Bulgaria / Serbia / Croatia JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Here we have three nations in the south of Europe, all fairly close in size. Bulgaria and Serbia are about 26,000 each while Croatia adds 10,000 units comparing the last seven years of average sales. So let's compare them. All buy similar numbers of premium cars.

Bulgaria: LR is a popular marque with 0.83% of total sales. Unfortunately for JLR, Jaguar isn't so combined they can't quite make

Finland / Norway JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Let's get into the the north of Europe now with two cold nations. This should be ideal territory for LR cars with their excellent handling of extreme condition. Finland averages 112,000 sales and Norway 142,000. One difference is that the Norwegians buy more premium marques, an advantage straight away in this comparison with JLR.

Finland: LR just doesn't do that well here, with Jaguar almost

Yorkshire/Humberside England Sales - Brand : 2016

This region is in the north of England, stretching from the middle (Yorkshire) to the east coast (Humberside). There is an unusual twist in this area with BMW being the top brand and MINI up to 7th. The region had a 6% increase, quite high considering the national increase was just 2%.

Those makes that were stronger here are: BMW obviously with 12.8% share compared to the UK's 6.8%. Mercedes

Latvia / Estonia JLR Comparison : 2010-16

I would have liked t o throw in Lithuania as well but didn't have sufficient data from that publicity shy country. So the other two Baltic states will be what we look at. Latvia's average sales of 11,400 is someway short of Estonia's 18,800. I know that Latvia includes light commercials but probably not Estonia.

Latvia: In terms of sales, JLR manages a respectable 1.25% share of the market.

West Midland England Sales - Brand : 2016

This is the region that is home to Jaguar and Land Rover. There are some major differences of note in the sales within this area as we will now see.

Those makes that were stronger here are: Nissan at 8.9% (5.7% national average), Peugeot 7.6% (3.7%), Citroën 5.6% (2.3%), Land Rover 3.8% (3.0%). Jaguar 2.5% (1.3%) and DS 1.8% (0.6%). .

Some that did worse: BMW 5.4% (6.8%), VW 5.4% (7.7%),

Slovenia / Hungary JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Two countries in central Europe are here compared for JLR sales and penetration. They are similar in sales (Slovenia 56,000 and 66,000 for Hungary) but also about the same with premium popularity, so this is very much an even contest.

Slovenia: JLR isn't strong here with just 0.13% of the total sales for the country. Jaguar in particular is very limited, but 2017 looks like it will be much

East Midland England Sales - Brand : 2016

Smack in the middle of England is East Midland England, where in the northern part of the region Toyota has a plant. Vauxhall is the big car brand here, stronger than any other area of the UK. As B. Joel said, don't ask me why.

Those makes that were stronger here are: Vauxhall with 16.7% (9.3% nationally), VW 8.5% (7.7%), Mercedes 7.7% (6.3%) and Škoda 3.8% (3.0%).

Some that did worse: Ford

Czech R / Poland / Sweden JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Three averaged sized European nations, one north, another central and the third one east. 280,000 to 310,000 covers the average sales so not too dissimilar. The Czech numbers include light commercials. Sweden is a big market for premium brands, far more than the others. On that basis, Sweden should be the winner in the JLR comparison.

Czech Rep: The 0.26% for LR isn't flash but not a disaster

East England Sales - Brand : 2016

East England covers East Anglia and reaches down toward Greater London and across the top of that region. It covers a diverse area of habitation and landscapes. So what brand wins here?

Those makes that were stronger here are: Ford with 17.9% share is only exceeded by Wales in popularity. It's well above the national 11.8% average but was over a quarter of all sales a few years back. BMW's

Israel / Chile JLR Comparison : 2010-16

One of the more unusual comparisons is this one. Middle East and South America. However, both are in the 240,000 area, they also have similar sales of premium vehicles which in both cases is they don't do that well. So how does JLR fare?

Israel: LR has 0.9% market share and Jaguar 0.4%. Sales haven't grown that well considering the new models that have been introduced. Jaguar takes a solid

Denmark / Portugal JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Denmark is a small nation in Europe, as is Portugal with car sales almost identical at around the 185,000 mark. Denmark heavily taxes its vehicles and premium marques are poor sellers due to how expensive they are. Emissions are also taxed, working against luxury cars also. Premium brands do much better in Portugal as a result, so that has to be taken into account with this comparison.

Sales

South West England Sales - Brand : 2016

Of the nine regional areas of the UK, this is the largest in area. It has a Honda plant within its boundaries, some very beautiful scenery and probably the warmest weather in the UK. Just over a quarter of a million cars were sold here.

Those makes that were stronger here are: BMW is a whole percentage point above the national average and even outsells VW. Kia took 5.4% (3.3% UK), Hyundai

México / Brazil JLR Comparison : 2010-16

The two Latin heavyweights go head to head here with JLR the barometer. México averages about 1,125,000 car per annum while Brazil has roughly 3.1 million. Neither country is a large consumer of premium brands so we can expect low penetration by JLR.

México: JLR does poorly here and it's getting worse. I'm not sure what's going on but sales have fallen badly since 2014 and 2017 is dreadful.

South East England Sales - Brand : 2016

Slightly over 1 in 5 cars sold in the entire United Kingdom are bought in this area of England. It only has 13% of the population so it is an affluent area with strong car purchasing power. The two largest brands in 2016 were German, VW and Audi that combined take 20% of the sales here. With Mercedes 4th and BMW 6th, clearly the UK car industry is of no interest here.

Those makes that were

RSA / Turkey JLR Comparison : 2010-16

There isn't much in car sales volume to separate these two nations, with the RSA just over 550,000 units and Turkey about 625,000 sales. After that things change. Premium brands are much more popular in South Africa so for JLR to be similar in both nations would require JLR to overachieve in Turkey.

South Africa. LR is a strong brand here and takes 88% of JLR sales. It takes over 1% by itself

London Sales - Brand : 2016

London isn't a large market for cars, it's just too crowded. It holds 13.3% of the UK population but sells just 6.3% of its cars. Interestingly, there are some notable differences with the rest of the country.

Those makes that were stronger here are: Mercedes takes 8.3% of sales here but nationally 6.3%. Nissan has been improving here with it's 9.5% well ahead of the UK (5.7%). Toyota (5.6%)

Slovakia / Romania JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Two countries in the central part of Europe, formerly behind the Iron Curtain with one part of the old Czechoslovakia. Car sales are not dissimilar, an average of 78,500 for Slovakia and 91,000 for Romania. However, for JLR one is bigger and growing faster than the other.

Slovakia: Jaguar averages 16.3% of JLR sales, the company taking 0.40% of all sales. There is a solidness about the

UK Vehicle Production / Brand - 2016 (Part 2)

This is the second part on this subject, with less words and more data. The first one can be found by clicking here. CVs are now included in the mix as well.

The UK car industry is vaunted as a success story of UK manufacturing. Seeing as most of UK's manufactured goods are imported, it only looks like a success relative to a back drop of failure. Much of the componentry is imported. The British

Wales Sales - Brand : 2016

Registrations in Wales were -1% after continuous increase since 2011. Ford is a very successful make in the Principality and despite a 6% drop, still commands over 18% of all sales. Across the UK Ford decreased 5% so pretty much in line with the rest of the country.

Those makes that were stronger here are: Nissan is 4th in Wales but 7th nationally, however has less market share (5.2%) than

Ireland / Morocco JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Not countries you would normally link together but the size is similar, Ireland's average 117,000 and Morocco's 126,000. Morocco's data includes all LR sales whereas Ireland's is mainly light commercial and I slipped them across. This ended up giving the data a very even look about it.

Ireland: Jaguar has always been a bit of a solid seller here, but LR has been the growth model. Some of

Scotland Sales - Brand : 2016

Registrations north of the border were about the same for 2016 as the year before. There are some unique differences here. Vauxhall is the regular top brand and Renault has always had a good following too. So how did various brands fare for the year?

There weren't huge movements but Renault was up 14% and 4th place, Fiat increased 22% to 10th while it was down 3.7% in the combined UK figure

Argentina / Spain JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Both of these Spanish speaking countries have very similar sizes of car market. Argentina averages just over 730,000 sales since 2010 and Spain just short of 900,000 units sold. Years ago they both protected local manufacturing by import duties, but Spain no longer does so while Argentina has retained the practice.

The difference that makes is noticeable in the charts below. The difficulty

Northern Ireland Sales - Brand : 2016

Sales by brand for NI were handled by a separate body from the rest of the UK. In 2014, that data was no longer offered and then in 2015, it came under the DTI UK. That meant one year was missed. It then became a top 30 list instead of all brands. In addition, the top 30 is for the UK as a whole and then broken down into regions such as NI. That means the odd brand could be missed from a

Russia / UK / Germany JLR Comparison : 2010-16

These three countries are the biggest in Europe so an obvious mix. The Russian average 2010 to 2016 registrations of some 2,260,000 includes light commercial sales. Both the UK (2,300,000) and Germany (3,100,000) do not. However, I did slip in Land Rover lcv sales for the latter two countries. This makes the totals comparable but it does distort slightly the market share figure.

Russia:

Belgium Car Production By Make: 2016

Car production has been a major industry in this small nation, but today it is limited. I have data going back to 1970 and 2016 was the lowest figure in that time. Much car manufacturing has headed to the eastern side of the continent.

There is now two brands involved in cars and three for commercial vehicles. The total slipped below 400,000 units and as to where it will go from here I don't

Luxembourg / Singapore JLR Comparison : 2010-16

This may seem like an unusual paring, but the similarities are there. Both are small, materially prosperous and have car sales that are close in volume. So what do we learn with a JLR comparison?

The average registrations for the past seven full years has Singapore on 42,000 and Luxembourg 49,000. JLR's penetration is 1.70% and 1.64% respectively. There's nothing in that. However, Singapore

Poland Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales of 416,000 for 2016 was a very strong result, the best for over a decade. This is the result of two consecutive +17% increases. Škoda has been the best selling car here since 2011, taking over from 2010 top dog Fiat. The latter has since fallen to 16th. VW and Toyota have been tussling over second spot and it hasn't been resolved as to who will take it with any certainty.

The chart

New Zealand / Greece JLR Comparison : 2010-16

This is an unusual match up, one in the south of Europe, the other in the South Pacific. However, the average registrations for the past seven years is remarkably close. NZ sales averaged just over 80,000 with JLR taking just over 1% of sales. Greece was a bit higher at 83,000 but JLR hit an abysmal 0.05%. JLR has twenty times the penetration in NZ than it does in Greece!

New Zealand: There

Switzerland / Austria JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Apart from the obvious similarities such as sharing a border and The Alps, the number of car sales can be added to that list. Over the last seven years 313,000 registrations in Switzerland and 326,000 in Austria. However, one area that does show a difference is for JLR and the gap is growing.

In Austria, LR over the seven year period averaged 0.6% share and Jaguar 0.13%, a combined 0.72%.

France / Italy JLR Comparison : 2010-16

Both sales below include light commercials as Land Rover has sold many vehicles that way for both places. That makes Jaguar's market figure a bit lower that it would otherwise be. The data reveals a strong preference in Italy for JLR products. The defender sold well in both places so it's demise was felt.

Italy averaged 1,740,000 sales and France 2,375,000 yet for JLR the positions are very

Latvia Car/LCV Sales - Brand / 2016

The data for Latvia is published rather late and I overlooked releasing it. It covers both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. The emphasis was on the PC but a few years back, it switched to both categories. Sales were up 15.3% which was healthy although well short of the inflated market of a decade ago.

Toyota was top of the pile but was relieved of that position several years ago.

Australia / Canada JLR Comparison : 2010-16

For this comparison, I had to estimate sales in Australia by subtracting commercial vehicles and I'm satisfied with the result. Just over a million sales were achieved as an average for the last seven years, compared to the Canadian total of one and three quarter million.

Despite that, JLR is stronger in Australia and it's down to Land Rover. Australians prefer SUVs so hardly surprising.

USA / China JLR Comparison : 2010-16

When I decided to put the US and China together in a Jaguar Land Rover comparison, the first issue was China doesn't include imported cars in it's figures. Why on earth not? Something for another time. So I had to estimate the figures.

From 2010 to 2016 the US averaged 15 million, sales, China 18 million as best I could establish. So was there much difference? Amazingly no. Land Rover is more

Japan / Korea JLR Comparison : 2010-16

These two Asian neighbours are not exactly the same size when it comes to car sales. Korea is around the 1.4 million mark while Japan is over 4 million as an average for both from 2010 to 2016. So what do we learn? Despite Korea having tariffs on imports and Japan not, the data would give the impression the opposite was the case.

Korea: JLR penetration is a respectable 0.44%, the same as the

Honda Production - Canada & Mexico : 2016

Honda has a plant in Alliston (Canada), plus two in Mexico, El Salto (CR-V) and Celaya (HR-V and Fit). Canada made 411,000 cars in 2016, up nearly 7%. Mexico is new to the Honda car making fraternity but is expanding nicely. The 250,000 unit make was past with an increase of almost 23%.












Honda Canada







Total
411,162

6.8%

Honda / Acura Production - US Plant : 2016

About 1.1 million Honda brand cars were made in the US in 2016, up 3.5% on 2015. There are four plants and five models made. In addition three plants make a total of five Acura models. That amounted to 191,000 units, down 8%. The total made for both marques is nearly 1.3 million which was +1.6% for 2016.

European readers may be surprised at the popularity of Honda and Acura in North America.

Subaru Overview : 2001 - 2016

Subaru Corporation was until recently known as Fuji Heavy Industries. The name now identifies the company much better. Toyota has a modest stake in Subaru, which gives confidence to the smaller car maker. Going over company data gives a few insights into how it is doing. Sales from 2001 to 2010 stayed the same. Then from 2011 things grew quite quickly.

Comparing domestic and overseas

Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics

If it wasn't for Johnny Foreigner, they wouldn't have a job


I like statistics. I also realise that misinterpreted or twisted, they are the worst kind of lie. The reason being figures indicate there is concrete evidence for an argument, so a wrong conclusion presented beguiles. It can be done by only emphasising the statistics that add weight to the opinion and ignoring those that would

Dirty Diesel

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to your VW Group dealer, it has been revealed that the Porsche Cayenne 3 litre diesel engine is spewing out much more noxious gas than the public was led to believe. Something like 22,000 are being recalled in Europe due to a cheating mechanism. Porsche said it was taking full responsibility. Nice. The VW Touareg with the same engine is now

Where There's Smoke...

Where there's smoke, there's fire an old saying goes. With corruption sometimes the guilty are exposed. Then there are cases where there is a strong evidence of wrongdoing but proving it is quite another thing. Regarding the latter, it's a situation of smoke being seen but the cause of the fire wasn't proven.

Of course, corruption and dodgy dealing is part and parcel of business. However, when

VW South Africa : Anyone For Polo?

VW is the best selling passenger car brand in the RSA. Its success is based around two models,  - or one - depending on how you define it. The company runs the Polo model plus the previous generation model named the Polo Vivo. Between then they take 77.5% of all the brand's sales! That is a very unusual proportion for one model, even if it is achieved with two generations.

VW hasn't always

UK Engine Production By Manufacturer : 2015-16

The new JLR engine plant in Wolverhampton, UK


UK engine production is one of the few recent success stories in manufacturing. From the nation that brought the world the industrial revolution that is a sad indictment. Under-investment, poor labour relations, a high currency value and little loyalty from the public all played their part. It suits some manufacturers to make engines in the UK so

Citroën Germany Sales (Model) : 2010-2016

Between 2000 to 2009, Citroën sales in Germany increased from 50,000 to 100,000. Leading the way was the tiny C1 model, introduced in 2006 and by 2009, over 22,000 sales were achieved for that model. Citroën's total market share was up to 2.9%. Things were looking good but change was in the wind.

In 2010, the DS brand was spun off as a premium alternative to Citroën. Sales in Germany fell 23%

Nissan South Africa : Holding Its Own

For the last decade and a half, Nissan has been averaging just over the 4% mark for market share in the RSA. It's still around there but maintained only with the recent help of its sub-brand Datsun. As mentioned in others in this series, there is a market here for budget model cars and Nissan has been able to accommodate those customers.

In the last few years as sales in the RSA have

Toyota UK Sales 2010-16 (by model)

Toyota had a good decade previously in the UK, yet it's share slipped during the six years of this period under discussion. To find the problem isn't obvious at first. Only the medium large Avensis model fell substantially. However, the overall market in the UK was very strong for sales and while Toyota didn't lose sales, they didn't grow fully with the market.

I think Toyota was simply not

Porsche Germany Sales (Model) : 2010-2016

Porsche drivers park poorly. Fact


Porsche is a niche brand in Germany, traditionally selling expensive sports cars. At that time, the marque took about 0.3% of total German sales.  The Cayenne SUV arrived in 2002 and moved the brand into the 0.5% area. When the Panamera 4-door car came along in 2009, 0.7% became the standard penetration. 2014 marked the arrival of the compact Macan SUV so 0.9

Land Rover South Africa : Trying Times

Land Rover has enjoyed disproportionate success over the years in the Republic. Rural expanses in often arid conditions are what we think of and that picture is true to a point. Of course, many Land Rovers are used mainly as urban vehicles like in most countries but if required, they are suitable for off road trekking.

Considering sales that exclude commercial sales of the Defender model, LR

Toyota UK Sales 2000-09 (by model)

Toyota UK finished the 90's with 3.5% share of the UK market. Could it improve from there? Changes came and fast. The Carina became the Avensis in 1997, the Yaris came from the Starlet in 1999, while the Corolla changed to the Auris in 2006. Later in the decade, the number of models were reduced but the ones coming in were higher volume. So the 3.5% became 5.1% ten years later.

Of the new

Class Action

Cars pollute. We cannot get around that and in big cities, that is a huge problem. Around the world people die by the thousands every year from breathing in dirty air. Diesel engines are particularly bad but are fuel efficient, making them popular with buyers. In many European nations, the cost of ownership varies according to how much in the way of noxious gases it spews out.

Step up VW,  a

VW Germany Sales (Model) : 2010-2016

You have to go back to the mid 1960's to find a time that VW had over 30% market share in Germany. It was eventually during the 1990's when the figure started dipping under 20%. There was an upturn a few years back when 21.8% was achieved - the best since 1989 - but things are on a down again. Of course, these things can be cyclical.

Another thing that intrigues me is the absence of many SUV

Toyota South Africa : Business As Usual

Toyota is a big player in the RSA. For passenger cars #2, but add light commercial vehicles and it is comfortably numero uno. Car demand here is a mix of standards, both better and lesser quality have a market. Doing both is what achieves the best results as many including Toyota do.

Some models you may be unfamiliar with.

The Etios is the second best seller in the range and it is a small

Toyota UK Sales 1990-99 (by model)

Toyota hit the ground running in the 1970's, plateaued in the 1980's so how did things go in the 1990's? Much better as it took a greater share of the market. After a percentage of 1.8% in 1989, a gradual improvement was registered through the decade, peaking at 3.5% in 1998 an 1999. It was now in 8th place up from 12th in that '89 to '99 period. Nothing startling but nicely progressive in a

Honda South Africa : Flying Under The Radar

Honda is a company that eschews discounting and relies on its products to sell at a price they deem reasonable. For that reason mainland Europe hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the marque, along with its conservative image. In Asia Honda is very much in demand as too North America. In the RSA, it is a fringe player that has carved out a modest niche for itself.

Back in 2001, the brand

Toyota UK Sales 1980-89 (by model)

The Toyota Camry folks


The 1980's were an unusual period. The 70's had seen consistent growth and 1980 heralded continued increase with a strong 2.3% market share. However, that proved a false dawn as 1981 witnessed a 31.5% drop in sales and share down to 1.6%. Things picked up from there but so did total sales so by 1989, 1.8% was the market penetration.

The Corolla was the main model,

Renault South Africa : On The Up

The Renault Sandero Stepway


This French brand has had its ups and downs in the RSA, but is currently on the up. I believe it was as high as 5% market share in 2001 but fell away after that, to just 1.3% in 2008. It picked up again recently so what is 'doing it' for the brand? Let's look at sales by best selling models for 2016.

Sandero: A compact sized Dacia car sold under the Renault logo

Toyota UK Sales 1965-79 (by model)

The 1965 Corona


Toyota arrived in the UK late 1965 with the Corona model, sporting 'luxuries' rare on a family car at the time. Features such as two-speed wipers and a heater were quite a novelty on a mainstream car. The Corona was soon followed by the Corolla to spearhead the sales push into Britain.

From 1965 to 1968, 1,961 cars had been sold. In 1969 1,211 cars found homes, 1970 1,327 and

GM India/South Africa : A Disappointment

This bakkie wasn't enough to save Chevrolet South Africa


GM has decided to stop selling cars in India but keep on making them there. I find that hard to fathom. By making cars there, surely that avoids import duty and allows the cars to be sold profitably. Despite being in the market over 20 years, it still had less that 1% market share. For that reason the plug has been pulled.

At the same

VW Profit Per Brand : 2016

Car sales going upward look impressive but profit is the important - but often unseen - element of a business. Without it, a company will not survive very long. The VW Group has made plenty of money out gaining an unfair advantage with its defeat device but now it is having to pay for that now. Despite that, it is big enough to cope with the consequences.

So how did the various divisions

Ford South Africa : A Success Story

Way back in 2002, Ford had fallen to the 12th ranked passenger car brand in the RSA. Since then, it gradually clawed its way up to 3rd by 2014, where it has stayed since. The market share in '02 was 2.2% and by 2016, was 11%. So what has Ford been doing right?

It sources models that are sold in mature markets as well as for emerging ones. The RSA is an mixture of such customers so Ford has

Mitsubishi Model Production : 2015

Mitsubishi Motors was recently taken over by Renault-Nissan. It had been through a scandal to do with fuel consumption figures and it was struggling anyway. The company will benefit with new arrangement and ensure its future success. I did a 1997-2014 series that can be found under the label Brand-Mitsubishi link to right of the screen. Now to add 2015.

The numbers come from MMC and are

Opel/Vauxhall Euro Sales - 2012-16 (Nations)

When one looks closer at national sales of Opel/Vauxhall, certain countries are more partial to them than others. So in the final in this short series, let's look at how national purchasing varied.

First up Germany is the biggest market in Europe and where Opel is based. That didn't translate in to sales during this present decade. It was comfortably behind Europe's second biggest, the UK.

Opel/Vauxhall Model Sales - 2016

Neither Opel nor Vauxhall are sold in New Zealand do my knowledge of the range isn't that great. Over the years the Astra have been the main import, sold under the Holden brand. The Corsa has been here too.

Sales were up 5.9%, nearly all of which is within Europe. That is a satisfactory result but not startling, showing how competitive an environment the market is there. So how about the

Opel/Vauxhall Production Locations - 2016

GM Europe have been quite open with data and I hope it continues under the new ownership. However, I expect it to be absorbed into the PSA data. For now at least we can glimpse into the production volumes and where they are generated from.

The nations involved in vehicle manufacturing are Germany, Spain, Poland, the UK, France, Bursa (Europe). Elsewhere in South Korea. The facilities in

GM Europe No More

Production facilities


In 1925, GM bought Vauxhall and Opel in 1929, securing a strong presence in Europe. Eventually the two competing brands were merged into one united operation, thereby moving from a competitive to cooperative arrangement. GM sold Opel/Vauxhall to PSA, the deal expected to be concluded by the end of the year.

In addition, a stake in Saab was made in 1989, and in the year

Porsche Global Production By Model : 2016

Porsche is a small marque in numbers of cars made but being in a high price bracket enables it to be very profitable. Only Audi generates more profit in total but Porsche is well ahead in profit per car.

Some facts:

Production was up a modest 2.2% in 2016 to roughly 240,000 units.

However, profit was in excess of €16,000 per vehicle, an impressive amount to say the least. It's not as high

Electric Car Road Show

New Zealand generates most of its power from hydroelectric so is a clean source. I don't think any major dams will be built in the country again as there are too many environmental hurdles to jump these days but I digress. It is a country that could clean up its vehicle pollution by encouraging electric but apparently doesn't have the money to do it.

A 10 cent per litre tax on fossil fuel would

VW LCV Global Production By Model : 2016

VW does light commercial vehicles too and nearly 470,000 were made by the company in 2016. Volume was down 3.3% due to fall off in pick up trucks. Over 40% was for the Transporter model, made up of seated and van variants. The smaller Caddy model accounted for a third of the total. The Crafter van is moving from Mercedes manufacturing to a VW plant in Poland and what is shown below is the

SEAT Global Production By Model : 2016

SEAT needs to do better, that is to be bigger. It's not helped by it being mainly sold in Europe and late entry into the booming crossover segment. A 400,000 unit volume isn't enough for a mainstream brand, even when platform sharing with other makes within the VW empire.

Cost savings are made by the Toledo model being make in the Czech Republic, related as it is to the Škoda Rapid. Likewise

Škoda Global Production By Model : 2016

Czech brand Škoda grew an impressive 12.3% in 2016. Considering the issue around VW for the year, it remained unscathed by any fallout. The upturn was centred around the large Superb model, which entered its third generation during 2015. However, all models did well except the Citigo mini car (flat) and Roomster MPV (defunct). One can safely assume the new Kodiaq crossover will ensure a

Lamborghini Production By Model : 2016

I have to say I don't really have much interest in the marque. It screams 'excess' to me. That said, they sell in numbers that show that is what some people want and can afford to indulge that wish. 3,579 were made in 2016, down 3.5% on 2015's 3,707. With competitors such as Ferrari and Mclaren, the small super sports car market is tight and new models constantly required to keep the range

Audi Global Production By Model : 2016

I must say that Audi model designation is easy to follow. The brand also has a cookie cutter method for their design. You have no doubt which family they belong to. That has positives but maybe it's taken a bit too far.

Production was up 6% in 2016, which was sound without being spectacular. The premium segment is getting hot with competition so while overall sales are growing in the premium

World Car Of The Year : 2017

The world COTY award goes back to 2005, with judges from all around the world voting. Of course, any decision reached is based on their opinions but at least have jurors from all corners of the world gives it a broader consensus. Local bias is not a factor. A quick look at previous winners first:

2005: Audi A6
2006: BMW 3-Series
2007: Lexus LS400
2008: Mazda Demio (Mazda 2)
2009: VW Golf
2010:

VW Brand Global Production By Model : 2016

VW endured a bad year, one where its actions of recent years caught up with it. Although there were repercussions, they haven't impacted as one might expect. It may even help the company moving forward, with changes that were resisted before now being implemented.  For all of its problems, VW brand production was up 5.6%.

The array of models is enormous, many similar and marketed regionally.

Rolls Royce Global Sales By Model : 2016

Rolls Royce is a marque that wafts along, with a strong customer base and reputation that is held by many of being the the best. Total sales were 4,011, up 6% and the second best year (the strongest year was 2014, just).

The best selling model(s) us the Wraith/Dawn combo. The Wraith is a 4 door GT and the Dawn a convertible. Although Rolls Royce say 80% of the body panels differ from the

BMW Global Sales By Model : 2016 (Chart)

15
16
Model
2016
%
+/-

2015
%




Car
1,358,367

-1%

1,377,915














1
1
3 Series
411,844
30.3%
-7%

444,338
32.2%


2
2
5 Series
331,410
24.4%
-5%

347,096
25.2%


4
3
2 Series
196,183
14.4%
25%

157,144

BMW Global Sales By Model : 2016 (Text)

It wasn't that long ago tat the world was BMW's oyster. It was creating new niches everywhere for an ever expanding range of models. It was the biggest selling premium brand and that didn't look like changing anytime soon. Mercedes decided to follow the strategy that proved so successful for BMW and suddenly there are full beam headlights in BMW's rear view mirror. Then a swift overtaking

MINI Global Sales By Model : 2016

BMW managed a respectable 6% increase in sales in 2016, on the back of the new Clubman and Convertible models. The Paceman, Roadster and Coupé were phased out as they proved unsuccessful. BMW's quest for niches hit a snag. The last of their production was incorporated into other models.

MINI was a smash hit when it came out and it soon became a range of models. Others variants joined and with

Bentley Production By Model : 2016

Just over 11,800 Bentley cars were made in 2016, up 8.5% in the previous year. Leading the way was the new Bentayga SUV (5,600 units) which accounted for 47% of total volume. Next the Continental range adding up to 3,900 manufactured. The Flying Spur totaled 1,700 and the flagship Mulsanne 600 units.

Points of note:

Some key markets were the USA (2,600), the UK (1,950), China (1,600) and

Geely UK Investment Electric

The London Taxi Company was acquired by Chinese car manufacturer Geely in 2012. It has just finished building a new assembly plant in Coventry, England, to produce hybrid taxis and electric powered vans. The owners sees both the hybrid taxi and electric van as a cleaner alternatives to diesel commercial vehicles, which are heavy polluters.

Carl-Peter Forster, chairman of LTC commented “The

Vested Interest

It's understandable that what affects you is important. That could include something that will raise challenges to your business or cost you financially. However, painting a picture that is misleading or false to achieve what is desired is dishonest. Yet that is the modus operandi of many today and the media are part of the misinformation propaganda.

Take the UK. When the Commonwealth was losing

LDV New Zealand

LDV commercial vehicles has a colourful history. They were part of BL many moons ago, hence the (L)eyland. Later it was owned by (D)AF, therefore the LDV name. In 1993 it became an independent operation and eventually became owned by SAIC in China in 2010 after some turbulent times leading up to that final acquisition. Production was moved from the UK to China.

Things now seem to be on the up

Takata

One song says love changes everything, and so does money. Corruption is rife in the world today and money is so often the motivation. Even human life can be a secondary consideration in the quest to gain or protect money.



Cars are convenient but also dangerous. Safety features are important to consumers and modern cars are full of  such life saving features. I find some such as lane departure

The Car Industry Bully Boys - Part Two

The UK sourced Honda Civic Hatch Stateside


This is a two part series. If you haven't read Part One, it sets the scene for this Part Two. To view that one first, simply click here. In part one, I looked at the pressure UK car maufacturers are trying to exert. I ended the article by asking why aren't European car makers not pressuring the EU to forget about a tariff they have raised and

The Car Industry Bully Boys - Part One

Aston Martin isn't complaining, so why is Bentley? I know why, do you?


It is a well known fact that the car manufacturing industry influences governments (and vice versa). I read not so long back about the enormous political clout the car manufacturing industry has in one European nation. This same industry doesn't have that sort influence in the UK by any stretch.

Of course we all know that

UK Vehicle Sales - Brand / 2016

UK car sales are nearly 2.7 million units and by adding commercial vehicle (CVs) registrations of just over 437,000 one comes to a grand total in excess of  3.1 million. Cars sales were up 2.3% and CVs 1.3%. In 2015, CVs grew much faster.

Obviously adding CV sales benefits some brands and not others. Ford goes from 11.8% to 16.3%, GM Vauxhall from 9.3% to 10.7%, VW 7.7% /  9.4%, Mercedes 6.3%

BMW Model Global Sales : 2016

BMW sales were up 5.2% in 2016, slightly down on global premium sales growth. Arch rival Mercedes Benz is on the offensive as are other competitors such as Jaguar / Land Rover. It is a lucrative area to be operating in and it will remain so. However, you would have to think that profit margins will ultimately be affected in that sector as the battle heats up.

In 2006, SUVs accounted for 16% of

Jaguar Global Sales (Nation) / 2016

For many years the USA was the destination for more Jaguar cars than anywhere else. Then the UK was for a while. In 2013, the USA took that position back for a year before China had its moment in the sun in 2014. The last two years the home market has held the top spot. Mind you the USA nearly eclipsed it in 2016 with an amazing 116% increase.

77% more sales meant that nearly every nation

Land Rover Global Sales (Nation) / 2016

Land Rover sales were up 7.8% in 2016. It was the fifth consecutive year that China was the largest market for the marque. The end of the Defender model did affect sales in some countries, France for one. Both Germany and Belgium's figures do not include commercial sales. Despite that they both managed increases but would be higher otherwise. Pakistan is for vehicles assembled there only.

Global Premium Comparison Wrap Up : 2010-16

It was a mammoth series and showed how far ahead the BAM brands are, if you didn't already know. Things are changing as things always do. Mercedes Benz passed the BMW brand (but not Group), the US trio (Cadillac, Lincoln and Tesla) all went well. JLR continued thier remarkable transformation.

So was there a star performance worth noting above all else? I pick Jaguar. A 77.1% increase is a

Global Premium Comparison (Brand) : 2010-16

The series on premium car sales by nation has been concluded. Now for the global overview. How has each company done in a total market that has grown 7.6%?

BAM Brands: BMW/Mini took a quarter of all sales, although a 5.3% increase in sales was below the 7.6% globally. Mini was up 6/4% against BMW's 5.2%. Mercedes-Benz sales were up a strong 11.3% and that pushed it just passed the BMW brand.

Korea Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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European Nation HEV Car Sales : 2016

Another sort of alternatively powered car is the full hybrid, that doesn't plug in but uses a motor to generate electricity. They are known as a  hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and they either recharge the batteries or to directly power the electric drive motors. I see these becoming redundant in the long term but in the meantime offering electric propulsion with a superior range. The cost of

China Car Sales - Brand / 2016

What can you say about the largest market in the work numerically that you can find no one publishing imported car sales by brand? All the figures below is for locally made only. For many brands it will only make a small difference, but for others really distorts the result. That is why I cannot get too excited about the Chinese car market. It's as if Asian nations don't like to be reminded

European Nation Electric Car Sales : 2016

The data here covers both electric only cars and those with some sort of range extender assistance. In all cases the car can be connected to an electric socket. In 2013, 203,800 such vehicles were sold in Europe where such data is supplied. In 2013 - the first year for data that I have - 33,600 were registered so things are moving.

Depending on how much assistance a government is giving

Japan Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Thai Vehicle Sales - Brand / 2016

When a market is protected by import duties, you either make them there or become a fringe player. A few brands dominate and the rest feed off the crumbs. That is the case with this market. The data below includes commercial vehicles but take them out and few car brands sell in sizable numbers.

The total was down 3.9% and if half it was five years ago. At least the losses are slowing to a

Singapore Car Sales - Brand / 2016

The system employed of issuing certificates for new cars creates unusual patterns of car buying. Ten years ago sales fell precipitously from 117,000 in 2006 to a low of 22,500 in 2013. They are now back on the rise, with 87,500 registrations in 2016. When will the crest of the wave be reached again before another fall? It all depends in how many certificates (COEs) are handed in as older cars

Turkey Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Europe Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Jaguar had a record year in Europe


Total sales passed 1.5 million for the first time since 2007, with another increase for the year (6.5%) In 2015 ,VW took the top spot (off Renault) and has led ever since. Despite its scandalous year, it still achieved a larger European market share in 2016 than it did in 2010. Renault is closing the gap but has some way to go.

The data below comes from two

Spain Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Europe: GM Wants Out

It seems getting out of Europe is the 'in thing'. The politics and trying to work with the system is a challenge. While pretending to be united, nations shamelessly pursue their vested interests. Governments meddle in business and that is considered a norm, so no embarrassment felt there. A pity they know little about business, but in fairness they are very astute getting votes and trying to

Malaysia Car Sales - Brand / 2016

In 20016 Perodua passed rival Proton to become the most popular brand and it has stayed there since. Then just this year Honda moved into second. Toyota could have also captitalised on Proton's slide but it had an even worse year.

2015 was a record breaker but 2016 could not live up to that and fell 13%. Many makes suffered reduced sales but some still managed to increase. Because it is total

Portugal Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Korea Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Total sales were 1,568,657, the same as 2015. Local makes increased slightly, despite Hyundai falling 14%. These figures exclude commercial vehicles, which most other statistics include. If they were added, then local market share would be higher.

Going back into the annals of time in Korea car sales, Kia was the top selling brand in 1975 for one year shortly after it started making Mazda

Italy Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Japan Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Back in the 1970's Toyota and Nissan had two thirds of Japanese sales between them. Toyota was never really threatened but it was a real tussle. Today Toyota stand alone at the top, although with slightly less share than it did back then. The other car makers have caught Nissan but no one thinks of rivaling the leader anymore.

In 2016, Mitsubishi disgraced itself with fuel consumption scandal

Europe East Car Sales - Nation / 2016

The odd nation is missing from this but most are there and the data is a fair reflection of the situation. In 2012 Russia had nearly three quarters of sales for this region but by 2016, it was just above the halfway mark. This has dragged the total down from about 4 million to less than 2.7 million. Although all nations bar one had increases, the one decrease ensured there was no growth.

The

France Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Slovakia Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Four years of increases culminated in a 13.1% gain for 2016 and another record year. Neighbours the Czech Republic provide the best selling brand, however with a reduced market share. Most of the action came from marques just below the top ones, as they seemingly jostled to outdo each other.

In the chart below, pale yellow represents a reduction in registrations, pale blue is increase but

Moldova Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales were up 18.3% in 2016, but that was the second lowest this decade. Apart from last year, you would have to go back to 2005 to see lower registrations. The numbers aren't big either but every market represents what people are buying in that region and for that reason it is always interesting to me.

Dacia took top spot in 2010 from Lada and has held it since. That brand is made next door

Europe West Car Sales - Nation / 2016

What was known as Western Europe back in the days of the Iron Curtain had a 5.9% increase. It was the best of sales since 2007 and up nearly 250,000 units from 2013. So what has changed this decade?

Germany had 22.4% in 2010 but 24.0% in 2016. The UK went from 15.6% to 19.3%. Italy 15.1% / 13.0% and France 17.3% / 14.4%. The UK's share has gone up by nearly a quarter so one should expect a

UK Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Hungary Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales were up a rollicking 25%, the best since - you guessed it - 2008. That was obviously a watershed year for Europe and the climb back is an arduous one. Opel took the lead in 2012 but relinquished it in 2016 to Suzuki, a local manufacturer.

Company fortunes can change quickly. Both PSA brands Peugeot and Citroën had steep loses in share while JLR duo Land Rover and Jaguar were the only

Bulgaria Car/LCV Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales here were up 4.4% in 2016, the best since 2008. Finding data is not easy for this nation and some of the smaller brands I have gaps in historical sales. Dacia won the year, but with a reduced margin. It's now been top since 2013. VW back in 2012 but finds itself ninth this year.

In the chart below, pale yellow represents a reduction in registrations, pale blue is increase but lost

Switzerland Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Russia Car/LCV Sales - Brand / 2016

Things are challenging in Russia and car sales are reflecting that. Yet another decrease, albeit at a slower rate. Opel departed altogether and others will follow. In 2012 sales were nudging 3 million but are half of that in just four years. There is light at the end of the tunnel but what that light is no one is sure.

Lada increased its market share for the second year running after years of

Romania Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales leaped 17% in 2016 and past the 100k mark with ease. Sounds good but the numbers are still quite low compared to some years from last decade. The local car brand Dacia has done well nuder Renault ownership. It still commands over 30% of the sales, although that is down on the last three years. As for the rest, increases are aplenty.

In the chart below, pale yellow represents a reduction

Sweden Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Estonia Car Sales - Brand / 2016

A series of increases in registrations now has sales here close to record numbers. Certainly the 23,000 cars finding homes in 2016 is along way from the dark days of 2010 when just 8,000 cars sold. Totoyta became the best selling brand in 2004 and has been top dog ever since, except for one slip up in 2011. Škoda has been shadowing the Big T but has been unable to break the stranglehold.

Czech Car/LCV Sales - Brand / 2016

Three years of increases has the Czech Republic in record territory regarding car sales. 2016's increase was a sizable 12.5%, coming on the back of a 20.7% rise the previous year. There is no prize for guessing local brand Škoda was the top ranked brand, taking 29.5% of the total. Mercedes shot into the top ten with haste and Audi was seemingly unaffected by any scandal.

In the chart below,

Norway Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Andorra Car Sales - Brand / 2016

The Principality of Andorra is a tiny land locked state in the Pyrenees mountains, between Spain and France. I have on occasion picked up snippets of sales data from here and found some for 2016. About 2,200 cars were sold here.



The leading brand was Mercedes Benz, then VW and BMW. The importers association known as AIVA Associació d'Importadors de Vehicles d'Andorra is hard to track down

Turkey Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales here were a record for 2016, in fact the last three years have been so. Each of then exceeded 700,000 and they are the only years that has been achieved. The source of the data below suggests 2017 will drop something like 10%. That will still be a good result. 2016 was up 4.3%.

Renault returned to the winner's circle, elbowing VW out of the way. Opel and Fiat moved up but are still a

Spain Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Four years of increases - some of them substantial - and sales are looking much better. A 10.8% climb was lower than the past couple of years but still rosy. In 2012, not even 700,000 registrations were achieved so 2016's 1,150,000 is about half way back to the best of times.

I don't know of any other country where the leading brand takes less than 8% of the total sales. Many brands get a

Slovenia Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Registrations have now been up four years in a row and the total is the best since 2008. Renault was the top selling brand for so long but VW has taken that crown for the last three years. This is the lowest percentage share since at least 1993, where I run out of history.

In the chart below, pale yellow represents a reduction in registrations, pale blue is increase but lost market share. Green

Netherlands Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Serbia Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Car sales increased 25.5% in 2016, the second year of growth. Sales are still less than half of what they were a decades ago, but signs of improvement in that strong performance. Škoda is the top selling brand, but if the sales of Fiat and FAS (Fiat Auto Serbia), then Fiat is the bigger brand.

I find GAZ suddenly turning up and selling 782 vehicles confusing but it may have been a bulk order.

San Marino Car Sales - Brand / 2016

This tiny land locked republic within the borders of Italy. Car sales were up 1.2% or 19 sales. Total registrations are well down on what they were a decade ago, but it doesn't appear the economy is doing too badly. As could be expected, things bounce around in such a car market. A shift in sales of even a few units can make quite a difference. VW and Audi are the leaders with Fiat coming in

Germany Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Portugal Car/LCV Sales - Brand / 2016

Sales increased 15.7%, the fourth consecutive year to go in that direction and the best year since 2010.   Renault has been the best selling brand since 1998, surely one of the longer running #1's. It was also the most market share it has taken since 2005.

VW had a year to forget, despite a slight gain in sales. With Audi and Škoda not doing well either, maybe there were repercussions for its

Italy Car Sales - Brand / 2016

This was the third year in a row that sales increased (+15.8%) and the highest numerically since 2010. Was anyone surprised that Fiat was the leading brand? It gained in market share for the second year which is pleasing for the company and its legion of local fans.

VW grew slightly faster than the total sales but couldn't make up ground on the local hero. Renault did very well but Nissan had

Belgium Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Greece Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Greece's economic woes are well documented so to have a fourth consecutive increase in car sales is positive. It is still a long way from the halcyon times of a decade ago, but realistically they were never sustainable anyway.

Toyota took the top spot again with Nissan and Opel bumping VW into fourth place. Fiat, Mercedes and BMW all exceeded the increase by some margin. Many did well while

France Car Sales - Brand / 2016

A 5.1% increase made it the best year since 2011. It is a fairly average figure compared to the last couple of decades. The three main French brands tool 46.6% of the total, down slightly from 47.5% in 2015. Renault was up slightly for it share of the pie, whilst the PSA duo were both down. Nissan, DS and Mitsubishi had little to smile about, while Jaguar and Infiniti both put in a stellar

New NZ Electric / Hybrid Brand Sales : 2016

In 2015 81% of New Zealand's power came from renewable sources, the majority of that hydroelectric. Therefore the electricity is quite clean so an electric car is an environmentally sound choice. The problems are firstly the initial cost (as there are no purchase subsidies). An exemption from any road user tax has been put in place until electric (and I believe electric-hybrid too) reach 2% of

Croatia Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Three consecutive years of increase has led to the best sales for the decade, still short of the best years but now there is an upward trend. VW took the top spot in 2011 and still has it but lost some ground this year. The gap to Opel at second is still sizable though. Suzuki had a great year and got to easily its highest ranking ever. Peugeot in contrast has been slipping down a greasy pole

Austria Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Top 10 Models Europe : 2016

The GM Astra made a comeback with the new model


There isn't that much change for year to year for top selling models. Over the past twenty years to 2015, three models were in the Top 10 every year. Many others were there for the vast majority of them. However, one model dropped from the list for the first time over that period. Any idea which one?

As a clue, the two models that have been

Cyprus Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Three years of strong increases has improved sales but still well short of the best sales ten years ago. Nissan became the best selling brand in 2008 and have remained so except for a hiccup in 2014. Honda and Hyundai did well but both had poor a 2015. That seems a trend in Cyprus, with big shifts in fortune. One brand that seems to have the benefit of one mainly way shifts is Land Rover, now

RSA Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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UK Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Five years of consecutive increase and record sales. When is this market going to take a break? It's over achieving and surely 2017 will see some sort of retrenchment? No, not because of any political dramas, though surely they will be blamed if sales do fall in any way.

Ford have led since 1977 but it seems that another brand could take that one day. It's just hard to say which one could.

Israel Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Switzerland Car Sales - Brand / 2016

Total sales were nothing spectacular numerically speaking, a 2% drop in total sales made sure of that. Despite the muted result, it was not enough for VW to slip backwards so a slight improvement in market share. However, plenty of car makers did lose market share in a slightly depressed car market. Still, some brands did well such as Dacia, Honda, Jaguar and Infiniti..

In the chart below,

NZ Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First

Sweden Car Sales - Brand / 2016

A third straight year of increase including 2016's +7.9% puts Sweden into record sales territory. Volvo has been number one since 1958, when it passed GM's Opel brand. However, VW has been relentlessly closing the gap, unperturbed by scandal. It will only be a matter of time before VW takes over but as to when I wouldn't speculate.

In the chart below, pale yellow represents a reduction in

Norway Car Sales - Brand / 2016

A series of increases through the decade has pushed passenger car sales into record territory. You don't have to be selling electric or hybrid cars to do well here, but it certainly helps. Volkswagen has been the leader since 2010 and doesn't look like losing it. BMW and Mercedes Benz both had good years, reaching their highest rankings ever.

In the chart below, pale yellow represents a

Australia Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Netherlands Car Sales - Brand / 2016

The Netherlands was one of the unusual nations in 2016 to record a decrease. Worse still, it was a -14.8% drop! That is over 66,500 less cars sold. Is it a case of the Dutch watching their debt levels? If so, well done. As for when it was lower, I had to go back to 1969.

VW took the top spot off Opel in 2005 and remained there since. The GM brand had a good year and is now third but some way

Mexico Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

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Luxembourg Car/LCV Sales - Brand / 2016

Registrations were up 8.4% for the year which made it one of the best years ever. Sales don't move around too much here, despite the smallness of the market, so this increase was more than usual. Volkswagen took the top spot over from Renault way back in 2006 and have not relinquished it since. Between second and fifth Renault is sandwiched between the three German premium marques. Clearly the