Albania 2011 UPDATED: The land of luxury SUVs

Range Rover

* Many thanks to Matthias from Germany who made this post’s update possible! *

The Albanian car market is very particular, with as much as 1 in every 3 cars in circulation in Tirana and Durres second-hand Mercedes. The best selling new cars are also unique: a mix of luxury SUV’s dominated by the Range Rover, BMW X5, Mercedes M-Class, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover Sport and Mercedes GL-Class!

Only then normal passenger cars follow, among them the Chevrolet Aveo, Fiat Punto, VW Golf and Opel Corsa. A few models have Albania as their only European port of call like the VW Gol, Chery QQ and Toyota Avanza… So a very interesting market indeed.

This rough speculation is based on Matthias’s observations in the streets of Tirana and Durres. Thanks again Matthias!

More pictures below.

Europe: 1983-2010 Historical Data now available

1998 VW Golf

* 23 new posts have been uploaded – click on ‘Read more’ below for the direct links *

Historical info back to 1983 is now available for Europe! I have also added every Monthly Top 10 from 1996 to 1999 and from 2005 onwards, so you can see the complete evolution of the market over the years.

Out of the last 28 years, the VW Golf was the best selling car on the continent for no less than 24 years, with only four other cars holding the pole position at year-end: the Fiat Punto in 1997, Peugeot 206 in 2003, Opel Astra in 2006 and Peugeot 207 in 2007.

The Peugeot 206 was #1 in Europe in 2003

If you go into the detail of each month, then a few more cars managed to lead the European market for that amount of time: the Renault Megane, Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Renault Clio and Opel Corsa all ranked #1 at some stage over the last 20 years.

Click on ‘Read more’ below for the direct links to these 23 new posts.

Hungary Full Year 2010: Focus, Octavia & Astra on podium

At some stage down 45% on 2009, the Hungarian car market closes the year at -26% in 2010 with 54,165 registrations. This is to be compared to the 223,884 registrations delivered in 2005…

The Ford Focus is the best selling car in Hungary in 2010 with 2,757 sales and 5.1%, just ahead of the Skoda Octavia at 2,632 sales (4.9%). The Opel Astra takes the 3rd spot at 2,474 units (4.6%).

Top 4 Ranking Table below.

Europe Full Year 2010: VW Golf leader ahead of Fiesta and Polo Now with Top 50 best selling models

* Top 50 best selling models available thanks to Lancia Lover at  autoweek.nl! See ‘Read more’ below *

The VW Golf is the best selling car in Europe for the 3rd year in a row with 502,307 sales (-12%), ahead of the Ford Fiesta at 425,595 (-10%). The Golf led the market 11 months out of 12, peaking at 56,945 sales in March, paradoxically the only month it didn’t rank 1st.

Like in 2009, the Ford Fiesta was only #1 once, in March, but with 68,630 sales, it delivered the best monthly figure of any model in Europe in the last 8 years! The European models ranking returned to being ‘multi-dimentional’ this year: by ranking 2nd in June, the Opel Corsa put an end to 17 consecutive months of Golf-Fiesta rule.

Four cars progress this year in the Top 10: the VW Polo is at +29% in 3rd (+6 spots) and ranked #2 four times, the Renault Clio is at +11% in 4th (+2), the Opel Astra at +11% in 7th (+3) and the Renault Megane at +18% in 9th (+3).

Other 2010 highlights include the Nissan Qashqai breaking into the monthly Top 10 for the first time in July, and Hyundai becoming the best selling Asian brand for the first time too, ahead of Toyota.

Full Year Top 50, December and every Monthly Top 10 Ranking Tables below.

Lebanon 2010: Kia Picanto, Cerato and Hyundai i10 on top

Thanks to Ron from Lebanon I am able to share with you an almost iron clad Top 5 best selling models ranking for 2010. Many thanks Ron!

The Kia Picanto has been the best selling car in Lebanon since 2008 and it keeps its title in 2010, but the Hyundai i10 is not far behind and sees its sales boosted by the facelifted version. In 3rd is the Kia Cerato Forte, off to an amazing start.

The Toyota Yaris is also very successful in 4th, ahead of the Renault Sandero. Interestingly the Sandero and Duster are sold under the Renault brand in Lebanon, whereas the Logan is a Dacia.

Full Top 5 Ranking Table: click on ‘Read more’ below.

Hyundai i10

Kia Cerato Forte

Central & Eastern Europe 2010: Skoda Octavia strengthens lead

The Central & Eastern European market is down 5% in 2010 at 880,043 registrations. The Skoda Octavia, #1 in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia, gains 8% to improve its market share to a very solid 7.2%. Whereas it is now over 60,000 sales again, its little sister the Skoda Fabia drops under 40,000 at 39,862 (-12%) and 4.5% market share at #2.

#1 in 2008, the Dacia Logan suffers from the weakness of the Romanian market and drops 15% at 31,246 sales and 3.6%, followed by the VW Golf gaining 1 spot in 4th (2.8%). The Opel Astra (+34% in 6th) and VW Polo (+23% in 10th) deliver the best performances of the Top 10.

Full Year 2010 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

Croatia Full Year 2010: VW Polo or Opel Astra #1?

In 2010, the Croatian car market is down 14% on an already slow 2009 with 38,587 registrations. The leadership of the Opel Astra, #1 for 6 consecutive years, is challenged this year: Croatian car websites have published an article saying the VW Polo is actually the best selling car in the country…because Astra figures include the 3 generations of the model (1998, 2004 and 2009) still on sale in Croatia.

However in the absence of available split numbers, I have stuck with the official data that still shows the Astra in pole position with 2,241 registrations and 5.8% and the VW Polo #2 with 1,821 units and 4.7%. The Opel Corsa rounds off the podium with 1,462 sales (3.8%), ahead of the VW Golf (3.4%) and Renault Megane (3.3%). Notice the Hyundai i20 climbing up the ladder at #18.

Full Year 2010 Top 20 Ranking Table below.

Poland Full Year 2010: Octavia, Fabia and Astra on podium

The Polish car market is up 4% this year with 334,395 registrations. The Skoda Octavia (5.5% share) and Fabia (3.8%) keep their positions, whereas the Opel Astra climbs up to the 3rd place (+11 spots and 111%) at 11,635 sales and 3.5%. It is followed by the Ford Focus (+1 spot), VW Golf (-1) and Fiat Punto (-3).

Great performance of the Nissan Qashqai at #8 (+10 spots and 42%) and VW Polo at #11 (+5). In December, the Opel Insignia is up to 6th with 3% share. It finishes the year at #16 (+35%). Full December and 2010 Top 20 Ranking Table: click on ‘Read more’ below.

Portugal 2010: Megane #1 for 2nd year in a row, Ibiza up to #2

Renault Megane Sport Tourer

The Portuguese market is the best performing large market this year in Europe at +39% and 223,464 registrations. For the second consecutive year the Renault Megane holds the pole position, this time with 14,434 sales and an improved 6.5% share, the Sport Tourer (Station Wagon) version being the most popular.

The Seat Ibiza at 8,898 sales (4%) gains two spots in 2nd place, boosted by 1,491 ST-Station Wagons. The Ford Fiesta is stable at #3, just ahead of the VW Golf, Renault Clio and Opel Corsa, all at 3.8%. Other good performances include the VW Polo at #8 (+7), the Citroen C3 at #11 (+11) and the Mercedes E Class at #17 (+10). The best new entrants in the Top 50 are the Fiat Punto Evo at #18 and the Chevrolet Spark at #33.

Full 2010 Top 50 Ranking Table: click on ‘Read more’ below.

Seat Ibiza ST

Lithuania Full Year 2010: Peugeot 3008 in the lead

8,906 new cars (+7%) were registered in Lithuania in 2010 according to Autotyrimai, 7,970 (+6%) according to JATO. Lithuania is the first and only country in the world to reward the Peugeot 3008 with the best-selling car title, thanks to 456 units sold in the country last year. The Nissan Qashqai is #2 with 434 sales, and the Renault Megane rounds off the podium with 358 sales. Please get in touch if you have any additional information.

Models ranking source: Autotyrimai