April Imported Car Sales Down 10% to 23,000 Units... "Semiconductor Shortage Limits Supply"

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] According to an analysis of new registration data released on the 4th by the Korea Imported Automobile Association, 23,070 imported passenger cars were sold domestically last month. This represents a decrease of about 9.8% compared to the same period last year and about 7.4% compared to the previous March. The shortage of automotive semiconductors made it difficult for major brands to secure sufficient inventory, causing a slowdown.

By brand, Mercedes-Benz led with 7,822 units sold, the highest number. This is about a 7% decrease compared to April last year. It has held the top spot for three consecutive months since February. The cumulative sales from January to April reached 25,964 units, accounting for about 31% market share among association members. BMW ranked second with 6,658 units. Although sales decreased compared to the previous March, there was a slight increase compared to April last year. BMW's sales from January to April totaled 24,701 units, with a market share of around 29%.

Volvo followed with 1,332 units, and Audi with 1,051 units. Porsche recorded 918 units, Volkswagen 847 units, Mini 779 units, and Toyota 648 units. Except for BMW, Volvo, and Toyota, all other brands experienced double-digit declines in sales. Tesla, which is not a member of the association and thus did not disclose new registration numbers, reportedly had one new registration last month.

By engine displacement, vehicles under 2,000cc accounted for 60%, making up a significant portion. Electric vehicles saw 1,575 new registrations, accounting for about 7%. By brand nationality, European brands dominated with 88%, while Japanese and American brands each accounted for just under 6%. By purchase type, individual purchases totaled 13,465 units (59%), and corporate purchases were 9,425 units (41%).

The best-selling model was the Mercedes-Benz mid-size sedan E350 4MATIC, with 1,636 units sold. The BMW 520 followed with 1,237 units, and the Mercedes-Benz C300 with 815 units. Polestar's Polestar 2 sold 460 units, making it the best-selling electric vehicle. Lim Han-gyu, vice chairman of the Imported Car Association, stated, "Due to the semiconductor supply shortage, there was an overall shortage of inventory by brand, resulting in a decrease compared to the previous month."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.