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West Germany 1975: VW Golf takes the lead

January 26th, 1976 Leave a comment Go to comments

VW Golf

* See ‘Read more’ for the Top 100 best-selling models! – thanks to DC & Florian for the data *

The German car market is booming in 1975 at +27% and 2,106,048 registrations. 1975 is the start of a very long reign: that of the VW Golf. For its first full year of sales the Golf is already the best-selling model in the country at 166,869 units and 7.9% share, just above the Mercedes ‘Strich 8′ at 159,530 sales and 7.6%.

Mercedes Strich 8

The Opel Kadett rounds up the podium at 131,618 units and 6.2%, followed by the VW Passat down 2 spots and 10% to 119,668 sales and the Opel Rekord back in shape at +26% and 111,246 units. Then we see 4 models in massive progression over 1974: the Opel Ascona at +59%, the Ford Taunus at +43%, the Ford Escort at +220% and the Ford Granada at +719%! There’s also the Audi 50 at #11 and +486% and the BMW 5 Series at #13 and +58%…

Opel Rekord

1975 is also the year the VW Polo was launched and it lands directly at #16 with 42,338 sales and 2% share, while the VW Beetle is down 64% to #15 and 43,405 units. The BMW 3 Series was also born this year at #28. The Renault 4 is the best-selling foreign model again but drops to #17 with 38,207 sales, ahead of the Fiat 127 at #19, the Renault 5 at #20, the Peugeot 504 at #22 and the Fiat 131 at #24.

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Full Year 1975 Top 100 Ranking Table below.

Germany 1975:

Pos Model 1975 % /74 1974
1 VW Golf 166,869 7.9% 134% 7
2 Mercedes ‘Strich 8′ 159,530 7.6% 14% 1
3 Opel Kadett 131,618 6.2% 3% 3
4 VW Passat 119,668 5.7% -10% 2
5 Opel Rekord 111,246 5.3% 26% 5
6 Opel Ascona 96,927 4.6% 59% 9
7 Ford Taunus 95,068 4.5% 43% 8
8 Ford Escort 90,471 4.3% 220% 16
9 Ford Granada 60,915 2.9% 719% 41
10 Audi 80 60,294 2.9% -22% 6
11 Audi 50 56,456 2.7% 486% 35
12 BMW “-02″ 50,066 2.4% 11% 10
13 BMW 5er 45,977 2.2% 58% 15
14 Audi 100 45,653 2.2% 5% 12
15 VW Beetle 43,405 2.1% -64% 4
16 VW Polo 42,338 2.0% new  -
17 Renault 4 38,207 1.8% -14% 11
18 Opel Manta 27,230 1.3% 125% 31
19 Fiat 127 27,130 1.3% 22% 21
20 Renault 5 27,089 1.3% 0% 18
21 Mercedes S-Klasse 26,937 1.3% -1% 17
22 Peugeot 504 26,352 1.3% 46% 23
23 VW Scirocco 25,907 1.2% 53% 25
24 Fiat 131 23,353 1.1% new  -
25 Fiat 128 22,759 1.1% -11% 19
26 Citroen GS 21,845 1.0% 72% 29
27 Alfa Romeo Alfasud 21,690 1.0% 73% 30
28 BMW 3er 21,159 1.0% new  -
29 Simca 1100 20,611 1.0% -9% 20
30 Ford Capri 20,229 1.0% -31% 14
31 Renault 16 19,839 0.9% 22% 26
32 Citroen 2CV 15,415 0.7% -29% 22
33 Fiat 132 14,515 0.7% 23% 32
34 Renault 12 14,235 0.7% 4% 28
35 Simca 1307/1308 13,901 0.7% new  -
36 Fiat 126 13,624 0.6% -24% 24
37 Renault 6 12,718 0.6% -8% 27
38 Opel Commodore 9,900 0.5% 73% 46
39 BMW 2500 / 3.3 9,712 0.5% 6% 37
40 Volvo 240 9,173 0.4% 2968% 97
41 Lada “Schiguli” 9,121 0.4% 541% 68
42 Simca 1000 8,759 0.4% -14% 34
43 Simca 1501 8,246 0.4% 15% 43
44 Citroen CX 7,394 0.4% new  -
45 DAF 66 7,308 0.3% -12% 39
46 Citroen Dyane 7,275 0.3% 136% 54
47 Ford Consul 7,009 0.3% -79% 13
48 Austin Mini 6,763 0.3% 142% 55
49 Peugeot 104 6,353 0.3% -32% 36
50 Peugeot 204 6,224 0.3% -11% 44
51 Peugeot 304 5,670 0.3% -21% 42
52 Datsun Cherry 5,356 0.3% 11% 49
53 Leyland-Innocenti Mini 5,107 0.2% 18% 51
54 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 4,969 0.2% 135% 60
55 Toyota Corolla 4,964 0.2% 79% 56
56 Autobianchi A112 4,832 0.2% -6% 48
57 Datsun 120 Y 4,668 0.2% 4763% 108
58 Mercedes Hanomag Henschel 4,490 0.2% 3521% 105
59 Alfa Romeo Giulia 4,119 0.2% new  -
60 Chrysler 1609/1610/2L 3,811 0.2% new  -
61 Seat 850 3,321 0.2% 73% 62
62 Fiat/Seat 133 3,298 0.2% new  -
63 Austin Allegro 2,921 0.1% 665% 92
64 Porsche 911 2,902 0.1% 37% 59
65 Renault 15 2,828 0.1% 3% 57
66 Toyota 1000 2,705 0.1% 1071% 99
67 Opel Admiral/Diplomat 2,575 0.1% 57% 66
68 Skoda 100 Limousine 2,493 0.1% 55% 67
69 Toyota Celica 2,319 0.1% 70% 69
70 DAF 44 2,235 0.1% -29% 53
71 Chrysler 2L 2,108 0.1% 10% 63
72 Mercedes SLC 2,075 0.1% 56% 71
73 Fiat 124 2,039 0.1% -76% 38
74 Honda Civic 1,716 0.1% 146% 82
75 Volvo 260 1,677 0.1% new  -
76 Renault 30 1,654 0.1% new  -
77 Citroen DS/ID 1,600 0.1% -53% 52
78 Alfa Romeo GT/GTV 1,487 0.1% new  -
79 Zastava Z-101 1,439 0.1% 314% 94
80 Renault 17 1,437 0.1% -25% 64
81 Toyota Carina 1,431 0.1% 68% 78
82 NSU Ro 80 1,372 0.1% 29% 76
83 Datsun Bluebird 1,361 0.1% 2% 70
84 Fiat X 1/9 1,335 0.1% -32% 61
85 Saab 99 1,279 0.1% new  -
86 Matra Bagheera 1,253 0.1% -33% 65
87 VW K70 1,246 0.1% -88% 33
88 Mercedes SL 1,232 0.1% 79% 83
89 Peugeot 604 1,163 0.1% new  -
90 BMW CS 1,137 0.1% new  -
91 Volvo 66 1,124 0.1% new  -
92 Chrysler 180 1,011 0.0% -23% 72
93 Polski Fiat 125p 984 0.0% 28% 80
94 Datsun Violet 879 0.0% 151% 93
95 Jaguar XJ 771 0.0% 1576% 111
96 Skoda 110 Limousine 768 0.0% 41% 85
97 Toyota Mark II 750 0.0% 41% 86
98 Chrysler Sunbeam 737 0.0% -35% 74
99 Datsun 160 J 723 0.0% new  -
100 Chrysler 160 682 0.0% -15% 79

Source: Manufacturers, DC from www.autoweek.nl and Florian

Categories: Germany
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