Throughout 2022, the most coveted options in the “choice” of the zero kilometer were the Fiat Crono and Peugeot 208cars in the “medium-small” category whose list price is between 4 and 5 million pesos. Thus the ranking drawn up by Automotive Dealers Association (ACARA), which brings together the official concessionaires. Options 3 and 4 were Hilux and Amarok pickup trucks, with list prices more than 10 million pesos.
Clearly the buyers choice was between a limited amount of models, those achievable today. “There are domestic models, for imported ones there is still a wait and a surcharge,” said a dealer of Stellantis, the automaker that now has the Fiat, Peugeot, Citroën and Jeep brands under its umbrella.
This formula, with some vacillations, had been applied by the Government since the beginning of its administration, three years ago: it trampled car imports through non-automatic import licenses (SIMI) and started with a policy of monthly authorizations, in small batches.
The result of that policy was smaller trade deficit, in a context of dollar scarcity. But the other side was dealerships without unitsthat he had to give free stone to those sellers who were willing to charge premiums in exchange for delivering their units within a relatively reasonable amount of time.
What has changed with the arrival of Sergio Massa at the Ministry of Economy are the list prices. Sometimes those prices are just a side reference, because the real price of some models ends up being distorted by the surcharge. But for some brands or models in particular, the price lists are once again a reference. And for the first time so far in this administration, they’re going to end the year on raises below inflation.
“The government is pressing so we don’t raise prices as much as inflation, two or three months ago. All terminals are trying not to equate inflation,” said the director of one of the best-selling automakers. “It’s not like (former Commerce Secretary Guillermo) Moreno, who would put the revolver on the table, but they are pressing. In any case, as we try to explain to you, consumer prices are not defined by us but by the retailer. Although there will probably be less increase from the dealer, because Demand is down a bit.
This is confirmed by a Clarín survey among the 10 best-selling models of the first eleven months of the year (see infographic). Of those ten models that represent just over 50% of the total zero kilometer market (equal to just over 200,000 units), in any case, an intermediate-price version was chosen, neither “entry” nor top of the range.
The result was that prices, on average, increased in 12 months 68.8%against an annualized price index whose most recent measurement (October) shows an increase of 88% in 12 months.
However, there is nothing to indicate that the automakers they lost money. If retail prices are measured in blue dollars, according to the seller’s current price and that of December of last year, the prices they are practically the same. Then the terminals they should not give up the trade margin.
Did that 20 percentage point increase below inflation still go down the road to the surcharge? For models that have a longer waiting period, such as those imported from outside the area, Yup.
«The logic applied by the concessionaire is that the prices in pesos increase between 4% and 5% per month. charges you a 15% surchargethat you would have paid if you had to wait 90 days, but with the possibility of having the unit immediately,” said another seller, in this case of used cars.
As if it were a parallel world, the used car ranking was led by classic small cars that have been at the top of sales for two decades. models that they are no longer producedin some cases since before the pandemic: Volkswagen Goal and Goal Trend, Chevrolet Corsa and Classicaccording to the list drawn up by the art Automotive Chamber of Commerce (CCA), a body that brings together agencies dedicated above all to second-hand. Behind the always sought-after Hilux pick-up, there are other discontinued small cars, such as, for example Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta.
“Cars they were already expensive“, he told Clarin Ricardo Salome, ACARA owner. “We sell 400,000 zero kilometers a year and We need another 100,000 units to diversify the offer”.
Source: Clarin
