The FINANCIAL -- According to Geostat the sales turnover of auto dealers, with the
exclusion of retail sellers, in 2010 amounted to 653.5 million GEL.
During the first three quarters of 2011 this amount was 467.5 million
GEL.
Toyota Center Tbilisi sold 847 cars in 2011, which is 188 units less than in 2010. Irakli Gurchiani, President of Toyota Center Tbilisi says that in 2012 the company plans to import 1,500 units. The Land Cruiser 200 will be an exclusive new brand which Toyota Center Tbilisi will be offering to its customers this year.
With 280 units, Land Cruiser Prado made up the largest number of sales of Toyota Center Tbilisi in 2011. The company sold 147 Corollas, 135 Camrys, 120 Land Cruiser 200s, and 106 RAV 4s.
Gurchiani says that out of total sales 15% of cars were bought by females and that black and silver were the most popular colours.
The Land Cruiser Prado was also a dominant car in 2010. The price for it is 70,000 GEL.
In 2011 annual turnover of the company was more than 100 million GEL.
In 2011 sales dropped also for Mercedes-Benz Georgia, compared to in 2010. “In 2011 the company sold 29 units while in 2010 we sold 49 units,” said Lasha Lomidze, Sales Manager of Mercedes-Benz Georgia.
The Mercedes E-Class was the bestselling car in 2011. Its price is 50,000 EUR.
Black and silver are the most popular colours of cars with Georgian customers. Lomidze states that about 15-20 percent of total sales are made up by female customers.
In 2010 the bestselling car at Mercedes-Benz Georgia was the Mercedes ML, at 50,000 EUR.
“In 2012 we plan to import 50 vehicles. Mercedes-Benz will offer a new ML class. The cost will be 50,000-60,000 EUR,” Lomidze said.
2009 was the best year for Mercedes-Benz Georgia in terms of sales. The company sold 60 units, but the company has still not yet returned to pre-recession indicators.
Iberia Business Group experienced increases in sales in comparison to Toyota Center Tbilisi and Mercedes-Benz Georgia, and recorded a sales increase in 2011 compared with in 2010.
As opposed to Toyota and Mercedes-Benz Centres in Georgia, Auto Holding Iberia Business Group incorporates eight brands of cars, these are: Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, KIA motors , Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Peugeot. “In 2011 the Holding sold 1,798 cars, while in 2010 the figure was 1,013,” Ia Modebadze, Marketing Manager of Iberia Business Group , told The FINANCIAL.
In 2012 Iberia Business Group will be offering brand new Volkswagen models, and the renewed KIA Rio model. Also the KIA Soul will be available for the first time in Georgia. Renault will be offering the new Renault Duster.
Modebadze says that the full list of the best selling vehicles in 2011 is: the Skoda Octavia, KIA Sportage, Renault Logan Van, Volkswagen Passat CC and Mitsubishi L200.
“Among new premium class vehicles the colour white is dominant in terms of popularity. The other most popular colours are black and grey. The numbers of our male and female customers are almost equal,” Modebadze said.
In 2010 the dominant cars in terms of sales at Iberia Business Group were: the Kia Cerato and Sportage, Mitsubishi L200, Volkswagen Golf 6, Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Octavia.
The prices for the bestselling cars of 2011 were: 23,500 USD for the KIA Crossover, and for the Volkswagen comfort coupe - from 35,000 to 39,000 USD.
Modebadze notes that after 2008, 2011 netted the highest volume of sales.
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