Auto Sales Climb 29% in Brazil

Registrations of passenger and commercial vehicles in Brazil jumped to 333,700 units in April from 257,900 units a year earlier, according to carmaker group ANFAVEA.

The advance was spurred by renewed government incentives and two more selling days than in April 2012, analysts say.

The country's passenger vehicle sales rose 30% year over year to 246,400 units last month. Volume also increased for light commercial vehicles (+28% to 70,600 units), medium- and heavy-duty trucks (+26% to 14,000 units) and buses (+27% to 2,800 units).

Major automakers posting higher passenger vehicle sales in Brazil last month included Fiat (+33% to 54,900 vehicles), General Motors (+38% to 45,800 units) and Renault (+24% to 16,000 units). Volkswagen volume was flat at 49,300 units. Ford deliveries slipped 5% to 18,200 vehicles.

In the January-April period, the country's motor vehicle registrations grew 8% to 1.16 million units.

Total vehicle production in Brazil last month jumped 31% to 340,900 units, ANFAVEA reports. By segment, output climbed 26% to 257,600 passenger vehicles, 47% to 61,500 light commercial vehicles, 57% to 18,100 heavier trucks and 42% to 3,000 buses.

In the first four months of 2013, the country's vehicle production rose 17% to 1.17 million units.