Sales of new imported vehicles in Japan, including those produced overseas by Japanese makers, rose 1.0 percent in September from a year earlier for the second straight monthly increase.
The Japan Automobile Importers Association said Wednesday that total imported vehicle sales stood at 27,631 units, with foreign-brand imports amounting to 25,270 units, down 0.5 percent. Japanese imports came to 2,361 units, up 21.2 percent, it said.
The September figures brought this year's cumulative sales of imported vehicles to 205,369 units, up 0.6 percent from the January-September period of last year.
Mercedes-Benz beat Volkswagen to become the top-selling imported brand in September, with sales totaling 5,473 units, down 6.9 percent from a year ago. The brand had a 19.81 percent share of the imported car market.
Volkswagen, which held the top place for the eighth straight month in August, fell to second place in September, selling 4,982 units, up 0.7 percent from a year earlier, for an 18.03 percent share.
BMW came in third with an 18.4 percent rise in sales to 4,517 units, occupying a 16.35 percent share.
Toyota remained in fourth place with a share of 5.60 percent. Its sales jumped 360.7 percent to 1,548 units.
MMC absent from list
No Mitsubishi Motors Corp. vehicles made the list of 30 best-selling cars in Japan during the first half of fiscal 2004, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Wednesday.
It is rare for a major automaker to fail to make the list.