Germany 1964-1966: VW 1500 and Ford 17M/20M shine
Ford 20M
* See ‘Read more’ for the 1964-66 Rankings – many thanks to Florian for the data! *
The German car market is up 6% in 1964 at 1,342,980 registrations, passes the 1.5 million mark for the very first time at 1,517,564 units in 1965 (+13%) but drops 1% in 1966 at 1,506,124 sales. The VW Beetle is of course in the lead all along at 19.2% share in 64, 21.7% in 65 and 18.1% in 66, peaking at 328,640 units in 65.
VW 1500
The Opel Rekord continues to progress at 173,228 sales in 64 and 179,898 in 65 but drops to 161,786 and #5 in 66. The VW 1500/1600 reaches the peak of its career over the period at 108,187 units and #3 in 64, 121,251 and #5 in 65 and 136,826 and #5 in 66.
Opel Kadett
The Opel Kadett improves every single year: 107,135 sales in 64, 131,129 in 65 and 149,567 and 9.9% share in 66. The Ford 17M/20M ranks 5th in 64 at 94,695 units, then totally takes off in 65 at 178,318 sales and 11.8% share in 3rd place before climbing to 2nd position in 66 at 163,522 units and 10.9%.
Opel Rekord
The Ford 12M is stable throughout the period at #6, ahead of the Mercedes W110 and NSU Prinz. In 1965, notice the BMW 1500/1800 up to #8, the Fiat 850 up to #9 and the NSU 1000 up to #11.
Full 1964 Top 25, 1965 Top 20 and 1966 Top 10 Ranking Tables below. Germany 1964:
| Pos | Model | 1964 | % | 1963 |
| 1 | VW Beetle | 258,422 | 19.2% | 1 |
| 2 | Opel Rekord | 173,228 | 12.9% | 2 |
| 3 | VW 1500 | 108,187 | 8.1% | 6 |
| 4 | Opel Kadett | 107,135 | 8.0% | 3 |
| 5 | Ford 17M / 20M | 94,695 | 7.1% | 5 |
| 6 | Ford 12M | 88,373 | 6.6% | 4 |
| 7 | Mercedes W110 | 55,646 | 4.1% | 7 |
| 8 | NSU Prinz / Sportprinz | 29,190 | 2.2% | 8 |
| 9 | Mercedes W 111 | 26,172 | 1.9% | 10 |
| 10 | BMW 1500/1800 | 25,552 | 1.9% | - |
| 11 | Fiat 1300/1500 | 20,360 | 1.5% | 12 |
| 12 | DKW F 12 | 19,076 | 1.4% | 9 |
| 13 | Renault 8 | 14,656 | 1.1% | 18 |
| 14 | Glas Goggomobil | 14,317 | 1.1% | 15 |
| 15 | DKW F 102 | 13,402 | 1.0% | - |
| 16 | Renault 4 | 12,849 | 1.0% | 21 |
| 17 | Fiat 500 | 11,622 | 0.9% | 17 |
| 18 | Opel Admiral | 10,944 | 0.8% | - |
| 19 | DKW F 11 | 10,213 | 0.8% | 13 |
| 20 | NSU 1000 | 10,084 | 0.8% | - |
| 21 | Fiat 850 | 9,898 | 0.7% | - |
| 22 | Fiat 600 / NSU-Fiat Jagst | 9,473 | 0.7% | 14 |
| 23 | Peugeot 404 | 8,952 | 0.7% | 20 |
| 24 | Simca 1300/1500 | 8,883 | 0.7% | n/a |
| 25 | Fiat Neckar | 8,436 | 0.6% | 11 |
| BMW 700 | 8,322 | 0.6% | 16 | |
| Simca 1000 | 6,167 | 0.5% | ||
| Renault Dauphine | 5,982 | 0.4% | ||
| Citroen DS/ID | 5,431 | 0.4% | ||
| Citroen 2CV | 4,852 | 0.4% | ||
| Glas 1004/1204/1304 | 4,664 | 0.3% | ||
| Opel Kapitän | 3,364 | 0.3% | ||
| Mercedes SL | 3,360 | 0.3% | ||
| DAF 600/750 | 2,552 | 0.2% | ||
| Glas Isar | 2,132 | 0.2% | ||
| Fiat 1800/2300 | 1,702 | 0.1% | ||
| Peugeot 403 | 1,561 | 0.1% | ||
| Citroen Ami 6 | 1,392 | 0.1% | ||
| Auto Union 1000 | 1,268 | 0.1% | 19 | |
| Renault Caravelle/Floride | 1,123 | 0.1% | ||
| Mercedes 300 SE/SEL | 1,053 | 0.1% | ||
| Opel Diplomat | 765 | 0.1% | ||
| Glas 1300 GT | 580 | 0.0% | ||
| Steyr-Puch 500 | 285 | 0.0% | ||
| NSU-Fiat Weinsberg | 283 | 0.0% | ||
| BMW 2600/3200 | 275 | 0.0% | ||
| Ford Zodiac | 163 | 0.0% | ||
| Ford Consul Capri | 161 | 0.0% | ||
| Glas 1500/1700 GT | 2 | 0.0% |
Germany 1965:
| Pos | Model | 1965 | % | 1964 |
| 1 | VW Beetle | 328,640 | 21.7% | 1 |
| 2 | Opel Rekord | 179,898 | 11.9% | 2 |
| 3 | Ford 17M / 20M | 178,318 | 11.8% | 5 |
| 4 | Opel Kadett | 131,129 | 8.6% | 4 |
| 5 | VW 1500/1600 | 121,251 | 8.0% | 3 |
| 6 | Ford 12M | 91,501 | 6.0% | 6 |
| 7 | Mercedes W110 | 65,555 | 4.3% | 7 |
| 8 | BMW 1500/1800 | 29,428 | 1.9% | 10 |
| 9 | Fiat 850 | 26,931 | 1.8% | 21 |
| 10 | Fiat 1300/1500 | 22,048 | 1.5% | 11 |
| 11 | NSU 1000 | 21,839 | 1.4% | 20 |
| 12 | Mercedes W 111 | 19,996 | 1.3% | 9 |
| 13 | NSU Prinz / Sportprinz | 18,211 | 1.2% | 8 |
| 14 | DKW F 102 | 16,807 | 1.1% | 15 |
| 15 | Renault 4 | 16,471 | 1.1% | 16 |
| 16 | Opel Admiral | 12,710 | 0.8% | 18 |
| 17 | Glas Goggomobil | 12,498 | 0.8% | 14 |
| 18 | DKW F 12 | 11,513 | 0.8% | 12 |
| 19 | Renault 8 | 10,767 | 0.7% | 13 |
| 20 | Peugeot 404 | 10,174 | 0.7% | 23 |
| Simca 1300/1500 | 9,909 | 0.7% | 24 | |
| Simca 1000 | 9,797 | 0.6% | ||
| Audi | 7,730 | 0.5% | ||
| Fiat 500 | 7,578 | 0.5% | 17 | |
| Citroen 2CV | 5,658 | 0.4% | ||
| BMW 700 | 5,128 | 0.3% | ||
| Glas 1004/1204/1304 | 5,033 | 0.3% | ||
| Citroen DS/ID | 5,011 | 0.3% | ||
| Fiat 600 / NSU-Fiat Jagst | 4,811 | 0.3% | 22 | |
| Fiat Neckar | 4,491 | 0.3% | 25 | |
| Glas 1500/1700 GT | 4,315 | 0.3% | ||
| Renault Dauphine | 4,259 | 0.3% | ||
| NSU 110 | 4,255 | 0.3% | ||
| DKW F 11 | 3,783 | 0.2% | 19 | |
| Opel Kapitän | 3,234 | 0.2% | ||
| Opel Diplomat | 2,967 | 0.2% | ||
| DAF 600/750 | 2,894 | 0.2% | ||
| Renault 16 | 2,674 | 0.2% | ||
| Mercedes SL | 2,561 | 0.2% | ||
| Mercedes S-Klasse | 2,424 | 0.2% | ||
| Citroen Ami 6 | 1,609 | 0.1% | ||
| Glas 1300 GT | 1,505 | 0.1% | ||
| Peugeot 403 | 1,383 | 0.1% | ||
| Autobianchi Panorama | 1,296 | 0.1% | ||
| Renault Caravelle/Floride | 998 | 0.1% | ||
| Mercedes 300 SE/SEL | 706 | 0.0% | ||
| Fiat 1800/2300 | 656 | 0.0% | ||
| Glas Isar | 624 | 0.0% | ||
| Peugeot 204 | 389 | 0.0% | ||
| NSU Wankel-Spider | 313 | 0.0% | ||
| Steyr-Puch 500 | 212 | 0.0% | ||
| Auto Union 1000 | 190 | 0.0% | ||
| Mercedes 600 | 138 | 0.0% | ||
| BMW 502 | 134 | 0.0% | ||
| Bianchini 500 | 2 | 0.0% |
Germany 1966:
| Pos | Model | 1966 | % | 1965 |
| 1 | VW Beetle | 272,497 | 18.1% | 1 |
| 2 | Ford 17M / 20M | 163,522 | 10.9% | 3 |
| 3 | Opel Rekord | 161,786 | 10.7% | 2 |
| 4 | Opel Kadett | 149,567 | 9.9% | 4 |
| 5 | VW 1500/1600 | 136,826 | 9.1% | 5 |
| 6 | Ford 12M / 15M | 103,721 | 6.9% | 6 |
| 7 | Mercedes 200 (W110) | 47,192 | 3.1% | 7 |
| 8 | BMW 1500-2000 | 37,367 | 2.5% | 8 |
| 9 | Mercedes S-Klasse | 31,978 | 2.1% | n/a |
| 10 | Renault 4 | 23,775 | 1.6% | 15 |
| Mercedes W 111 | 18,431 | 1.2% | 12 | |
| Simca 1300/1500 | 16,821 | 1.1% | ||
| Opel Kapitän / Admiral / Diplomat | 13,509 | 0.9% | ||
| Renault 16 | 12,140 | 0.8% | ||
| VW Karmann Ghia | 10,198 | 0.7% | ||
| Citroen DS/ID | 7,508 | 0.5% | ||
| Citroen 2CV | 7,414 | 0.5% | ||
| BMW “-02″ | 6,371 | 0.4% | ||
| Fiat 500 | 5,869 | 0.4% | ||
| Citroen Ami 6 | 693 | 0.0% | ||
| VW Fridolin | 555 | 0.0% | ||
| Autobianchi Panorama | 540 | 0.0% | ||
| Steyr-Puch 500 | 159 | 0.0% |
Source: Manufacturers, many thanks to Florian for sharing the data!
