Best Selling Cars – Matt's blog

Holden Kingswood

* See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Paul *

Thanks to Paul I can share with you official models data for Australia in 1977, albeit just for the months of October-November which still offer a fascinating snapshot into what sold most in the country at that time. And it looks like the period was dominated by two models: the Holden Kingswood/Premier, #1 in November 1977 with 4,621 units, and the Ford Falcon, #2 that month at 4,337 sales but #1 in October.

The Datsun 180B/200B brilliantly rounds up the podium with 3,190 sales in November, followed by the Ford Cortina and Holden Gemini (+3 spots on October). The Chrysler Galant/Sigma is #7 but #5 in October, the Holden Torana/Sunbird is #8, the Toyota Corolla #9 and a second Datsun, the 120Y completes the Top 10.

Previous post: Australia 1969-1976: Ford catches up on Holden, a Datsun on the podium

Next post: Australia 1979-1981: Holden Commodore an instant hit

Full November 1977 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

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1978 Seat 127

* See the 127′s sales figures for each year between 74 and 78 by clicking on the title! *

Thanks to Ricardo we now have access to sales figures of the favourite car in Spain for 4 years in a row between 1974 and 1977: the Seat 127. The small rebadged Fiat reaches 125,066 sales in 1974, which is still today (2012) the highest volume ever delivered by a single model in one year in Spain. Each year after that is slightly lower but the Seat 127 still passes the 100,000 annual units mark in 1975, 1976 and 1977, before being passed by the Ford Fiesta in 1978. No model would manage that feat again until the Renault Megane 27 years later in 2004!

Previous post: Spain 1973: Seat places 4 models in Top 4, 127 leads

Next post: Spain 1980: Ford Fiesta, Renault 5 and Fiat Ritmo on top

See the 1974-1978 yearly sales figures below.

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Chevrolet Impala/Caprice

* Click on the title for the Top 10 best-selling models - Thanks to Adam for the data! *

After two years of Oldsmobile domination, the Chevrolet Impala/Caprice takes advantage of its downsizing to become America’s best-selling vehicle and passenger car with a whopping 657,151 sales, up 45% on 1976. The Oldsmobile Cutlass is now #2 with sales still up year-on-year, but at a shyer 6% to 527,939 units.

1977 Ford F-Series

In the trucks ranking, the Ford F-Series climbs onto the pole position, and has never looked back since, holding the title of America’s best-selling truck for 34 consecutive years!

Ford LTD

Back to passenger cars to salute the 3rd place of the Ford LTD, up 5% on last year to reach 380,499 sales, followed by the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, down one spot to #4. There are 3 newcomers in the Top 10: the Ford Granada directly to 5th place with 355,186 sales, the Ford Thunderbird at #6 and 325,153 units and the Buick Century in 10th position with 279,657 sales.

Previous post: USA 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass still America’s favourite

Next post: USA 1978 Chevrolet Impala/Caprice #1, Ford Fairmont arrives

Full 1977 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

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1975 Volvo 244

Launched in 1974, the Volvo 240 was produced at no less than 2,685,171 units up until 1993. This makes it the most popular Volvo model ever, and it was Volvo’s best seller and the best-selling model in Sweden for a decade starting in 1975. The Saab 99 should follow.

If you have any detailed info for the period, please make sure to get in touch.

More info about the Volvo 240 here, more pictures: click on ‘Read more’ below.

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