UK December 2015: Mini on podium in record month

The Mini hatch is the third best-selling nameplate in the UK this month.

* Now updated with the Top 130 models and Top 40 brands *

The UK market ends 2015 with a bang with sales up 8.5% year-on-year to the highest December score on record at 180.077 registrations. This brings the Full Year 2015 figures to an all-time record of 2.63 million units, which we will analyse shortly in more detail in a separate post. An important element to keep in mind is that December is heavily biased by year-end incentive, especially in a market where every second car sales is a fleet sale. Ford (+13%) outpaces the market to reach 12.9% share above Vauxhall at 11.6% (-10%). BMW delivers a stunning 38% year-on-year gain lifting it to third place overall with 9.5% share, over three percentage points above its annual share of 6.3%. BMW places the 3 Series at #8 and the 1 Series at #9. After sinking by 20% in October, Volkswagen already stabilises this month but drops to 4th. Peugeot (+20%), Mazda (+30%), Volvo (+31%), Dacia (+33%), Land Rover (+36%) and Jaguar (+42%) also shine.

The last time a Mini appeared on the UK podium, it still looked like this…

In the models ranking, the Ford Fiesta posts an impressive 20% year-on-year gain in pole position to 8.977 sales, a very comfortable distance above the Vauxhall Corsa, down 14% on a particularly strong December 2014 score to 3.8%. But the main event in December in the UK is the landing on the podium of the Mini with 5.371 sales and 3% share. This is the highest ranking ever reached by the Mini “at home” in the UK since the relaunch of the legendary nameplate 16 years ago, with its previous best being #4 in December 2010 and December 2014. More impressive, the last time the Mini (then Austin Mini) ranked within the UK podium is likely to be 1980, a year the diminutive car finished at #4 before crumbling 53% to #10 in 1981, hit by cannibalisation from the Austin Metro. The last time a Mini was on the annual UK podium was in 1979 (#3).

The BMW X1 breaks into the UK Top 50 in December.

Outside the familiar Top 10, the VW Passat shoots up 20 spots on last month to #15, the BMW 4 Series down the same to #17, the BMW 2 Series is up 9 to #19 and the 5 Series up 18 to #23 while the X1 is up a mammoth 74 ranks to #42, the Renault Kadjar stabilises at #60 and the Mini Clubman is up 20 to #71.

Previous post: UK November 2015: Now with Top 140 models (BSCB Exclusive)

Previous month: UK November 2015: VW down 20%, Vauxhall Mokka breaks into Top 5

One year ago: UK December 2014: Vauxhall Corsa ends 21-month Fiesta reign

Full December 2015 Top 130 models and Top 40 bands Ranking Tables below.