trend with a spectacular gain further down. Chinese carmakers as a whole perform a little better than the market at -63.2% year-on-year to 18% share vs. 18.8% so far in 2020.

The Mitsubishi L-200 (-64.2%) reclaims control of the Chilean models charts both in June and YTD (-42.1%), distancing the Chevrolet Sail (-70.3%), Nissan NP300 (-62.5%) and Chevrolet Spark GT. #2 YTD and best-selling passenger car, the Suzuki Baleno (-66%) is down to #5 in June. The Peugeot Partner (-10.3%) is almost stable year-on-year this month, shooting up to #6 overall vs. #11 so far this year, with the Chevrolet N300 Max (-5.3%) and Ford F-150 (-21.3%) also posting very strong holds.

Previous month: Chile May 2020: Flaring COVID-19 infections keep market stuck at -72.2%

One year ago: Chile June 2019: Chevrolet (+9%) leads, only gainer in Top 13 in freefalling market (-14.4%)

Full June 2020 Top 60 brands and Top 25 models below.