Taipei, Sept. 8, 2010 (CENS)--Sales of new cars in Taiwan grew 3.8% year-on-year (YoY) to reach 24,184 units, driven by brisk sales of luxury imports.

Statistics compiled by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) show that some 2,600 Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus, Audi and Volkswagen etc. were licensed.

Auto dealers pointed out that August mostly overlapped with the traditional Chinese Ghost Month, which stops from believers from buying luxuries. However, new-car sales continued on an uptrend in August, reflecting better-than-expected demand recovery, they added.

Shipments by most local automakers, however, suffered YoY decreases, except Luxgen Motor Co., Ltd., which launched its first product, the LUXGEN7 multi-purpose van (MPV) in September 2009 and then the LUXGEN7 sport utility vehicle (SUV) in June this year, both of which have become best-sellers in their class.

In August, Luxgen sold 1,225 new cars, making it the No. 6 brand in Taiwan and only 10 vehicles behind the No. 5 Ford Lio Ho Motor Co. (Ford). Some analysts said that the LUXGEN brand found new purchasers to help ramp up the overall sales volume.

Auto importers said that most buyers of luxury imports are superstitious and would not buy cars in the Ghost Month. However, some 5,691 imported cars, including luxury models, were sold in Taiwan in August, up 14.2% YoY, causing a rare phenomenon of imports helping to raise overall market growth.

Sales of Mercedes-Benz makes almost doubled in August compared to the same month of 2009 to about 800 units, more than even some local automakers’, to which industry sources attribute the carmaker's successful campaign strategy.