Traders report surge in car sales across Gulf in 2010

Car makers reported a surge in sales across the Gulf states in 2010 in a sign that consumer confidence is returning to the market.

General Motors Middle East said that it sold 38,450 cars in the fourth quarter of 2010, a jump of 26 percent in comparison to 2009’s figures.

The motor giant said that its December sales for the year were the highest since 2006, with 17,236 vehicles sold from its stable of Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet brands.

The two largest markets in the region, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, saw growth rocket up by 28.4 percent and 112 percent respectively in the fourth quarter of last year, GM said in a statement.

Abu Dhabi Motors, the importer of BMW cars and the sole dealer for Rolls Royce in the emirate, said that 2010 sale figures for the German automobile brand were the highest in the Middle East, with 3,616 vehicles sold.

The dealer said that Abu Dhabi ranked amongst the top five markets for Rolls Royce in the world, and the biggest in the Middle East. Some 400 cars were sold in the region in 2010.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, the CEO of Rolls Royce Motors, predicted strong sales growth in 2011, with Qatar likely to establish itself as a challenger to Abu Dhabi.

“After Abu Dhabi, I think it’s probably Qatar. Over the next few years, due to the soccer championships and all that stuff, I bet on that to boost Qatar’s economy even further. I have high hopes and big projections into the Qatar market,” he told Arabian Business this week.

Gargash Enterprises, the authorised dealer for Mercedes Benz, said that the company had sold 4,950 new and used cars in the UAE in 2010, an eight percent increase in comparison to 2009.

Its SUV range saw a five percent increase in sales, pushed by the launch of its GL Grand Edition and the MLAMG sport package ranges.

“In 2011, we hope to see an increase in sales levels by ten percent from 2010’s figures, driven by the introduction of three new models,” Wassim Derby, spokesperson for the dealer, told Arabian Business.

The chairman of the Renault Group said that its Middle Eastern unit, Renault GCC was one of the fastest growing brands in the region. Since beginning operations in Saudi Arabia in July 2010, some 1,300 vehicles have been sold, accounting for 30 percent of its total sales in the region.

“Renault GCC has made real progress, as have all the markets in the Asia-Africa sector. In 2010, Renault GCC sold around 4,300 vehicles, which represents a growth of almost 90 percent of our sales, comparing 2009,” Mustansir Lakdawala, managing director of Renault GCC said in a statement.

The French automobile company said that it increased its market share in 14 of its 15 main markets, and that it expected 2011 to see a growth of at least four percent on 2010’s figures, buoyed by the markets outside Europe.

“In 2011, we will be pursing two main thrusts: to step up our international expansion through all our brands and to launch our range of electric vehicles in the second half of the year,” Jérôme Stoll, executive vice president of sales and marketing, said.