The latest report from Global Automakers of Canada shows a surge in sales.

The strength of the sales recovery is such that David C. Adams, President of the Global Automakers of Canada, is surprised.

“We were optimistic and confident that the market would recover, but not to this extent,” he says.

“And the results would certainly have been even better had it not been for some of the inventory shortfalls, including those caused by the shortage of chips in our industry.”

Q2 2021 vs Q2 2020

The Global Automakers of Canada report shows that in the second quarter of 2021, sales of new light vehicles manufactured by the association’s members were up 68.7% overall, compared to the same period last year.

Comparing the beginning of 2021 to the beginning of 2020, we see a 43.2% catch-up in light vehicle sales in Canada.

The association represents foreign automakers, whether or not they have plants in Canada.

Canadian vehicle supply trends

But the trends highlighted in the latest report can be applied to the overall vehicle supply in Canada.

One of the other observations that can be drawn from these statistics is the growing gap between car sales and light truck sales.

In fact, the second quarter of 2021 shows a 49.3% increase in car sales versus a 78.1% increase in deliveries of pickup trucks, SUVs and other light trucks compared to the same period last year.

“This trend is not new and has been accelerating over the past five years,” Adams told Autosphere.

“It’s a North American phenomenon. The current hype suggests a market that is 20% cars and 80% light trucks, exactly the opposite statistic of what I knew when I entered the automotive business.”