Japan Car Sales Decelerate To Lowest in 29 Years

Japan's vehicle sales fell for a 21st consecutive month, led by Nissan Motor and Toyota Motor, capping their worst business year since 1977.

Sales of cars, trucks and buses, excluding minicars, fell 12.6 percent to 487,738 vehicles in March from a year earlier, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said in a release Monday. Nissan's sales fell 16 percent, while Toyota's dropped 12 percent.

Domestic sales, excluding minicars, fell in March although household spending in Japan rose 1.3 percent in February. Declining sales at home are increasing Japanese automakers' reliance on exports to North America, where they are posting record sales by taking away customers from General Motors and Ford Motor.


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S4cabriofoxone - 4/3/2007 5:54:34 PM

+3 Boost

To "gain market share" does not necessarily mean you sold more cars, although that is usually true... it just means you hold a larger percentage of the market.

For example (I'm making this up), let's say Honda sold 28,000 cars in Japan this month vs. 29,500 last year. However, say the market went from 600,000 cars last March to 500,000 cars this month. Honda would then have a larger share of the market.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/3/2007 10:17:12 PM

+1 Boost

No, BMW is recording record profitability.

S4cabriofoxone - 4/3/2007 10:21:05 PM

+3 Boost

Honda has some of the best engineering on the planet. You're a badge whore, not a car enthusiast.

EL34 - 4/3/2007 10:57:23 PM

+3 Boost

The blame can be placed squarely on the Mitsubishi Eclipse.

XYZZ - 4/4/2007 7:18:49 AM

+2 Boost

you're right, S4. story was, some german auto engineers were asked "Where is the most advanced engine research lab?" their answer: "Japan." they didn't specify which company, but it was assumed at the time they were thinking of Honda. toyota had not started to challenge honda in the racing scene.

germans still excel at suspension tuning. but with engines, honda leads everybody. heck even the germans had to play catch up with variable valve timing, after honda introduced it.

XYZZ - 4/5/2007 5:37:00 AM

+2 Boost

this may be likened to the case with motorcyles in the mid- and late-60s.

already, japanese bikes had FAR BETTER engines than everyone else. but they hadn't yet had frames, suspensions, and handling that could match the best from europe. now they excel in ALL ASPECTS of motorcycle design and engineering. including handling.

only a matter of time before the same happens in cars.