Car News

Sales of Chinese cars in Australia have overtaken those from Germany and the USA for the first three months of this year – led by MG which made it into the Top 10 for the second month in row and ahead of fellow brands LDV and Great Wall Motors which made it into the Top 20. It is the first time in our automotive history that China has been the fourth-biggest source of motor vehicles after Japan, Thailand and South Korea in a quarterly-year tally.

The sudden and shock shutdown of the Holden brand last year has prompted sweeping reforms that will better protect consumers – and car dealers – from being abandoned by foreign automotive giants in the future.

The Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Mitsubishi Pajero continued their sales surge last month as more Australians plan to holiday at home amid restrictions on international travel. Despite the age of all three vehicles – launched in 2007, 2010 and 2006 respectively – sales of the three nameplates combined have increased by 69.9 per cent in the first two months of 2021 versus the same period last year.

MG has broken into the Top 10 for Australian new-car sales in February 2021 – for the first time ever. Finishing in eighth position ahead of Volkswagen and behind Nissan, it is the first time in Australian automotive history a Chinese brand has been inside the Top 10.

The iconic Holden brand appears to have taken its last breath, with zero cars reported as sold in January 2021 – after just 28 vehicles were delivered in December 2020. It is the first time since November 1948 – when the first Holden rolled off the line – that the brand has not recorded a single sale in a given month. MORE: New-car sales wrap for January 2021 US car giant General Motors declared in February last year that 31 December 2020 would be Holden’s last day.