Germany 1980: Mercedes W123 passes VW Golf!
Mercedes W123
* See ‘Read more’ for the Top 100 best-selling models! Thanks Florian for the data *
It’s an excellent year for Mercedes with the W123 interrupting the VW Golf reign after 5 years on top with 202,252 sales vs. 200,892 for the Golf. 1980 would be the last year any model other than the VW Golf tops the Germany ranking… The Opel Kadett, helped by the new generation launched in 1979, reaches its highest volume yet at 190,504 registrations in 3rd place.
Opel Kadett
VW Jetta
The Audi 80 drops one spot to #4 at 139,843 units, while the new VW Jetta delivers an outstanding first full year of sales in 5th place with 97,170 units sold. The Opel Rekord (-1 spot), Ford Fiesta (+1) and BMW 3 Series (+2) follow.
Honda Accord
Japanese models keep getting stronger, going from 1 model inside the Top 30 last year to no less than 5 from 5 different brands this year: the Honda Accord is at #23 with 24,306 sales (+34%), the Toyota Corolla at #25 with 22,148 units (+630%), the Datsun Cherry at #27, the Mazda 626 at #28 and the Mitsubishi Colt at #29.
Previous post: Germany 1976-1979 VW Golf establishes leadership
Full 1980 Top 100 Ranking Table below.
West Germany 1980:
| Pos | Model | 1980 | /79 | 1979 |
| 1 | Mercedes W123 | 202,252 | -1% | 2 |
| 2 | VW Golf | 200,892 | -22% | 1 |
| 3 | Opel Kadett | 190,504 | 32% | 4 |
| 4 | Audi 80 | 139,843 | -11% | 3 |
| 5 | VW Jetta | 97,170 | 692% | 44 |
| 6 | Opel Rekord | 90,154 | -29% | 5 |
| 7 | Ford Fiesta | 86,192 | -7% | 8 |
| 8 | BMW 3er | 84,836 | -5% | 10 |
| 9 | Opel Ascona | 76,283 | -29% | 7 |
| 10 | VW Passat | 75,927 | -33% | 6 |
| 11 | VW Polo | 66,601 | -8% | 13 |
| 12 | Ford Taunus | 64,164 | -26% | 11 |
| 13 | Audi 100 | 57,934 | -35% | 9 |
| 14 | Ford Granada | 40,037 | -48% | 12 |
| 15 | Ford Escort | 36,159 | 73% | 27 |
| 16 | BMW 5er | 36,098 | -22% | 14 |
| 17 | Mercedes S-Klasse | 33,780 | 33% | 24 |
| 18 | VW Bus/LT | 33,095 | 13% | 20 |
| 19 | Renault 4 | 32,436 | -9% | 17 |
| 20 | Renault 5 | 29,631 | 6% | 21 |
| 21 | Renault 18 | 25,163 | -25% | 18 |
| 22 | Fiat Ritmo | 24,379 | -4% | 23 |
| 23 | Honda Accord | 24,306 | 34% | 32 |
| 24 | VW Derby | 22,317 | -46% | 15 |
| 25 | Toyota Corolla | 22,148 | 630% | 76 |
| 26 | Opel Manta | 21,891 | -44% | 16 |
| 27 | Datsun Cherry | 21,239 | 139% | 51 |
| 28 | Mazda 626 | 20,548 | 45% | 39 |
| 29 | Mitsubishi Colt | 20,418 | 126% | 49 |
| 30 | VW Scirocco | 20,024 | -38% | 19 |
| 31 | BMW 7er | 15,312 | -2% | 35 |
| 32 | Talbot Simca Horizon | 15,148 | -24% | 28 |
| 33 | Mazda 323 | 14,423 | -21% | 30 |
| 34 | Fiat 127 | 14,176 | 2% | 40 |
| 35 | Renault 14 | 14,101 | -26% | 29 |
| 36 | Citroen 2CV | 13,916 | 6% | 43 |
| 37 | Citroen GS | 13,752 | -10% | 36 |
| 38 | Ford Capri | 12,855 | -41% | 25 |
| 39 | Honda Civic | 12,515 | 56% | 55 |
| 40 | Datsun Sunny | 12,387 | 26% | 47 |
| 41 | Toyota Starlet | 11,638 | 30% | 50 |
| 42 | Fiat 126 | 11,544 | -24% | 37 |
| 43 | Mitsubishi Lancer | 11,234 | 450% | 89 |
| 44 | Opel Commodore | 10,981 | -60% | 22 |
| 45 | Peugeot 305 | 10,857 | -19% | 41 |
| 46 | Fiat 131 | 10,793 | -41% | 31 |
| 47 | Audi 200 | 10,461 | new | n/a |
| 48 | VW Beetle | 9,638 | -54% | 26 |
| 49 | Citroen Visa | 9,554 | 20% | 56 |
| 50 | Ford Transit | 9,193 | -10% | 46 |
| 51 | Peugeot 505 | 9,105 | 142% | 71 |
| 52 | Opel Senator | 8,774 | -51% | 33 |
| 53 | Volvo 240/260 | 8,382 | -38% | 42 |
| 54 | Datsun Bluebird | 8,320 | 266% | 85 |
| 55 | Toyota Celica | 8,101 | 14% | 58 |
| 56 | Talbot Simca 1510 | 7,933 | -51% | 34 |
| 57 | Citroen CX | 7,899 | -34% | 45 |
| 58 | Mazda 929 | 7,479 | 73% | 66 |
| 59 | Fiat 132 | 7,419 | -22% | 48 |
| 60 | Talbot Solara | 6,985 | new | - |
| 61 | Volvo 340 | 6,832 | -21% | 52 |
| 62 | Fiat Panda | 6,713 | new | - |
| 63 | Peugeot 104 | 6,672 | -7% | 57 |
| 64 | Toyota Carina | 6,507 | 67% | 68 |
| 65 | Toyota Tercel | 5,691 | 47% | 70 |
| 66 | Renault Fuego | 5,677 | new | - |
| 67 | Porsche 924 | 5,603 | -21% | 59 |
| 68 | Peugeot 504 | 5,535 | -62% | 38 |
| 69 | Alfa Romeo Alfasud | 5,299 | -36% | 54 |
| 70 | Honda Prelude | 4,967 | 99% | 83 |
| 71 | Mitsubishi Galant | 4,881 | -3% | 63 |
| 72 | Datsun Laurel | 4,826 | -19% | 61 |
| 73 | Renault 20 | 4,506 | -47% | 53 |
| 74 | Daihatsu Charade | 4,454 | 261% | 104 |
| 75 | Porsche 911 | 3,438 | 1% | 74 |
| 76 | Opel Monza | 3,263 | -54% | 60 |
| 77 | Lada “Schiguli” | 3,202 | -44% | 62 |
| 78 | Alfa Romeo Giulietta | 2,911 | -28% | 67 |
| 79 | Vauxhall Chevette | 2,827 | new | - |
| 80 | Toyota Corona/Cressida | 2,784 | -38% | 65 |
| 81 | Lada Niva | 2,780 | -43% | 64 |
| 82 | Mercedes SL | 2,657 | 8% | 84 |
| 83 | Datsun Violet | 2,635 | -12% | 78 |
| 84 | Alfa Romeo Alfetta | 2,614 | -28% | 73 |
| 85 | BMW 6er | 2,338 | -19% | 79 |
| 86 | Innocenti Mini | 2,333 | 17% | 90 |
| 87 | Austin Mini | 2,306 | -29% | 75 |
| 88 | Skoda Limousine/Coupe | 2,262 | 2% | 88 |
| 89 | Mitsubishi Sapporo | 2,238 | -18% | 82 |
| 90 | Mercedes SLC | 2,070 | -31% | 77 |
| 91 | Lancia Delta | 2,070 | new | - |
| 92 | Volvo 66 | 1,844 | -36% | 80 |
| 93 | Alfa Romeo Sprint | 1,794 | -54% | 69 |
| 94 | Saab 900 | 1,728 | 21% | 101 |
| 95 | Datsun 280 SX | 1,688 | 92% | n/a |
| 96 | Autobianchi A112 | 1,663 | -14% | 91 |
| 97 | Mazda RX-7 | 1,650 | 77% | n/a |
| 98 | Fiat 128 | 1,609 | -56% | 72 |
| 99 | Talbot Simca 1100 | 1,576 | -9% | 95 |
| 100 | Porsche 928 | 1,484 | -1% | 99 |
| Mitsubishi Celeste | 1,355 | -28% | 92 | |
| Talbot Sunbeam | 1,304 | -54% | 81 | |
| Fiat X 1/9 | 1,232 | -30% | 94 | |
| Renault 30 | 1,225 | -46% | 86 | |
| Rover SD-Series | 1,157 | -36% | 93 | |
| Lancia Beta | 1,145 | -20% | 100 | |
| Peugeot 604 | 1,142 | -32% | 97 | |
| Audi Coupe | 1,079 | new | ||
| Jaguar XJ | 1,026 | 0% | ||
| Alfa Romeo Spider | 961 | 0% | ||
| Toyota Crown | 957 | new | ||
| Triumph Spitfire | 951 | -40% | 98 | |
| Alfa Romeo GT/GTV | 903 | -47% | 96 | |
| Citroen LN | 797 | -24% | ||
| Lancia Coupe | 754 | -5% | ||
| Saab 99 | 630 | 0% | ||
| Lancia HPE | 624 | 8% | ||
| Citroen Dyane | 422 | -29% | ||
| Renault Alpine | 404 | 16% | ||
| Saab 96 | 388 | -49% | ||
| Datsun Skyline | 297 | -68% | ||
| Alfa Romeo 6 | 286 | new | ||
| Lancia Gamma | 251 | -51% | ||
| Subaru 1800 | 234 | new | ||
| Lancia Spider | 208 | 30% | ||
| Triumph TR7 | 187 | 125% | ||
| Leyland Princess | 171 | 0% | ||
| Austin Allegro | 155 | -52% | ||
| Audi Quattro | 128 | new | ||
| Renault Rodeo | 125 | -53% | ||
| BMW M1 | 88 | 138% | ||
| Jaguar XJS | 69 | -38% | ||
| Austin Maxi | 60 | -61% | ||
| Fiat/Seat 133 | 44 | -97% | ||
| VW 181 | 29 | -80% | ||
| Lancia Montecarlo | 23 | 53% | ||
| Peugeot 304 | 17 | -91% | ||
| Mercedes 600 | 3 | -67% | ||
| Opel Admiral/Diplomat | 1 | -83% | ||
| BMW 1502 | 1 | -67% |
Source: Manufacturers, many thanks to Florian for sharing the data!
Not a single American car on the list? Wow…