Exports of built-up vehicles from South Africa rocketed by 67 per cent in the first half of 2006, compared to the same period a year ago where sales totalled only 51 823 units. Sales in the first six months of this year totalled 80 651 units.

Though car exports rose by 25,3 per cent to 56 859 units, the big boost came in light commercials, where exports almost quadrupled to 23 566 units compared with only 6 250 units in the first half of last year.

Strangely the export of medium, heavy and extra heavy trucks, as well as buses, has remained fairly static at comparatively small volumes. In fact, the only segment that grew was in the export of extra heavy trucks, which went up from 53 to 107 units, while MCV exports dropped from 34 to 32, heavy truck volumes fell from 73 to 38 and buses decreased from 64 to 49.

BMW continued to set the pace in terms of total exports, with 19 943 cars being shipped across the border, compared with 18 054 exports by Toyota, which faces severe production constraints as its new paint shop is being constructed.

Volkswagen's exports dropped slightly this year to 15 955 units from 18 053 a year previously, while Mercedes-Benz also had a decrease in exports, going from 12 662 units in the first half of 2005 to 10 600 in the same period this year.

This meant that Mercedes-Benz was overtaken for fourth place on the rankings table by Ford, which shipped 10 854 units in the first six months of this year, compared to exporting only 3 607 units a year previously. Nissan, which is limited mainly to African markets, trails behind in sixth place with 3 616 exports, 9 per cent up on 2005.

Toyota is the most successful importer into Africa, with its 9 448 units shipped in the first six month representing growth of 928 per cent when compared with the 1 018 units shipped in the first half of 2005.

Once a dominant player in exports into Africa, Nissan is now second-placed, with only 2 725 vehicles (a decrease of 17 per cent on its performance in 2005) being exported to other parts of Africa.