Just 1 unit of each of these 20 vehicles was sold in SA last month

These 20 passenger vehicles could each muster just a single sale in South Africa in December 2022. Let’s take a look at last month’s 1-unit wonders…

While studying South Africa’s detailed new-vehicle sales figures for December 2022, we noticed an interesting phenomenon. In the passenger-vehicle segment alone – so, excluding bakkies, minibuses and trucks – as many as 20 models each managed just a single registration in the month.

Of course, there could be a variety of reasons a given model range might attract a mere solitary sale over a full (if admittedly somewhat truncated, in this case) trading month. For instance, many automakers continue to experience supply constraints driven by the semi-conductor crisis, broader shipping issues and still-frequent production interruptions.

Then there are models that simply sell in low volumes (some failed to even trouble the scorers in December). This could be because they’re pitched at a decidedly niche corner of the market, because they’re rather expensive or because they simply aren’t very popular with local buyers, for whatever reason. Examples from the list below that fit into at least 1 of these categories include Audi’s RS4 Avant, A7 Sportback and S8 sedan, as well as the fully electric e-tron GT and e-tron Sportback.

*Relatively niche models such as the Lexus LC 500 Convertible aren’t intended to sell in large volumes.*

It’s a similar case with the BMW Z4 and Lexus LC 500 (and even the Subaru WRX, to an extent). Though it launched locally as recently as June 2022, precisely 1 example of the Honda HR-V found a home during the month, which is perhaps a little unexpected. And, interestingly, several models in the Stellantis stable ended December 2022 with 1 registration apiece, including the Abarth 595, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Citroën C3, Fiat Tipo and Opel Combo Life.

Based on the make-up of the list below, though, there’s also another explanation for a few of these so-called 1-unit wonders. Sometimes, the vehicle in question is technically no longer marketed locally. So, when old stock of a since-discontinued model is finally registered, the nameplate makes a brief return to the official sales statistics.

That was the case with the BMW i3, with a single example of Munich’s no-longer-in-production electric model sold locally in December 2022. Nissan, meanwhile, registered a sole unit of the since-departed Micra hatchback as well as 1 example of the short-lived (locally, at least) Terra. Renault sold 1 Mégane (though this badge will make a brief reappearance later in 2023 on the special-edition Ultimé) and 1 Captur (presumably the previous-generation version as South Africa is still awaiting the new model).

Check out all 20 models below…