Germany March 2017: Opel, Renault up, highest Q1 volume this decade

Opel sales are up 18% year-on-year in March. Picture autobild.de 

* See the Top 48 brands and Top 321 models by clicking on the title *

It’s a very dynamic March for new car sales in Germany with volumes up 11% year-on-year to 359.683 units, lifting the first quarter total up 844.684 sales, up 7% on the same period in 2016 and the largest Q1 volume since 2009 (868.090) when scrappage schemes sent the market up 24% over the Full Year. Market leader Volkswagen struggles to keep up with the market’s fast pace with a timid 1% year-on-year improvement. Yet VW is still selling over double the amount as the next best-seller, Mercedes in great shape at +14% while just below, Audi (-2%) and BMW (+6%) both lose market share compared to a year ago.

Renault sales are up 39% in March and the new generation Koleos has landed.

Seat (+13%), Ford (+16%), Opel (+18%) and Renault (+39%) are the other carmakers posting double-digit gains inside the Top 10. Below, the list of high performing carmakers is long: Volvo (+22%), Peugeot (+25%), Mitsubishi (+27%), Fiat (+37%), Toyota (+37%), Citroen (+44%) and Dacia (+51%) post the largest improvements inside the Top 20, while among smaller brands, Jeep (+30%), Land Rover (+35%), Alfa Romeo (+90% thanks to the Giulia and the arrival of the Stelvio), Jaguar (+91%), Lotus (+144%), Tesla (+151%) and Bentley (+153%) are some of the best performers.

The Q2 is Audi’s best-selling crossover in March.

Model-wise, below the VW Golf in difficulty at -9%, the VW Polo rallies back up 39% year-on-year and four spots on last month to snap the 2nd position it now also holds year-to-date, but the VW Passat tubes down 43% to 4.471 and from #2 in February to #18 this month. The Opel Astra nudges up one spot to #3 thanks to sales up 19%, ahead of the VW Tiguan (+26%) and Mercedes C-Class (+18%) both also beating the market growth. Further down, notice the Ford Kuga (+35%), VW Touran (+41%), Mercedes E Class (+56%) and Renault Megane (+166% thanks to the new generation) all posting spectacular gains. The Audi Q2 is now Audi’s best-selling crossover at #33 ahead of the Q3 at #43 (-17%) and the Q5 at #65 (-26%). This month we welcome three new nameplates in the German sales charts: the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (#211), Subaru Outback (#251) and the new generation Renault Koleos  (#272).

Previous month: Germany February 2017: Audi snaps 10% share of falling market

One year ago: Germany March 2016: Volkswagen down, Audi up in flat market

Full March 2017 Top 48 brands and Top 321 models below.