Scoreboard: 2008 year-end ying and yang

Don't let the "only" 1.1 per cent annual sales decline (or 1,635,986 units) for 2008 fool you: The Autopocalypse has finally moved north of the 49th parallel.

With new car sales down 21.3 per cent compared to the same month in 2007, Canadian industry analyst, Dennis DesRosiers, says last month was the worst December since 1996.

The big loser in December was Honda/Acura, down 40.8 per cent. While new diesels saw Volkswagen post the biggest year-to-year gain, up 82.5 per cent last month.

Some highlights from 2008 overall:

• Toyota is the new Avis of the Canadian car industry  With sales up 11.3 per cent to 224,158 vehicles sold last year, Toyota/Lexus has leapfrogged  past both Ford and Chrysler to capture second place to the General for overall sales leadership;

• Imports rule A see of green below meant in 2008 import brands market share ended up exceeding the combined Detroit Three for the first time ever, capturing 51.2 per cent of the market. 

Here's the scoreboard for 2008's year end Canadian Winners and Losers followed by the usual pithy comments:   

Automaker    2008/2007/'08 to '07 change

Acura    19,384/20,119/-3.7% - Is Honda's premium brand losing ground to Lexus?
Audi    9,271/8,230/12.6% - Good. But nowhere near BMW's numbers
BMW    23,244/24,031/-3.3% - Without Mini, first sales decline in seventeen years
Chrysler    221,580/232,688/-4.8%  - Will Chrysler even exist by this time next year?
Ford    210,626/223,688/-4.8% - F-Series best-selling pickup for a record 43 straight years
General Motors    355,172/398,546/-10.9% - Still Numero Uno, but for how long?
Honda    151,974/150,188/1.2% - What's Honda NOT doing that Toyota IS?
Hyundai    80,632/75,005/7.5% - New '09 Elantra wagon should help next year
Infiniti    8,159/6,756/20.8% - New EX35 and G37 kept Nissan's premium brand in the green last year
Jaguar    929/738/25.9% - How long will parent Tata continue to lose ruppees?
Kia    37,520/34,820/7.8% - Next year's Soul and Spectra replacement should keep the momentum up
Land Rover    2,293/2,963/-22.6% -  See Jaguar
Lexus    15,001/13,388/12.0% - Now fourth-largest luxury brand behind BMW, Acura and Mercedes
Mazda    84,974/86,659/-1.9% - New 3 and 6 should help in '09
Mercedes-Benz    20,368/16,114/26.4% -  With Smart, 'Benz now number two in luxury behind BMW/Mini
MINI    4,905/3,703/32.5% - Canadians like to get small
Mitsubishi    18,639/16,759/11.2% - Best year ever
Nissan    75,292/70,027/7.5% - Another record year
Porsche    1,682/1,987/-15.3% - Looks relatively good compared to some Bay Street portfolios

Saab    1,568/2,209/-29.0% - Unknown future not helping consumer confidence
smart    3,749/2,433/54.1% -   More ForTwos sold last year than Saab and Jaguar combined
Subaru   19,892/16,504/20.5% - AWD cars popular in Canada? Who knew?
Suzuki    13,442/12,001/12.0% - Bad economic times helping cheap 'n cheerful lineup
Toyota    209,157/187,938/11.3% - Domestically-made models help move Toyota to Number 2 in Canada
Volkswagen    40,026/36,909/8.4% - New clean diesels save VW's bacon
Volvo    6,507/8,874/-26.7% - See Saab

Total 2008 Light Vehicle Sales 1,635,986/1,653,362/-1.1%

[Source: DesRosiers]