The Top 318 Best Selling Cars in Europe (Hint: The Corolla is nowhere to be seen)

In the last couple of weeks we have traveled to Georgia (the country not the state), Myanmar, Bolivia and the entire world! The success of our exploration of the Top 100 best-selling models in the world last week made me think you might be interested in a similar type of article about Europe… However, if the whole of Europe is too much for you to handle today, that's fine because I have sales info for 160 countries for you to visit in my blog, all one by one. So don't be shy and click away! Back to your Grand Tour of Europe. First a bit on the methodology, as 'Europe' is a vague geographic notion these days. This data was sourced on Automotive News and includes sales from the 27 European Union countries minus Bulgaria and Malta, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. If you are not interested in Europe as a whole but in its individual countries, that's OK too – just click here and look for your country on the right hand side. Now that I've cleared that up, let's get to it. The VW Golf continues to be the best-selling car on the continent by far with 493,855 sales in 2011, it has now been on top of the European ranking every year since 2008… The Ford Fiesta takes the 2nd spot at 372,977 units… …just above the VW Polo at 371,454 sales. The Opel Corsa ranks #4… …followed by the Opel Astra, Ford Focus and Renault Clio. The VW Passat is the big winner in the Top 10 at #10, up 10 spots and 43% on 2010. Down 17% on last year, the Fiat Punto loses its spot in the Top 10 to #11, followed closely by the Nissan Qashqai at #12 with 216,970 sales. The Qashqai hasn't stopped progressing in the European ranking since its original launch in 2007 and has managed to rank within the monthly European Top 10 a couple of times already, including in September 2011. The Skoda Octavia is up 2 spots to #14 and climbed into the European Top 10 for the first time in January 2012. The Mercedes C-Class moved up 9 ranks to #16, it überholt its archenemy, the BMW 3 Series. Europe 2011 Top 20 best-selling models Pos Model 2011 YoY 2010 Pos '10 1 VW Golf 493,855 -2% 502,307 1 2 Ford Fiesta 372,977 -12% 425,595 2 3 VW Polo 371,454 2% 364,439 3 4 Opel Corsa 327,717 -2% 333,622 5 5 Opel Astra 327,458 7% 306,152 7 6 Ford Focus 308,747 6% 292,348 8 7 Renault Clio 304,106 -13% 348,921 4 8 Renault Megane 251,487 -8% 272,612 9 9 Peugeot 207 245,649 -21% 310,827 6 10 VW Passat 245,110 43% 170,876 20 11 Fiat Punto 220,343 -17% 266,553 10 12 Nissan Qashqai 216,970 0% 215,982 13 13 Fiat Panda 189,527 -20% 236,323 11 14 Skoda Octavia 186,440 0% 186,994 16 15 Citroen C3 181,868 -21% 230,140 12 16 Mercedes C Class 178,345 17% 151,848 25 17 BMW 3 Series 166,860 -11% 187,623 14 18 Skoda Fabia 165,259 2% 162,207 23 19 Seat Ibiza 162,631 3% 157,610 24 20 Audi A4 162,085 -6% 173,069 19 You can see the entire Top 318 best-selling models in Europe in 2011 here  Outside the Top 20, great performers include the BMW 5 Series, up 30% and 12 ranks to #24, the Dacia Duster landing directly at #26 with 141,961 units, and the Opel Meriva up 22% and 8 spots to #32. Notice the Nissan Juke up to #39 for its first full year of sales. Other great performers this year in Europe include the Audi A1 at #42 the Peugeot 508 at #48 the Alfa Romeo Giulietta up 138% to #56 Kia Sportage up 131% to #69, Mini Countryman up 335% to #83 and Lexus CT landing directly at #161 and by far best-selling Lexus for its first year in market. Fully electric cars make a discreet appearance in this year's ranking but 2012 should see some of them really take off: the Mitsubishi i is #250 with 2,608 sales, followed by the Peugeot iOn at #258 with 1,926 units, the Citroen C-Zero at #260 and 1,830 sales, the Nissan Leaf at #264 with 1,726 units and the Opel Ampera at #304 and 304 sales. The DR Motor DR1 manufactured in Italy (in fact a rebadged Chery Riich G1) is once again the best-selling Chinese model in Europe but it has lost its spark at #259 with 1,886 units, down 40%. Let's conclude this article by observing that the Lamborghini Aventador sells its very first 63 units over the continent to rank #310. You can see 2010′s Top 371 best-selling models in Europe here: Previous year: Europe 2011 All-models Top 371 ranking (source JATO) Now for the usual golden nugget: those who have read up to here, I thank you profusely but you must be wondering where the heck is the best-selling car in the world, the Toyota Corolla? Yes I have kept the suspense up till the end. Well. Fact is when the Corolla hatchback was renamed Auris for the European market for the launch of the 11th generation 2007, it took most of the sales as the Corolla sedan has never been a favourite in Europe… Result: the Corolla is only #129 in Europe with a bit over 26,000 sales! Pretty lame… There. You are now an expert in all things European cars… Till next week dear readers! Thanks for listening. Source: Automotive News. I need to thank Tuga and Lancia Lover for sharing the data. Note 1: The 2010 figures beyond the Top 50 are calculated based on the 2011/2010 variation in percentages, therefore the exact sales number for 2010 may be slightly different. Note 2: The Top 318 list is incomplete and doesn't account for absolutely all models sold in Europe in 2011. If you have sales data for any additional model in the whole of Europe please make sure to get in touch by commenting on here! Note 3: This ranking includes sales from the 27 European Union countries minus Bulgaria and Malta, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Matt Gasnier, based in Sydney, Australia, runs a blog named Best Selling Cars, dedicated to counting cars all over the world. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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BMW i8 Concept Spyder Debuts: Same Plug-In Hybrid, Now Closer to Production

BMW's i8 Concept Spyder shows that no matter how high-tech, carbon-fiber-clad, or battery-laden the car, some conventional rules still apply. In this case, even the mighty Bavarian automaker couldn't escape the Aristotelian maxim, "Where there is a coupe, soon follows a convertible." (We may be a bit rusty on our Greek history.) And so we have this i8 Concept Spyder, which essentially is an i8 coupe without a fixed roof. Critically, though, the i8 Spyder looks more like a production vehicle than did the coupe concept, and so it gives us a decent idea of what both body styles will look like when they actually go on sale. Keep Reading: BMW i8 Concept Spyder – Auto Shows from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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Sound and Fury

Recently, while praising the growly note produced by the VW GLI, I made an off-handed remark concerning the multitude of axle-backs I've bolted onto my WRX over the years. Unlike most of the hyperbole that is my métier, such statement was actually based in reality. I really did swap out back-boxes like Jack cycles through guitars, desiring both an uncorking of the rumble produced by a flat-four with unequal-length headers, yet without the yobbish blatting of some angled oil-barrel. A straight STi swap? Nope, all the metallic unpleasantness of chomping tinfoil. The Borla Hush? Stealthy in looks only, but drones like Ben Stein playing the didgeridoo. If you're interested, I ended up with a 2.5" single-tip Maddad Whisper, a fine, US-made piece of engineering which I paid through the nose for. Worth every penny though: just enough bass at idle to flip my on-switch, crest 4K in the rev department and suddenly Nicky Grist is calling out the pace notes. And here's the thing, of all the facets of the motorcar that are constantly being refined and improved and modernized, it's the sound I'll miss the most. Now, don't get me wrong, the rest of my car isn't as tuneful as the exhaust. There are more groans, squeaks and rattles than – well, than something that wouldn't be possible if not for the invention of Viagra. And the wind-noise, ye gods! You'd get less buffeting rounding Cape Horn in a two-decker Napoleonic frigate. But it's all part of the experience: while the visceral tug of lateral or accelerative/decelerative g-forces are what generate a physical connectedness with a car, it's the sound of the thing that really sparks the emotional connection. The feel, if you'll allow some pretty puffy-shirted poetic license, of your horse breathing under you. I felt a great sadness to learn of the new M5′s Active Sound Design, whereby the stereo will contribute simulated engine noise to the tomb-like silence of the cabin. I read this technical tidbit with the sort of dismay one might experience upon hearing that Mark Knopfler had embraced auto-tune. There is no doubt that the twin-turbo V8 is the new king of the hill when it comes to motivating whichever flavour of teutonic boulevard-strafer you might prefer. But since when does an M5 need the aural equivalent of a foil-wrapped zucchini for added stage presence? And then there's the latest Merc' Hammer. Yes it now has enough torque to strangle a humpback-whale, but at what cost? Even at idle, the old 6.2L engine burbles like the borborygmi of Cthulhu, and when prodded with a violent downshift barks like a stabbed Allosaur. I feel a great disturbance coming, as though a million cylinders have cried out in anger and are being silenced by five catalytic converters, three resonators, two mufflers and a pair of electrically controlled baffles. Is the future a place where rock n' roll is truly dead and all we'll hear is the pious hum of a range-extended EV? Probably not, at least not too soon. I've just finished up with a MINI Cooper S Coupe, and while it's truly a wretched-looking little car, its tendency to parp with such cheerily enthusiastic flatulence on lift-throttle applications couldn't help but charm. And then there's the GLI which, as mentioned, is note-perfect. Be it the psssst of a excess turbo pressure being vented to atmo, or the *clack* of shutting the door on a 993, or the frenzied howl of Vtec kicking in, yo, what's your favourite auto-related audio? from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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New or Used: Replacement for Rusty Rocker’d Ride?

TTAC Commentator bigev007 writes: Sajeev and Steve, Been going back and forth on my buying decision for about 8 months now and I'm hoping to glean from the wisdom of yourself and the collective. My situation: New job last December, 100km from home. Mostly highway (very hilly) only one stop light where I have to wait (but it is about 2 minutes at the bottom of a long hill so it is great on my rotors.) Currently driving a 2000 Impala, averaging 26-28mpg so I am spending about $520 a month on fuel. The Impala just turned 250k kms yesterday and is running well. I am all about keeping the old car running, and was about to take it to have strut mounts and brakes done. I decided to make a rust check underneath, and found that the rockers have moved beyond swiss cheese to something like rusty mud. Love those plastic covers they put over the rockers so you can't see it. I really hate to have to get rid of a car (driving 14 years and owned 2 cars) but this made up my mind for me. So, time for a replacement vehicle. Safety is up in November so I might be able to stretch until then, but I'm on borrowed time at this point. Here are my needs. A combination of fuel and payment that keeps me under about $650 a month. I'm 6'3" and fairly big, so a Rio or similar is out. Haven't tried the new accent yet though. Stick is ok, auto preferable. Want a hatch or wagon, but will get an accessory hitch either way so not a huge deal. Looking at: Cruze ECO. Right around 21k puts me in the right spot for payment and gas. Wish the auto got the same mileage. I will drive 275k in the next 5 years, will this hold up? 2010 Prius. A few around locally for 21k with about 50k on the odo. I know these will live until the rust kills them. 2009 Civic hybrid. 15k. Cheaper, mostly reliable, but worried about all the battery problems I have heard about. 2011 Elantra Seem to be getting closer to 28mpg on True Delta. Not much of an improvement for me. 2011 Focus hatch. With sync, well over 23k. Too much 2010 Versa about 12k. Again, seem to barely be getting 28 on true delta. I'm sure there are lots I haven't thought of, so help me out here guys. Also, moving is not an option as she does not drive, and would not be able to get a comparable job in my new area. I could move about 20k closer, but would spend $300 more on rent a month. Steve Answers: You are getting the average highway MPG's on the Impala. Plus I do have to mention that rocker panels are notoriously weak in terms of rust resistance during this time period. The rest of your car should be perfectly fine although I would expect the wheel bearings to be the next to go. Not much rust protection for those things back in the day. I wouldn't encourage you to be too focused on fuel economy. given that your depreciation costs may become greater than gas costs. A brand new Cruze ECO bought at 21k may only be worth about 5k after 5 years and 170k miles. That's about $16,000 in total, or $3,200 a year. If we throw in a 3% lost opportunity cost, higher insurance, and higher taxes and fees you may be looking at an extra $4,000 a year in higher costs before the gas is factored in. Gas savings between the Cruze and your current ride? Roughly $2000 a year. I'm assuming $5 gas since you're in Canada. A Prius at 48 mpg may save you an extra $750 and the lower maintenance costs of it's components may add another $250 over the Cruze, and likely about $500 more a year vs.the Impala. On paper it would make more sense to keep what you have so long as the powertrain is structurally sound. But you may be truly wanting to move on. So I would just try them all and see which one you like the best. Then as a long-time used car guy I would wake up from my fear induced haze. Get the Impala inspected. Replace the rocker panels. Give the undercarriage a bit more rust protection and detail the rest of it. Sajeev Answers: Steve is right, once again. As I am currently writing checks for a restoration that includes moderate rust repair, I wouldn't be surprised if replacing the rockers and grinding away any other significant amounts of rust elsewhere (followed up with ample rustproofing) would be much, much less than $2000. This is assuming replacement panels are easier to find than my Fox Body Lincoln using Fox Body Mustang patch panels. But maybe it is time for a new car. It sounds like you probably drive more highway than city: so stick with vehicles with taller gearing. Obviously the Honda Fit is out. And since you are a larger guy putting a lot of hours in your ride, you should get a bigger car just to treat yourself. Get another Impala, or maybe its plush Buick cousin on the same W-body. The 2008 Ford Taurus-Sable gets 28mpg highway according to the US EPA cycle, but maybe you do want a little better. Or maybe you'd never want a smaller car. That said, the Prius is quite roomy for front seat passengers, and it might be the best combo of size and efficiency on the planet. Question is, will you actually enjoy driving it? Not that the Impala is an S-class Benz, but let's face it, those W-body products are a smooooth, effortless ride. Spend a lot of time in a Prius before you pull the trigger. You might not like what you experience. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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Opel Labor Leader Threatens Mother Of All Plant Closures

"This would be the most expensive plant closure of all times," warned Rainer Einenkel, chief of Opel's works council and Vice Chairman of its supervisory board.  "This would cost GM billions," Einenkel said today at a news conference following a staff meeting in Bochum. "Opel would not survive this." A few days ago, Germany's motor mouth Ferdinand Dudenhöffer had painted a semi-rosy picture. Sure, paying each employee $200,000 as severance would hurt. But closing Bochum would save around $280 million a year, three years later, the investment would be paid back, Dudenhöffer argued. Payback would not happen until 2018, closures are only possible starting in 2015. Dudenhöffer and GM management are dreaming, says Einenkel. There are no 3,200 workers, but 5,000. Some 1,800 are loaned to partner companies, but have a contract in Bochum. Workers "won't go voluntarily," Einenkel told Reuters, signaling costly fights in the courts. The Bochum plant sits on top of former coalmines, no investor will buy the plant, fearing uncontrollable environmental cleanup costs. Closing Bochum could also severely damage Opel's brand, Einenkel said. Before that happens, Opel will severely damage GM earnings , for many years. from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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This Week's Most-Read Stories

Can a case be made for bringing Ford's subcompact wagon, the 2013 Ford B-Max, to America? The vehicle will go on sale in Europe later this year, but Ford has no intentions of bringing it here. There may be a case for the model in the future, though, considering how quickly gas prices have climbed once more. Tell us if you'd buy the Ford B-Max, and make sure to check out the other top stories of the week with the links below. 1.  Video: Cars.com's Chevy Volt at 18,000 Miles2.  2013 Hyundai Elantra Sedan: What's Changed3.  2013 Honda Accord Sedan Shrinks, Gets Plug-in Hybrid Model4.  Would You Buy It? 2013 Ford B-Max5.  What Car Would You Buy if You Won Mega Millions? from KickingTires http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/

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Interest For EVs Fading

It's "another broadside for the EV industry," says Automotive News [sub]. The alleged artillery barrage was sent by the Center for Automotive Research. It cancelled its 2012 Business of Plugging In conference. The reason? Lack of interest. Says Brett Smith, CAR's co-director of conferences: "Some could look at this as the industry is dead and no one cares about this anymore." Not completely true, says  Smith. The newness of plug-in vehicles is wearing off, and with the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and the Nissan Leaf EV on the market, "we don't need the message of how they will fit in. They've got to live or die on their own." According to AN, "car companies are seeking to distance themselves" from electric vehicles. CAR also has lost interest. The Business of Plugging In conference won't return for 2013 either, Smith told AN, claiming "that CAR knew from the beginning it would have a finite life span." from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com

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