Brazil’s Auto Sales Climb 10%, Output Jumps 22%

Automakers sold 316,200 passenger and commercial vehicles in Brazil last month compared with 287,500 vehicles in May 2012, according to industry group ANFAVEA.

The country's registrations of passenger cars rose 11% to 233,000 units in May. Gainers included Fiat Group (+18% to 54,300 vehicles), Ford (+1% to 19,600 units), Renault (+2% to 13,400 units) and PSA (+12% to 10,400 units). But deliveries slid at Volkswagen Group (-3% to 44,400 vehicles) and General Motors (-5% to 43,700 units).

Sales in Brazil last month also increased for light commercial vehicles (+6% to 68,000 units), trucks (+16% to 12,600 units) and buses (+15% to 2,700 units).

In the January-May period of 2013, the country's vehicle registrations advanced 9% to 1.48 million vehicles compared with an unusually weak year-earlier period. Analysts say sales growth may slow for the rest of this year because of less favorable year-over-year comparisons.

ANFAVEA says vehicle production, which surged 30% in April, climbed to a record-high 348,100 units in May from 285,800 units a year earlier. Output in the first five months of this year jumped 19% to 1.54 million units.

Brazil's exports soared 81% to 48,600 vehicles last month as passenger vehicle shipments doubled to 35,900 units, ANFAVEA says.