During the first 11 months of 2019, 2,421 luxury vehicles were sold in Panama, a figure 8% higher than that reported for the same period in 2018.
According to the most recent report from the General Comptroller of the Republic, between January and November 2018 and the same period in 2019, in general the number of units registered in the country fell slightly, from 45,896 to 44,101.
During the first eight months of 2018, 33,343 new vehicles were registered, 13% less than in the same period of 2017, according to the behavior reported since last year.
The latest figures from the General Comptroller's Office show that from January to August 2018, 11,767 new car-type vehicles were registered, 20% less than the 14,643 units registered in the same period in 2017.
In line with the behavior reported since last year, during the first semester, 25,522 new vehicles were registered in Panama, 13% less than in the same period in 2017.
According to the latest data from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, between January and June 2018, 9,012 new vehicles were registered, 21% less than the 11,368 units registered in the same period in 2017.
Between January and May of 2018, 21,716 new units were registered in Panama, 12% less than in the same period in 2017, reaffirming the downward trend observed since last year.
The most up-to-date figures from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic show that from January to May 2018, 7,747 new vehicles were registered, 19% less than the 9,549 units registered in the same period in 2017.
Between January and April 2018, 17,099 units were registered, 10% less than in the same period in 2017, reaffirming the decreasing trend that has been seen for several months.
Figures from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic report that from January to April 2018, 6,145 new vehicles were registered, 18% less than the 7,454 units registered in the same period in 2017.
Following the downward trend that has been observed for several months, 12,617 units were registered in the first quarter, 11% less than was reported in the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Comptroller General of the Republic show that in the first quarter of 2018, 4,548 new vehicles were registered, 22% less than the 5,790 units registered in the same month in 2017.
According to the guild of vehicle importers, the premium car and SUV segment accounts for about 15% of total sales.
Data from the Association of Importers of Vehicles and Machinery (Aivema), "... on imports and sales shows that the total number of premium cars and SUV's oscillates between 5% and 8% of the 36,000 new units that came into the country in 2017, but they represent 15% of sales.
In the first half of the year, 29,287 new vehicles were registered, almost 12% less than in the same period in 2016, reinforcing the downward trend that has been seen since the beginning of the year.
Themost recent figures from the office of the Comptroller General show that in June there were 4,734 new vehicles, 17% less than in the same month in 2016.
Between January and May of this year there were 24,553 new vehicles, 10% less than in the same period in 2016, reinforcing the downward trend seen since the beginning of the year.
Figures compiled by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic indicate that 5,667 new vehicles were registered in May: 2,095 were automobiles (-17% compared to the same period in 2016), 212 luxury cars (-6.8% (-25%), 910 pickup trucks (-15.7%), 97 buses (-29%), 223 trucks (-3%), 94 minivans (-13.5%), 117 vans, 9%) and 29 (13.6%) registered in the category 'Other'.
The distributors' association reports a reduction of almost 4% in new vehicle sales for the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in 2016.
Jean Pierre Devaux, executive director of the Association of Importers and Distributors of Motor Vehicles (Aidva), commented to S21.gt that between January and March of this year"...6 thousand 894 new units have been sold."
In the first quarter, 14,230 new vehicles were registered, 11% less than the 16 thousand registered in the same period last year.
Figures compiled by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic indicate that in March there were 5,462 new vehicles, distributed as follows: 2,075 are automobiles, 219 are luxury cars, 1,853 are SUVs, 83 are minivans, 103 are vans, 777 are pick up trucks, 142 are buses, 181 are trucks and 29 are registered under the category 'Others'.
About 50% of the 147,000 new vehicles sold between March 2016 and December 2017 were financed by banks and financial institutions, for close to $1 billion.
An analysis of the vehicle fleet in Costa Rica by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData reveals that placement of loans for vehicle purchases during the period between March 2016 and March this year amounted to $1.2355 billion.
In the first two months of the year 8,768 new vehicles were registered, which is 12% less than in the same period in 2016.
Total sales of new vehicles in Panama in the first two months of this year fell by 12% compared with the same period last year, going from 9,992 to 8,768 units, according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC).
The Directorate General of Taxation has suspended the decree that prevented agencies and distributors from importing latest model vehicles, corresponding to 2018.
The restriction on imports of 2018 models came into effect in October last year, when the Ministry of Finance issued Decree No. 39941-H.