Italy January 2013: Fiat 500L improves again in dire market

Fiat 500L

* NOW UPDATED with actuals for the Top 50 best-selling models/brands. See title *

The Italian new car market crisis is taking a dramatic turn at the start of 2013. At 114,255 registrations, January 2013 sales are down 18% on January 2012 and down 32% on January 2011… This is the 18th double-digit year-on-year decline in the last 2 years. With January traditionally accounting for around 10% of Full Year sales, the projection for 2013 is now at a bleak 1.1 to 1.2 million units, a result UNRAE president Jacques Bousquet “doesn’t even want to start imagining”, pointing out that “none of the parties involved in (the government) has actually given attention to a sector which employed 1.2 million people but where 350 companies closed in 2012”. The situation is now dire for the automotive sector in Italy and if no incentive is put in place during the year to boost sales, we could see the Italian new car market fall to almost 50-year lows, with 1966 being the last year sales were below 1.1 million annual units…

The Kia Sportage hits its highest ever ranking in Italy this month at #21…

In this miserable context, the Fiat Panda holds its own and delivers its 13th consecutive month in pole position with 9,560 sales and 8.4%, ahead of the Fiat Punto at 6,278 units and 5.5% with the Lancia Ypsilon back onto the podium for the first time since last April with 3,796 sales and 3.3%. The Fiat 500 is back up one spot to #4, the Renault Clio down one to a still outstanding 5th place and the Fiat 500L confirms it is now a force to be reckoned with, staying #6 but improving its market share to 2.7% thanks to 3,113 sales, new share and volume records for the model.

…As does the Range Rover Evoque at #30.

Further down, the VW Golf is up 7 ranks on December to #8, the Mercedes A-Class up 3 to #17, its best ranking since December 2011 and the Audi Q3 is up to #25, its 2nd-best ranking ever in Italy below the #24 spot it hit last August. Two SUVs reach their highest ranking ever this month in Italy: the Kia Sportage slices its December ranking in two to hit #21 with 1,101 sales and 1% and the Range Rover Evoque jumps from outside the Top 50 to a brilliant 32nd place at 887 units and 0.8%.

Previous post: Italy Full Year 2012: Fiat Panda ends 18 years of Punto domination in worst market since 1979

Previous month: Italy December 2012: Fiat 500L up to #6, Renault Clio at 10-year high

One year ago: Italy January 2013: Fiat Panda takes off

Full January 2013 Top 50 models and All-brands Ranking Tables below.