“The decrease in car sales caused turnover to drop 50% in 2010 compared to 2008… Figures for 2012 will confirm the same downward trend,” APIA vice-president Brent Valmar said at the conference Mediafax Talks about Auto Industry.
The increase in second-hand car imports over the past years and the reduced purchasing power are among the factors that pulled the new car sales down.
According to Vlamar, the number of authorized car dealers decreased during the crisis, as many of them entered insolvency.
He estimates the sales of new cars will not exceed 92,000 vehicles this year.
In January through May, new passenger car sales fell 11.9% on the year to 28,979 units. Overall auto sales reached 34,467 units, down 12% on the year.