Mideast pulls car sales up from 2009 depths

Dubai: Global carmakers say that Middle East auto sales have bounced back since the lows of 2009, but have stopped short of imitating the 2008 industry high.

It has been a punishing slow climb out of a global economic crisis that virtually decapitated auto sales in the Middle East and beyond in 2009, executives told Gulf News yesterday, but consumers are now on the hunt for their next big purchase.

"Yes, 2009 was a tough year. We had a decrease of 13 per cent," said James Crichton, regional director of Rolls Royce Middle East and Africa.

"Going into 2011, we're up 40 per cent this year's with sales of the Ghost, 18 per cent increase with the Phantom, so I would say sales are up 30 per cent overall."

Crichton pointed out that the Middle East region was crucial to car-markers, accounting for up to 15 per cent of Rolls Royce's annual sales.

Frank Bernthaler, director of sales and marketing for Daimler Middle East's Mercedes-Benz Cars, said that sales were up, although not as high as the last banner year for the company in the Middle East market, 2008, when it sold 19,000 units across the region.

"We're looking at having our second best year here," Bernthaler said.

Joeg Breuer, managing director of BMW Group Middle East, said the UAE is the biggest buyer of vehicles in the Middle East market and accounts for half of all sales in the region.

"We expect this trend to continue," Breuer said, adding that "Mini is the fastest growing premium brand in the Middle East. January to October, sales are up 86 per cent."

At the nearby Lamborghini stand, officials presented three new sports cars for media in red, white and green symbolic of the Italian national flag.

Francesco Cresci, EMEA sales area manager, told Gulf News that the specialty sports cars are moving in the region at a pace quicker than in 2010.

"We're seeing two-digit success this year. People want to start buying again, the economy is picking up," Cresci said.

Geoff Dowding, regional director Asia, Middle East for Bentley, said the company's global target for 2011 is to sell 7,000 cars. Bentley has sold 1,000 of its luxury cars in China for an 86 per cent boost in sales so far this year and is seeing sales jump by 36 per cent in the US.

He would not reveal final sales figures for June through November, but said Bentley had witnessed five of its best months of sales in the Middle East on record. The numbers will help offset sluggish sales for the company in the beginning of 2011.

Dr. Oliver Schauerte, head of customisation for mega-luxury automaker Bugati, said Middle East sales have steadily increased year on year since the Bugati Veyron Coupe, Veyron Super Sport and Ceyron Grand Sport were first offered for sale in 2005.

"The market share for the Middle East is about 30 to 40 per cent of our total global sales," Schauerte told Gulf News. "Since the crisis, the region has given an important share of our sales."

He estimated that more than 100 Bugatis of the total 330 now delivered in the last five years have been delivered to the Middle East at an average price tag of 1.3 million Euros for each vehicle.

With a top speed of more than 400 km/h, the car gradually became a favourite in the region.