Exports of built-up vehicles from South Africa jumped by a record 72,8% during the first nine months of 2008, compared to the same period a year previously.

Total volume for the period was 208 527 units, made up largely of 146 583 passenger cars and 61 152 light commercials; exports of trucks and buses are virtually insignificant, totalling 792 units combined.

The big jump came in passenger car shipments, which had doubled as Mercedes-Benz SA came on full stream with its new C-Class models and Toyota started shipping large volumes of the new Corolla. LCV exports increased by 29,4%, with Toyota again a major contributor to this growth.

Toyota got within 5 000 units of breaking the 100 000 barrier (95 426 units shipped) for the nine-month period under review and accounted for a massive 46% of the country's total vehicle exports. There was a close tussle for runner-up position, with BMW (29 992) just pipping Volkswagen (29188) by 804 vehicles, with Mercedes-Benz less than 2 000 units behind VW, in fourth place.

Ford trailed in fifth on 12 493 units and was the last of the true volume exports, as next best was Nissan at 6 462. However, Nissan is set to increase this figure significantly once exports of the Renault Sandero and Renault Logan-derived Nissan NP200 pick-up commence next year.

The United States remains the most popular destination for the vehicles shipped to countries outside Africa, with 46 565 units (30%) of the 155 887 units not going into Africa. Next biggest markets were Australia with 25 973 and Japan 22 380.

Toyota is increasing its dominance of exports into Africa, with an 81% share of the 52 640 units shipped to countries on the African continent in the first three quarters of 2008, compared to 73% a year previously. Nissan (5 821 units and 11%) is the only other significant exporter into Africa.

Nigeria remains the country to take the most SA-built vehicles at 13 727 - mainly Toyotas. Next in the pecking order, on 10 740 units is Algeria and, interestingly, they are all Toyota Hiluxes! Third is Egypt (4 083) and then comes "economically challenged" Zimbabwe (3 227), followed by Morocco, Zambia, Angola, Ghana and Liberia.

The NAAMSA projection of total exports from South Africa in 2008 seems doable when one looks at the year-to-date going rate. Importantly, the big growth in vehicle exports and the slowdown in the domestic market will help the country's balance of payments position.

Component exports are also doing well. It rose from R30,5bn in 2006 to R39,1bn last year and should increase further to an estimated R50bn this year.

Vehicle and component exports are expected to increase revenue from R29bn in 2007 to about R45bn this year for a total of about R95bn in export-derived revenue versus a projected industry import figure of R92bn, translating into a modest trade surplus of around R3bn for the year, compared to a deficit last year of R34,6bn.