Global exports of built-up vehicles from South Africa for the first six months of 2007 totalled 81 218 units, which was less than 1 per cent (567 units) above the figure for the first half of last year.

The main reason for the disappointing performance was the run-out of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Only 1 647 units were exported in the first half of this year, compared with 10 600 a year ago. However, the production ramp-up of the new C-Class is underway and that figure will jump in the second half of the year. DaimlerChrysler SA also announced recently that local production of the Mitsubishi Triton pick-up would commence in the middle of 2008 and that could further boost the company’s export volumes.

Meanwhile, Toyota SA steamed ahead as the country’s leading exporter, having achieved a substantial increase in the production of Hilux at its Prospecton facility in KwaZulu-Natal. Toyota exports for the first half of 2007 totalled 29 940 units - an increase of 16,6 per cent over the 18 054 units shipped in the first six months of 2006 and a 36,3 per cent share of the South Africa’s total CBU vehicle exports.

The vast majority of Toyota’s exports - 23 294 units - are the Hilux 3-litre diesel double cab for UAE markets, with other popular model (5 023 units exported) being the Hilux 2,5-litre turbodiesel double cab 4x4. Year-to-date exports of the Fortuner SUV totalled only 720 units.

BMW remained in second position in terms of total exports, shipping 20 806 3-Series units in the first half of 2007, compared with 19 943 a year ago, pushing up its share of the export pie marginally to just over 25 per cent.

CBU exports by Ford SA, which has overtaken Mercedes-Benz for third position, slumped by more than 40 per cent this year, going down to 6 296 units, from a figure of 10 854 in January-June 2006. The bulk of Ford’s exports are a variety of Focus passenger car models.

A newcomer to the ranks of volume exporters was General Motors SA, which shipped 2 538 Hummer H3s in the first half of 2007, with the majority (1 310 units) being the 3,7-litre Adventure 4x4 automatic.

Exports into Africa by local manufacturers increased by 28,5 per cent to 17 611 units in the first half of 2007, compared with the situation a year ago. The vast majority (16 070 units) were light commercials, with 12 978 being Toyota Hiluxes (the biggest markets were Algeria and Nigeria), while closer at home it was, amazingly, Zimbabwe that imported the largest number of SA-made vehicles – 1 756 units - compared with 1 017 for neighbours Zambia.