France 1998: Renault Clio reclaims top spot
Renault Clio
* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at end of post! *
French car sales are up a healthy 14% this year at 1,943,553 registrations. The race for the first place was very close, with the Renault Megane leading up until August. However thanks to the 2nd generation launched on March 11, the Renault Clio reclaims the title of best-selling car in France with 166,937 sales and 8.6% share compared to 161,219 units and 8.3% for the Megane.
Renault Megane Scenic
The Peugeot 306 (5.1%) and Renault Twingo (4.4%) hold onto their #3 and #4 spots and the Citroen Xsara makes a remarkable first appearance in the year-end Top 10 in 5th place with 83,331 sales and 4.3%. It reached #4 in May. Below the Peugeot 106 (-1%), the Renault Laguna (+11%), Citroen Saxo (+17%) and Peugeot 406 (+12%) all improve their sales figure. The Fiat Punto is the best-selling imported model for the first time at #10 at 59,120 units and 3%.
Citroen Xsara
1998 is the year Peugeot finally replaced the 205 with 206, launched on September 10. It ranked #2 that month and finishes the year above Peugeot’s 40,000 units target at 44,025 sales. The Renault Kangoo is a great success at #19 in its non-commercial version.
Previous year: see the France 1997 Top 100 best-selling models here.
Full Year 1998 Top 100 and monthly Top 10 Ranking Tables below.
You can check each monthly Top 10 for Mar-Nov 1998 here: France 1998 12 Month by Month
France Full Year 1998:
| Pos | Model | 1998 | % | 98/97 | 1997 | % | Pos |
| 1 | Renault Clio | 166,937 | 8.6% | 39% | 119,844 | 7.0% | 2 |
| 2 | Renault Megane | 161,219 | 8.3% | 12% | 143,821 | 8.4% | 1 |
| 3 | Peugeot 306 | 99,733 | 5.1% | 3% | 96,509 | 5.6% | 3 |
| 4 | Renault Twingo | 86,214 | 4.4% | 5% | 82,315 | 4.8% | 4 |
| 5 | Citroen Xsara | 83,331 | 4.3% | 280% | 21,932 | 1.3% | 23 |
| 6 | Peugeot 106 | 81,295 | 4.2% | -1% | 81,757 | 4.8% | 5 |
| 7 | Renault Laguna | 73,443 | 3.8% | 11% | 66,280 | 3.9% | 6 |
| 8 | Citroen Saxo | 72,865 | 3.7% | 17% | 62,248 | 3.6% | 8 |
| 9 | Peugeot 406 | 71,109 | 3.7% | 12% | 63,245 | 3.7% | 7 |
| 10 | Fiat Punto | 59,120 | 3.0% | 26% | 46,946 | 2.7% | 13 |
| 11 | VW Golf | 56,785 | 2.9% | 36% | 41,740 | 2.4% | 14 |
| 12 | Opel Corsa | 52,910 | 2.7% | -1% | 53,209 | 3.1% | 10 |
| 13 | VW Polo | 50,416 | 2.6% | -14% | 58,574 | 3.4% | 9 |
| 14 | Citroen Xantia | 48,541 | 2.5% | -6% | 51,761 | 3.0% | 11 |
| 15 | Peugeot 206 | 44,025 | 2.3% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 16 | Ford Fiesta | 43,095 | 2.2% | -12% | 48,938 | 2.9% | 12 |
| 17 | Opel Astra | 31,717 | 1.6% | 21% | 26,287 | 1.5% | 18 |
| 18 | Fiat Bravo/Brava/Marea | 30,638 | 1.6% | -21% | 38,841 | 2.3% | 16 |
| 19 | Renault Kangoo | 29,898 | 1.5% | 288% | 7,705 | 0.4% | 38 |
| 20 | Ford Escort | 28,015 | 1.4% | -23% | 36,170 | 2.1% | 17 |
| 21 | Renault Espace | 27,586 | 1.4% | 13% | 24,383 | 1.4% | 20 |
| 22 | Opel Vectra | 26,983 | 1.4% | 10% | 24,547 | 1.4% | 19 |
| 23 | Ford Ka | 22,017 | 1.1% | 3% | 21,299 | 1.2% | 24 |
| 24 | Ford Mondeo | 21,810 | 1.1% | -5% | 22,921 | 1.3% | 22 |
| 25 | VW Passat | 20,545 | 1.1% | 8% | 18,963 | 1.1% | 26 |
| 26 | BMW Serie 3 | 18,014 | 0.9% | 42% | 12,675 | 0.7% | 29 |
| 27 | Seat Ibiza | 17,547 | 0.9% | 23% | 14,222 | 0.8% | 28 |
| 28 | Renault Safrane | 17,340 | 0.9% | -13% | 20,040 | 1.2% | 25 |
| 29 | Audi A4 | 13,820 | 0.7% | -8% | 14,974 | 0.9% | 27 |
| 30 | Mercedes Classe C | 12,420 | 0.6% | -1% | 12,608 | 0.7% | 30 |
| 31 | Audi A3 | 11,259 | 0.6% | 55% | 7,243 | 0.4% | 42 |
| 32 | Peugeot 205 | 10,830 | 0.6% | -54% | 23,739 | 1.4% | 21 |
| 33 | Rover 200 | 10,043 | 0.5% | 0% | 10,007 | 0.6% | 32 |
| 34 | Mercedes Classe E | 9,259 | 0.5% | -7% | 9,984 | 0.6% | 33 |
| 35 | Mercedes Classe A | 9,201 | 0.5% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 36 | Nissan Micra | 8,726 | 0.4% | 37% | 6,380 | 0.4% | 43 |
| 37 | Rover 400 | 8,313 | 0.4% | 8% | 7,662 | 0.4% | 39 |
| 38 | Seat Cordoba | 8,163 | 0.4% | 59% | 5,128 | 0.3% | 47 |
| 39 | BMW Serie 5 | 8,086 | 0.4% | -6% | 8,582 | 0.5% | 35 |
| 40 | Peugeot 806 | 7,530 | 0.4% | -1% | 7,568 | 0.4% | 41 |
| 41 | Nissan Primera | 7,525 | 0.4% | -16% | 8,918 | 0.5% | 34 |
| 42 | Honda Civic | 7,444 | 0.4% | -3% | 7,635 | 0.4% | 40 |
| 43 | Ford Focus | 7,171 | 0.4% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 44 | Toyota Corolla | 6,560 | 0.3% | 64% | 4,008 | 0.2% | 56 |
| 45 | Alfa Romeo 156 | 6,533 | 0.3% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 46 | Volvo S40/V40 | 6,430 | 0.3% | 43% | 4,497 | 0.3% | 55 |
| 47 | Fiat Palio | 6,350 | 0.3% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 48 | Fiat Panda | 6,309 | 0.3% | -18% | 7,718 | 0.5% | 37 |
| 49 | Audi A6 | 6,254 | 0.3% | 63% | 3,833 | 0.2% | 58 |
| 50 | Ford Galaxy | 6,071 | 0.3% | 11% | 5,470 | 0.3% | 46 |
| 51 | Fiat Seicento | 6,004 | 0.3% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 52 | Nissan Almera | 5,858 | 0.3% | -3% | 6,013 | 0.4% | 45 |
| 53 | Citroen Evasion | 5,664 | 0.3% | 15% | 4,940 | 0.3% | 51 |
| 54 | Toyota Avensis | 5,398 | 0.3% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 55 | Skoda Felicia | 5,306 | 0.3% | -14% | 6,147 | 0.4% | 44 |
| 56 | Daewoo Lanos | 4,974 | 0.3% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 57 | Toyota Land Cruiser | 4,734 | 0.2% | 52% | 3,113 | 0.2% | 65 |
| 58 | VW Sharan | 4,445 | 0.2% | -3% | 4,570 | 0.3% | 54 |
| 59 | Peugeot 605 | 4,398 | 0.2% | -12% | 4,972 | 0.3% | 50 |
| 60 | Chrysler Voyager | 4,159 | 0.2% | -17% | 4,981 | 0.3% | 49 |
| 61 | Citroen Berlingo | 4,075 | 0.2% | -48% | 7,858 | 0.5% | 36 |
| 62 | Skoda Octavia | 3,985 | 0.2% | 97% | 2,025 | 0.1% | 79 |
| 63 | Citroen XM | 3,750 | 0.2% | -3% | 3,877 | 0.2% | 57 |
| 64 | Toyota Rav4 | 3,729 | 0.2% | 25% | 2,973 | 0.2% | 66 |
| 65 | Toyota Starlet | 3,657 | 0.2% | 6% | 3,464 | 0.2% | 61 |
| 66 | Rover 600 | 3,423 | 0.2% | 2% | 3,355 | 0.2% | 63 |
| 67 | Honda CR-V | 3,399 | 0.2% | 102% | 1,679 | 0.1% | 87 |
| 68 | Toyota Picnic | 3,331 | 0.2% | 152% | 1,321 | 0.1% | 95 |
| 69 | Citroen ZX | 3,149 | 0.2% | -92% | 41,448 | 2.4% | 15 |
| 70 | Alfa Romeo 145/146 | 3,015 | 0.2% | 10% | 2,735 | 0.2% | 69 |
| 71 | Suzuki Vitara | 3,000 | 0.2% | 40% | 2,144 | 0.1% | 76 |
| 72 | Ford Puma | 2,984 | 0.2% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 73 | Suzuki WagonR+ | 2,913 | 0.1% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 74 | Lancia Ypsilon | 2,911 | 0.1% | 2% | 2,862 | 0.2% | 68 |
| 75 | Citroen AX | 2,807 | 0.1% | -75% | 11,401 | 0.7% | 31 |
| 76 | Nissan Patrol | 2,776 | 0.1% | n/a | n/a | n/a | - |
| 77 | Saab 9-3/900 | 2,703 | 0.1% | 46% | 1,850 | 0.1% | 85 |
| 78 | Mazda 323 | 2,691 | 0.1% | 8% | 2,500 | 0.1% | 72 |
| 79 | Mazda 626 | 2,658 | 0.1% | 44% | 1,851 | 0.1% | 84 |
| 80 | Opel Tigra | 2,603 | 0.1% | -32% | 3,826 | 0.2% | 59 |
| 81 | Mitsubishi Pajero | 2,572 | 0.1% | 38% | 1,870 | 0.1% | 83 |
| 82 | Hyundai Pony | 2,495 | 0.1% | -35% | 3,810 | 0.2% | 60 |
| 83 | Opel Omega | 2,453 | 0.1% | -6% | 2,618 | 0.2% | 71 |
| 84 | Volvo S/V70/850 | 2,440 | 0.1% | -7% | 2,624 | 0.2% | n/a |
| 85 | Fiat Ulysse | 2,368 | 0.1% | 6% | 2,230 | 0.1% | 74 |
| 86 | Land Rover Freelander | 2,354 | 0.1% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 87 | Opel Sintra | 2,229 | 0.1% | 43% | 1,556 | 0.1% | 90 |
| 88 | Suzuki SJ/Jimny | 2,132 | 0.1% | 103% | 1,050 | 0.1% | n/a |
| 89 | Seat Alhambra | 2,124 | 0.1% | 10% | 1,929 | 0.1% | 80 |
| 90 | Opel Frontera | 1,986 | 0.1% | -20% | 2,479 | 0.1% | 73 |
| 91 | Honda Accord | 1,945 | 0.1% | 3% | 1,889 | 0.1% | 82 |
| 92 | Mercedes CLK | 1,939 | 0.1% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 93 | Nissan Terrano | 1,894 | 0.1% | -12% | 2,146 | 0.1% | 75 |
| 94 | Seat Arosa | 1,874 | 0.1% | -12% | 2,135 | 0.1% | 77 |
| 95 | Peugeot Partner | 1,868 | 0.1% | -42% | 3,244 | 0.2% | 64 |
| 96 | Mercedes SLK | 1,745 | 0.1% | 13% | 1,549 | 0.1% | 91 |
| 97 | Daewoo Nexia | 1,662 | 0.1% | -67% | 5,064 | 0.3% | 48 |
| 98 | Daewoo Matiz | 1,659 | 0.1% | new | 0 | 0.0% | - |
| 99 | VW Transporter | 1,655 | 0.1% | -5% | 1,734 | 0.1% | 86 |
| 100 | Fiat Cinquecento | 1,523 | 0.1% | -69% | 4,907 | 0.3% | 52 |
Source: Auto Plus
La Clio II est bien n°1 devant la 306 et le Scénic, je confirme.