Italy May 2016: Crossovers continue to lift market up 28%

Fiat is up 34% at home and the 500X up 87%. 

* Now updated with actuals for the Top 180 models and Top 45 brands – click on title to see *

The April 2016 post has now been updated with the Top 180 models

Euphoric month for Italian new car sales, up 28% or 40.000 units to 188.980 deliveries and lifting the year-to-date total up 21% or 153.000 sales to 884.000. Homegrown carmaker Fiat manages once again to outpace its home market with sales up a stunning 34% to 41.077 for a 21.9% market share. Renault shoots up an incredible 72% on May 2015 to hold the overall 2nd spot with 14.827 units and 7.9% share vs. 6.6% so far in 2016. Volkswagen underperforms with sales up just 13% at #3, ahead of Ford (+27%), Opel (+15%) and Peugeot (+17%). Inside the Top 10, Lancia (+38%), Toyota (+26%) and Audi (+28%) all outpeform the market while outside, Kia (+32%), Mini (+36%), Skoda (+59%), Jeep (+62%), Mazda (+67%), Honda (+122%), Ssangyong (+144%), Jaguar (+216%) and most strikingly Infiniti (+1365% thanks to the Q30) all impress.

Monthly sales by channel – Italy past 12 months:
(Privati = private sales, Noleggio = rental sales, Societa: business fleet)

The new model lifts the Renault Megane up 123% in Italy in May. 

In the models aisle, the Fiat Panda follows the market with sales up 27% to 14.047 while just below, the Fiat 500L (+43%), Lancia Ypsilon (+39%), Renault Clio (+45%) all posts spectacular gains, so does the VW Polo (+53%) at #7. Note the Renault Clio overtakes the Fiat 500 year-to-date to rank 4th, the only foreign nameplate in the 2016 Top 7. The crossover invasion continues in Italy: the Fiat 500X is up 87% to #6, the Jeep Renegade up 74% to #12, the Renault Captur up 44%, the Hyundai Tucson nudges up to #19 with 2.326 sales and the Renault Kadjar is up 6 ranks on April to #29, the exception being the Peugeot 2008 (-1%) and Opel Mokka (-16%). Notice also excellent performances by the Dacia Sandero (+59%), Ford Kuga (+88%), C-Max (+80%), Renault Megane (+123%), Twingo (+66%) and Toyota Auris (+80%).

Previous month: Italy April 2016: Fiat Tipo up to #13 in market up 12%

One year ago: Italy May 2015: Fiat Punto up 30%, Fiat 500X recedes outside Top 10

Full May 2016 Top 180 models and Top 45 brands below.