SYDNEY, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Sales of new vehicles in Australia

slipped for a second consecutive month in October with the

passenger and light commercial sectors suffering the biggest

drops, industry data showed on Wednesday.

Total vehicle sales in October were 92,603, down 3.1 percent

on last year's 95,584, according to the Australian Federal

Chamber of Automotive Industries' VFACTS report.

October sales of passenger cars dropped 4.6 percent from the

same month a year earlier, while sales of light commercial

vehicles fell 5.9 percent.

The sports utility sector was the only one to show growth,

with sales up 1.7 percent on October last year.

Sales were flat in absolute numbers when compared with

September, though adjusted for seasonal factors they fell 3.2

percent, according to VFACTS.

For the first nine months of 2013, sales were 2.6 percent

ahead of the same period last year. On an annualised basis,

though, the 1.133 million vehicles sold represented a fractional

drop.

For October alone, Toyota Motor Corp retained first

place on the sales ladder with an improved market share of 19.6

percent. The local Holden unit of General Motors Co took

second spot with 11.4 percent.

Hyundai Motor Co kept third spot with 8.8

percent, pipping Mazda Motor Corp at 8.6 percent. Ford

Motor Co again trailed with 8.1 percent.

Details of the VFACTS report in original terms:

Oct Sep m/m pct Oct/12 y/y pct

Sales 92,603 92,662 0.0 95,584 -3.1

Sales by Type: Oct '13/Oct '12 Volumes

Change Pct Change

Passenger Vehicles -2,264 -4.6

Sports Utility +433 +1.7

Light Commercial -1,046 -5.9

Heavy Commercial -104 -3.6