There are strange times in the European car market. After the month of August was the best in the last 20 years, with a growth of 30.1% (motivated by the need for brands to sell vehicles in stock before the arrival of the WLTP) the month of September brought a 23.4% drop in sales in the European market.
Thanks to this huge temporary instability, the usual market leader in Europe, Volkswagen, saw sales fall 52.6% compared to the same period last year, having been only the 5th best-selling brand.
At the top of the European market, another German brand emerged, Opel, which despite a 12.5% drop, managed to move from seventh place (in September 2017) among the best-selling brands to first place in the sales chart for the first time. once in 13 years.
Opel Corsa, the best seller… A first
The best-selling model in Europe in September was the Opel Corsa . The veteran model of the German brand has managed, for the first time since its launch 36 years ago, to be the best-selling car in all of Europe with a 5.4% increase in sales compared to the same period last year. it was worth a climb from 23rd (in August) to 1st place.
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The usual leader, the Volkswagen Golf, was out of the top 10 for the first time in 44 years , dropping to 12th place with a huge drop of 71.1% in sales compared to last year.
Other surprises in the Top 10 of European sales in September were the Toyota Yaris's absolute record (increase of 1.6% compared to August), reaching 4th place, the leadership of the Mercedes-Benz Class A in the C segment, reaching 6th place.
Also surprising for the crowning of the Peugeot 3008 as the best-selling SUV in Europe in September, beating the Qashqai, the usual leader, which only came in 16th place, suffering a drop of 51.1% compared to September of last year.
The main cause behind this drop in sales at European level was the entry into force of the WLTP which led many brands (in particular those of the Volkswagen Group) not to have models available for delivery while waiting for re-approval in accordance with the new standards .
And in Portugal?
Here, the market in September was no stranger to instability. As sales leader comes the Mercedes-Benz Class A with 567 units sold, being accompanied on the podium by the Renault Clio (418 units) and the Peugeot 2008 (358 units). Another factor that stands out is the total absence of Volkswagen models among the ten best-selling models in September in Portugal — the reason is linked to the importer's financial difficulties.
Among the outstanding brands, Peugeot, which managed to place four of its models in the top 10 of sales in Portugal (the 2008, the 308, the 3008 and the 208).
The Mercedes-Benz Class A was the sales leader in the national market in September with 567 units sold.
Sources: Fleet Magazine and Best Selling Car blog