Tesla, Audi, and Others Already Surpass 10,000 Units Sold
Mini and Volvo Likely to Join the '10,000 Units Club' Within the Year
Tesla Model 3
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Tesla has joined the domestic imported car market's "10,000-unit club" for the first time this year. Excluding the two major imported car brands Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Audi, Volkswagen, and Tesla have all surpassed cumulative sales of 10,000 units early this year.
According to Kaizyu Data Research Institute on the 11th, Tesla sold 10,518 units domestically from January to September this year. The Model 3 alone led Tesla's entry into the 10,000-unit club with nearly 9,900 units sold. Only five imported car brands have exceeded cumulative sales of 10,000 units as of last month.
Audi and Volkswagen, which are conducting aggressive new car marketing this year, also easily surpassed 10,000 units. According to the Korea Imported Automobile Association, Audi and Volkswagen sold 16,971 units and 10,276 units respectively from the beginning of this year to last month. This is a markedly different atmosphere compared to last year, when supply shortages and delays in diesel vehicle certification kept sales around 10,000 units for the entire year. By model, the Audi A6 40 TDI (3,481 units) and Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI (5,988 units) have been definite bestsellers.
Although Mini and Volvo have not yet joined the 10,000-unit club, they are expected to comfortably exceed 10,000 units in the remaining three months. Mini sold 8,322 units as of last month, selling over 1,000 units each month. If this trend continues, Mini will reach the 10,000-unit milestone for the second consecutive year, having first achieved it 15 years after entering the domestic market last year. Volvo, which sold 8,730 units through September, has also practically secured the 10,000-unit achievement within the year.
Despite the major adverse factor of the COVID-19 pandemic this year, the imported car market is expected to grow compared to last year, while Japanese car brands are anticipated to experience a decline. Toyota and Lexus surpassed annual sales of 10,000 units each based on strong performance in the first half despite last year's boycott movement, but as of now, with three-quarters of this year already passed, sales remain around 5,000 units. However, with Nissan's sales dropping to zero ahead of its withdrawal from the Korean market at the end of the year, there is some hope as overall Japanese car sales showed year-on-year growth for two consecutive months in August and September.
An industry insider said, "This year, the imported car 10,000-unit club is expected to see significant changes, with Jeep and Toyota dropping out and Tesla and Volkswagen newly joining," adding, "Recently, as new cars flood the imported car market, overall brand sales fluctuate depending on the competitiveness of the respective models."
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