Retail sales of cars and light trucks in Japan in October rose by 17.3% year-on-year. However, year to date sales are down by 3.1% at 4,494,935 units. Toyota led the market in October with sales of 130,346 units, up 11.1% y-o-y, although the greatest sales increase was recorded by Honda, seeing its October results increase by 48.9% y-o-y. Hino has enjoyed the highest sales increase across the ten months to October, rising 10.4%. Despite enjoying a strong month in October, Toyota’s year-to-date sales are down by 8.6%.
Imports accounted for 5.7% of the market in October, down from 6.6% in October 2012; across the year-to-date, imports have accounted for 6.3% of the market. The kei car segment accounted for 37.3% of Japanese vehicle sales in October, and 39.2% across the ten months to October. With kei car sales up by 3.4% across the year to date, the importance of the segment is clear; it is also a segment in which foreign OEMs are not represented, something which is always cited as a classic non-tariff barrier affecting non-Japanese OEMs. That gives the international negotiators trade something to think about as they work on the free trade agreement talks.
Since the 2008 banking crisis, the Tokyo motor show has been one of the global motor shows that foreign OEMs have chosen to avoid. This year’s event has reversed that trend, with 18 foreign OEMs
lining up alongside all of Japan’s domestic OEMs, and they will be looking to increase their share of the market. Nevertheless, not all of the major global OEMs are present at the 43rd Tokyo show, with GM, Ford and Chrysler among the absentees.
Here we’ve brought together our analysis, plus links to news about the key model launches and concepts at the Tokyo Motor Show 2013.
[button color=”#5d7731″ background=”#a1cc59″ size=”medium” src=”#analysis”]Analysis[/button] [button color=”#5d7731″ background=”#a1cc59″ size=”medium” src=”#key”]Key model launches[/button] [button color=”#5d7731″ background=”#a1cc59″ size=”medium” src=”#videos”]Videos[/button]
ANALYSIS
| COMMENT: 2013 sees foreign OEMs return to the Tokyo Auto Show BY ROGER STANSFIELD: 18 foreign OEMs line up alongside the domestics at the 2013 Tokyo show |
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| Nissan to repeat Leaf success in new segments Nissan is keen to take its success with the all-electric Leaf passenger car into new segments. The Leaf launched almost exactly three years ago, marking the first mass-produced fully electric vehicle (EV). Since then it has racked up sales of more than 87,000 units |
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KEY MODEL LAUNCHES
FUSO ‘F1’: Trade fair debut for the new FUSO “FI” truck, one of five FUSO truck models built by Daimler India Commercial Vehicles for “growth markets”.
Honda Vezel: The Vezel name was confirmed on 19 November. On display at the Tokyo show, more details will be announced on 19 December 2013, with sales starting in Japan the following day.
Lexus RC coupe: Unveiled at the Tokyo show, the Lexus “RC 350” and “RC 300h” sports coupes are scheduled for launch in the second half of 2014.
Mazda3 SKYACTIV-Hybrid: The Mazda3 SKYACTIV-Hybrid is Mazda’s first hybrid. The electric-gasoline drive will initially power the all-new Mazda3, which also makes its Japanese debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.
Yamaha Motor Company MOTIV.e: Gordon Murray was at Tokyo 2013 to announce the partnership between Gordon Murray Design (GMD) and Yamaha Motor Company, which will be using GMD’s iStream manufacturing process to build the MOTIV.e.
Porsche Macan: One of three simultaneous global Porsche launches, the Macan takes Porsche into the burgeoning compact SUV segment.
Porsche Panamera Turbo S Gran Turismo: Another Porsche global debut: the Panamera Turbo S and Turbo S Executive
KEY CONCEPTS
Honda S660 CONCEPT
Honda UNI-CUB ß
Mazda3 SKYACTIC-CNG Concept
This Mazda CNG concept features a special dual-fuel SKYACTIV-G 2.0 with separate gasoline and compressed natural gas (CNG) tanks.
Mitsubishi Electric EMIRAI 2 EV concept car
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is displaying two versions of its new concept EV, the EMIRAI 2.
Nissan IDx NISMO and IDx Freeflow
Built off the same generic platform, Nissan says the IDx NISMO and IDx Freeflow concepts are “examples of the kind of output one could look forward to in an actual co-creation scenario incorporating the values of digital natives”.
Lexus LF-NX Turbo
SUBARU LEVORG CONCEPT
Toyota FV2
Volkswagen twin up! concept: plug-in hybrid version of the up!, which achieves a combined consumption of 1.1 litre per 100km.
VIDEOS
Honda S660 Concept
SUPPLIERS AT THE 2013 TOKYO MOTOR SHOW
Bosch presents innovations for electric, automated, and connected mobility
Bridgestone Corporation reveals second generation “Air Free concept (Non-Pneumatic) tire”
DENSO to exhibit at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show
ZF at the Tokyo Motor Show 2013
