Europe June 2013: Renault Clio now #2 year-to-date

Can the Renault Clio beat its year-end European ranking record in 2013?

* See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

We know since yesterday that the European market is down 6% year-on-year in June to its lowest level for the month in 20 years at 1,175,363 registrations, bringing the sales tally halfway through 2013 to to 6,436,743 units, down 7%. Best-seller on the continent for the 39th month in a row, the VW Golf delivers a year-on-year increase for only the 2nd time this year after April at +2% to 40,872 sales. It is down 1% year-to-date to 236,865 units.

The VW Golf has been #1 in Europe each month since March 2010.

The star of the month is the Renault Clio, back up 3 spots on May to #2 for the third time in the last 5 months thanks to the 4th generation particularly successful in France (#1), Italy (best foreigner), Spain (#2) and Portugal (#1). Clio sales are up a fantastic 32% year-on-year to 30,370 units, enabling it to pass the Ford Fiesta year-to-date and rank #2 overall with 153,997 sales, up 18%. If the Clio manages to keep this ranking until the end of the year which is totally possible, it will simply be the nameplate’s best ever year-end European ranking! Its current record is #3 hit in 1991, 1992 and 2006…

The BMW 3 Series has not done that well in Europe since 2001!

The VW Polo (-7%), Opel Corsa (-11%) and Ford Fiesta (-2%) follow, while the Peugeot 208 is up 24% to #6 with 22,764 sales and remains #5 year-to-date. That’s 5 superminis in the Top 6 like last month. The BMW 3 Series holds the #8 spot for the third consecutive month thanks to 20,382 units, up 1% year-on-year. The 3 Series has now ranked within the European Top 10 for the last 4 months in a row, which is something it had never done since I have access to European rankings each month, in 2005! It may have achieved this feat already in 2001 when it ranked at a record #8 at year-end, but in the absence of monthly rankings for that year it is impossible to know for sure.

Previous post (brands): Europe June 2013: Ford up 7%, Renault up to #3

Previous month (models): Europe May 2013: Peugeot 208 on podium, Nissan Qashqai up 11%

One year ago: Europe June 2012: Opel Corsa #2 for the first time in 18 months

Full June 2013 Top 10 models Ranking Table below.