France 12-18 April 2011: Dacia Duster #2!

Dacia Duster

Last week was not a fluke, the Dacia Duster confirms it is now a force to be reckoned with in the French market and a serious contender for the 2011 podium. During the week of 12 to 18 April, the Duster is the 2nd best selling car in France with 1,474 sales and a stable 3.6% share, a full percentage point above it March level.

The Renault Megane takes the lead this week at 3.8%. The Renault Clio drops to #3, followed by the Peugeot 207 and a VW Polo confirming its exceptional strength at 3% share, down from 3.1% and #3 last week. The Peugeot 3008 is up to #7 at 2.8%.

Full Top 10 Ranking Table 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.

France April 2011: Dacia Duster #1 in weekly ranking!

* Many thanks to my dear Mum and Dad for sourcing and scanning Auto Plus mag! *

According to Dacia’s Facebook page, the Dacia Duster was the best selling car in France during the week of April 5th to April 11th! This is confirmed by official data published by French car weekly Auto Plus. The Duster leads with 1,251 sales and 3.6% share, ahead of the Renault Clio at 1,177 units and the VW Polo at 1,086.

This is an exceptional achievement by the French/Romanian SUV after it broke into the Top 10 for the first time and achieved its best ever month in France in March in 7th place with 6,634 units and 2.6% share. These records look like they will be obsolete by the end of the month. It is the first time a ‘terrain’ vehicle ever tops French car sales.

Only a handful of models have topped the French weekly charts in the last 5 years: the Peugeot 207, Renault Clio, Renault Twingo, Citroen C3, Dacia Sandero and Peugeot 308 have done so. The Duster is therefore the 7th model to shine and the second Dacia.

Complete Auto Plus article, Full Top 10 Ranking Table below.

Denmark March 2011: Chevrolet Spark and Suzuki Swift on top

The Danish car market continues on its good run, up 28% in March at 16,381 sales and 26% year-to-date at 40,341. The Chevrolet Spark is #1 for the third month in a row at 654 units at 4%, a distant leader year-to-date at 2,254 sales and 5.6% share.

The Suzuki Swift has a stellar start of the year, #2 this month at 2.7% and #3 year-to-date at 2.9%, up 24 spots on its 2010 ranking. The Toyota Aygo, #1 last year, is #3 in March at 2.6% ahead of a Ford Fiesta in good shape at #4 and 2.5%.

Notice the VW Passat at #5, the Mazda6 at #9 and the Peugeot 508 coming in directly at #39 for its very first month of sales with 159 units changing hands for a 1% market share.

Full Top 40 Ranking Table below.

Algeria March 2011: Renault Symbol leads, Kia Picanto #2

Outstanding month for new car sales in Algeria: the market is up 40% year-on-year in March at 25,971 registrations, and 35% year-to-date at 74,781. The Renault Symbol keeps the lead with 2,469 sales and 9.5%, and this month it is followed by the Kia Picanto and Peugeot 207, both at 1,525 sales and 5.9%.

Hyundai stays strong with the Atos in 4th place at 5.2% share and the Accent in 5th at 4.7%. The Dacia Logan has a weak month in 9th place at 2.3%, it is however #3 year-to-date with 3,306 sales and 4.4%. The Peugeot 308 slips into the Top 10 at 510 units and 2% share.

Full Top 10 Ranking Table below.

Slovenia March 2011: Clio and Megane on top, Peugeot 508 arrives

Peugeot 508

* See the Top 50 best selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at the end of the post *

Slovenian car sales are stable in March at 5,909 registrations. The podium is unchanged vs. February and 2010, with the Renault Clio in the least at 6.2% share, followed by the Renault Megane (4.7%) and  VW Polo (3.4%).

The Opel Astra climbs to 4th place with 174 sales and 2.9%, ahead of the VW Golf at 2.7% and the Peugeot 207 at 2.4%. At #10 with 2.2% share, the Peugeot 308 gains 10 spots on February, the Renault Scenic gains 12 spots at #11, the Opel Insignia gains 29 at #12 and the VW Passat gains 15 at #23.

Notice the Peugeot 508 in the Top 50 for the first time at #49 with 37 sales and 0.6% of the market.

Full Top 50 Ranking Table below.

Argentina March 2011: VW Gol leads, Peugeot 408 lands

* See the Top 50 best selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at the end of the post *

New car sales in Argentina are up for the 17th month in a row at +16% in March with 66,608 registrations. ACARA changes its methodology and doesn’t split models by version anymore, which has a significant impact on the ranking.

The VW Gol takes the first place, with its Trend and Power versions combined selling a total of 4,870 units and 7.3% share, ahead of the Chevrolet Corsa/Classic at 4,062 sales and 6.1%. The Peugeot 207 rounds up the podium at 2,971 sales and 4.5%.

The Ford Ecosport and Renault Sandero are solid at over 3% share, just above the VW Bora in 6th place. Renault has a good month with the Logan up 7 spots on February at #15 and the Fluence up 18 spots at #27 with 815 units.

For its first month of sales, the Peugeot 408 lands directly within the Top 50 at #45 with 420 sales and 0.6% share.

Full Top 50 Ranking Table below.

UK March 2011: Ford Fiesta reclaims pole position

UK car sales are down for the 9th month in a row, at -8% in March with 366,101 registrations. March and September are traditionally the strongest months of the year in the UK as they coincide with the launch of new licence plates that act like a new model year.

For the first time since last November, the Ford Fiesta is #1 with 19,676 sales and 5.4% share, and given the weight carried by this month in the year-to-date ranking  the Fiesta is now also #1 in 2011 overall at 5% of the market.

The new generation Ford Focus comes in at #2 with 14,370 sales and 3.9%, ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa at 13,556 units (3.7%) and Vauxhall Astra at 10,704 (2.9%). The VW Golf, #1 last month, is 5th at 10,282 units and 2.8%.

The Vauxhall Insignia stays strong at #6 whereas the Peugeot 207, Mini and BMW 3 Series all climb back into the Top 10.

Full Top 10 Ranking Table below.

France March 2011: Citroen C3 and Dacia Duster beat records

Citroen C3

* See the Top 100 best selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at the end of the post *

As cash-for-clunkers orders had a March 31 delivery deadline, this is the final month of artificially boosted sales for the French market at +6% and 257,631 registrations. In March and possibly for the first time ever all cars are under 5% share, and the models ranking is very eventful:

Just below the Renault Clio, best seller for the 3rd month in a row, we find the Citroen C3 in 2nd position at 12,565 units and an outstanding 4.9% share. That’s three C3 nameplate records beaten all at once: best volume ever (beating 8,656 in Dec 2010), best position ever (beating #3 in Aug 2006) and best market share ever (beating 4.5% in May 2005).

The Peugeot 207 drops to 3rd at 4.7%, hurt by the exceptional performance of its older sister the Peugeot 206+, at its best position ever in 4th place with 3.5% share. The Renault Megane and Peugeot 308 follow.

Dacia Duster

For the first time, the Dacia Duster ranks in the Top 10 in France, at a remarkable 7th place with 6,634 sales and 2.6% share. All these figures are new records.

Citroen C4

The Citroen C4 new generation jumps into the Top 10 for the first time at #9 with 6,300 sales and 2.4%. Other good performers include the Nissan Micra at #32, the Chevrolet Spark at #33 and the Peugeot 508 at #35.

Full Top 100 Ranking Table below.

Austria March 2011: Opel Astra and Ford Focus up

* See the Top 100 best selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at the end of the post *

Austrian car sales are up 8% in March at 35,869 registrations and up 16% year-to-date at 87,865. VW tops the ranking as usual with the Golf at 1,701 units and 4.7% and the Polo at 1,249 sales and 3.5%.

The Opel Astra is up 9 spots on February to #3 at 1,181 sales and 3.3%, whereas the Ford Focus, boosted by the new generation now in showrooms, is up 15 spots to #4 with 846 units and 2.4%, and the VW Passat is up 9 places at #8 (1.8%).

Two all-new models break into the Top 100: the Peugeot 508 is 60th with 203 units, and the Chevrolet Orlando is 91st at 123 sales.

Full Top 100 Ranking Table below.