SALES OF MEDIUM and heavy trucks increased for the second month in a row during August – a sign of improved fixed investment sentiment in the economy, says the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa. According to the association’s official figures, sales of vehicles in the medium and heavy truck segments of the industry during August, 2001 recorded gains of 88 units or 21.6 per cent, in the case of medium commercial vehicles, and 83 units or 14.9 per cent, in the case of heavy trucks and buses – compared to the corresponding month last year. East London-based DaimlerChrysler led both these sectors. New car sales during August totalled 20 079 – an improvement of 162 units or 0.8 per cent compared to the 19 917 unit sales of the corresponding month of August in 2000. Eastern Cape motor manufacturers accounted for nearly 45 per cent of all new cars sold, with Uitenhage-based Volkswagen South Africa emerging as market leader with total sales of 5 130 – or one in four of all new cars sold in South Africa during August. Sales of new light commercial vehicles, and minibuses at 8 566 units for the month of August, 2001 reflected a decline of 1 346 units or 13.6 per cent compared to the 9 912 unit sales of the corresponding month in 2000. Export data available for July, 2001 confirms that new car exports continued to show further strong gains. Aggregate new vehicle exports for the first seven months of the year also remain well ahead (70.3 per cent) of the corresponding period in 2000. The full figures are available at http://www.naamsa.co.za/latest