Best Selling Cars – Matt's blog

Peugeot 405

* See the Top 15 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

In Iran the Year 1390 just finished on 19 March 2012 and the last month of the Persian year, Esfan, corresponds roughly to March 2012. 104,206 vehicles were produced this month, down 7% year-on-year and bringing the final total for 1390 to 1,412,220 units, up 4% on 1389. The Saipa Pride is still by far the most produced model in the country but loses quite a lot of ground again at -22% year-on-year with 37,044 units. Its total for the year is a huge 609,836 units, down just 1% on last year.

The entire Top 10 is almost identical to last month, with the Peugeot 405 solid in 2nd place with 16,990 units (+35%) and 178,732 for the whole year (-8%) and the Iran Khodro Samand rounding up the podium at 15,569 units (+11%), ranking #4 at year-end with 141,220 units (+6%). This should be the last month Peugeot models appear that high in the Iranian production ranking as the company has stopped exporting CKD kits to Iran under pressure from General Motors.

The Peugeot 206 stays #4 with 12,034 units this month (-15%) but is #3 at year-end with 167,536 units (+4%). Below, the Peugeot Pars and Renault Tondar 90 have an exceptional month, both up 41% year-on-year to 8,733 and 8,104 units respectively, holding the same positions at year-end. The Saipa Tiba is back above 2,000 units but still far from its personal best of 3,533 last January. It is up 76% year-on-year this month and 564% at year-end.

Previous month: Iran February 2012: Peugeot Pars gets a kick up

Full Year and Esfan 1390 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot Pars

* See the Top 15 most produced models by clicking on the title! *

In the Persian calendar, February 2012 is roughly equivalent to Bahman 1390, the 11th month of the Persian year (21 January to 20 February 2012). 99,498 passenger cars were produced this month in Iran, down 12% year-on-year after a 10% drop last month. And for once, there is a lot of change atop the ranking: only the Saipa Pride holds on its traditional pole position even though it loses 21% year-on-year at 42,157 units. This is to be compared with the 47,273 Ford F-Series sold in the USA during the same period.

Taking advantage of a weak month for the Peugeot 206, down 26% to #4 at 10,507 units, the Peugeot 405 reclaims the 2nd spot it holds in the 1390 year-to-date ranking with 13,905 units produced, up 9% year-on-year. Similarly, in spite of a 9% drop year-on-year, the Iran Khodro Samand is up to third place for the first time since last July at 10,820 units.

Enjoying a bit of a revival in spite of its 13 years of age, the Peugeot Pars is up one spot on last month to #5 and no less than 40% year-on-year to 8,247 units, turning its year-to-date total into positive at +4% and 82,626 units. The Renault Tondar 90 continues its impressive run, up 47% year-on-year at 7,666 units but down to #6. Disappointing month for the Saipa Tiba, down 47% on January  to 1,878 units while the Peugeot 207i is back in production after two months off with 710 units (#10).

Previous month: Iran January 2012: Peugeot 206 and Tondar 90 progress

Full Bahman 1390 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Renault Tondar 90

* See the Top 15 most produced models by clicking on the title! *

119,230 passenger cars were produced in Iran in Dey 1390, roughly equivalent to January 2012 (21 December 2011 to 20 January 2012) in the Persian calendar. That’s a 10% drop year-on-year. The entire Top 9 is unchanged vs. last month, a pretty stable production ranking indeed. The Saipa Pride is still by far the most popular model in the country with no less than 49,220 units produced this month, albeit a 19% fall year-on-year. Follow the Peugeot 206 at 17,918 units (+13%) and Peugeot 405 at 16,233 (-6%). Note the 206 and 405 positions are reversed in the year-to-date ranking, Dey being the 10th month of the persian year 1390.

Saipa Tiba

The Iran Khodro Samand is in difficulty this month at 11,339 units, down 19% year-on-year. It’s quite the opposite for the Renault Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan), exactly doubling its production in a year: from 4,287 units to 8,584 this month. Its year-to-date total is up 95% at 75,244 units, staying ahead of the Peugeot Pars at 74,379 (+1%). The other model to see its sales take off is the Saipa Tiba with 3,533 units produced this month (its strongest month so far), a 484% increase year-on-year.

Previous month: Iran December 2011: Peugeot 206 back in 2nd place

Full January 2012 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot 206 SD

* See the Top 15 most produced models by clicking on the title! *

125,030 passenger cars were produced in Iran in December, up 9% year-on-year. December is actually the 9th month of the Persian year 1390, so no Full Year summaries yet for Iran. Over 9 months production is up 7% to 1,067,918 units. No surprises on top, the Saipa Pride continues its ‘one-car show’ with 55,600 units produced in December and 481,415 year-to-date, up 6%.

The Peugeot 206 is back in second place this month at 17,493 units but it is still #3 year-to-date at 127,077 (+9%) below the Peugeot 405, #3 in December at 16,412 units and #2 YTD at 131,603 (-13%). Like last month the Iran Khodro Samand (11,470), Renault Tondar 90 aka Dacia Logan (8,345) and Peugeot Pars (7,751) follow.

Saipa Tiba

The Saipa Tiba is up 4% and one spot on November to reach 3,513 units produced at #7, far from impressive for a fully Iranian model but still its strongest month ever so far! Perhaps the Top 5 in Western calendar year 2012…

Previous month: Iran November 2011: Peugeot 405 now #2 year-to-date

Full December 2011 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot 405

* See the Top 15 most produced models by clicking on the title! *

Car production in Iran is up 5% in November at 135,286 units and up 6% year-to-date at 942,888 units, November being the 8th month of the Iranian year. The Saipa Pride continues its solo race at 58,154 units produced this month and 425,815 year-to-date, even managing to improve by 5% vs. the first 8 months of 2010…

The 23-year-old Peugeot 405 ranks 2nd for the third month in a row at 20,703 units, enabling it to pass the Peugeot 206 (#3 this month at 14,052) in the year-to-date ranking to reclaim the #2 spot with 115,191 units (-15%) vs. 109,584 (+6%) for the 206. The Iran Khodro Samand stays 4th with 13,014 units, bringing its year-to-date total to 92,196, up a healthy 12% on 2010…

Renault Tondar 90

In 5th position, the Renault Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) delivers a whopping 9,299 units, which could well be its highest month ever in Iran! It is now #5 year-to-date also at 58,315 units, up a massive 84% on 2010 and passing the Peugeot Pars at 58,180 (+3%).

Peugeot 207i

The Peugeot 207i’s production pattern is intermittent in Iran and November is on: 3,735 units were produced, bringing the model to #7, ahead of the Saipa Tiba, decidedly shy at 3,383 units, albeit up 17% on October.

Previous month: Iran October 2011: Peugeot 405 and Pars in good shape

Full November 2011 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot Pars

* See the Top 10 most produced models by clicking on this article’s title! *

Iranian car production is up 9% in October at 131,090 units and up 6% year-to-date at 806,115 units – October being the 7th month of the Iranian year. The Saipa Pride is untouchable in first place with 57,194 units produced this month and 367,006 year-to-date. The 24 year-old Peugeot 405 stays 2nd for the 2nd month in a row with 19,901 units produced and 94,488 year-to-date, ahead of the Peugeot 206 at 17,267 and 95,532.

Saipa Pride & Tiba, picture by Afshin Khaledi

The Iran Khodro Samand takes the 4th spot with 12,449 units, followed by the Peugeot Pars up 1 spot to #5 and 8,636 units and the Renault Tondar 90 at 8,344 units. The Saipa Tiba is not taking off and stays at 2,900 units this month while production of the Peugeot 207i has stopped this month.

Previous month: Iran September 2011 Saipa Pride excels, Peugeot 207i gears up

Full October 2011 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot 207i. Picture by Afshin Khaledi, all rights reserved.

* See ‘Read more’ for the Top 8 best-selling models. Many thanks to Afshin for the data! *

The Saipa Pride is still the best-selling car in Iran by a very large margin with 47,261 sales: compare that with the 54,410 Ford F-Series sold in the US during the same month and you’ll have a better idea of how massive that figure is! The Peugeot 405 is still very valiant in spite of its 24 years of age, selling 16,808 units in September – to be compared with the 6,427 Peugeot 207 sold in France during the same period.

Peugeot places 2 models on the podium with the 206 at 15,557 units, up 44% on August, followed by the Iran Khodro Samand at 12,437 units. The Renault Tondar 90 (aka Logan) is still 4th but up 31% on last month at 8,586 sales. The Saipa Tiba at 2,941 units and the Peugeot 207i at 1,463 sales are still quite low but in significant increase: respectively 30% and 178% on August…

Previous month: see the Iranian August 2011 Top 10 most produced models here.

Full September 2011 Top 8 Ranking Table below.

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Saipa 132/Pride

* See the Top 10 most produced models by clicking on ‘Read more’ at end of post!

The Iran Vehicles Manufacturers Association (IVMA) production data for August is now out. Total production is up 4% at 95,406 units and up 2% year-to-date at 533,508. The Saipa Pride (a facelifted 1987 Kia Pride) continues to dominate the ranking by far with 38,565 units produced this month (up 4%) and 205,306 year-to-date (-6%).

Peugeot 206

The Peugeot 405/Pars/Roa stays 2nd but is hit hard this month at -20% year-on-year with 17,883 units. The year-to-date total is down 18% at 109,544 units. The Peugeot 206 is back onto the podium at #3 with 10,790 units (+4%).

The Iran Khodro Samand is down 9% at 7,787 units, threatened this month by the Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan), up another 97% at 6,578 units. The Saipa Tiba is struggling, down 27% on July at 2,268 units, and the Mazda3 is back in the Top 10 at #8.

Previous month: see the Iranian July 2011 Top 10 models here.

Full August 2011 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

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Iran street scene. Picture: Afshin Khaledi

* Now updated with the Top 10 best-selling imported cars thanks to Afshin Khaledi! *

I can now share with you on top of the most produced car in Iran a Top 10 of the best-selling imported models in the country. The figures are very small compared to production figures but nevertheless very insightful. Korean cars seem to have a near monopoly on imports, with the Hyundai Sonata YF (latest generation) on top with 1,147 units which would get it an impressive 8th place overall. It is followed by the Kia Sportage at 563 units and the Hyundai ix55 at 556 sales. See ‘Read more’ at end of post for the full Top 10.

Iran Khodro Tondar 90 – none other than a 1st generation Dacia Logan

Thanks to the Iran Vehicles Manufacturers Association (IVMA) I can share with you the latest Iranian production figures by model. Total production for July was up 1% year-on-year at 117,908 units and up 2% year-to-date at 438,102. Rumours that production of the iconic Saipa Pride stopped recently are untrue: 53,329 units came out of the Iran Khodro factory last month, up 8% year-on-year, and 197,406 units in the last 4 months!

Iran Khodro Samand

The 24 year-old Peugeot 405 also stays solid in 2nd place at 26,978 units, down 11% year-on-year. Excellent performance of the Iran Khodro Samand, up 16% to 3rd place and 13,302 units, passing the Peugeot 206 at 9,157 units (-29%). The Iran Khodro Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) also impresses with figures up a massive 119% year-on-year at 7,697 units this month. Year-to-date it is up 84% at 23,419 units.

Saipa Tiba

Lastly, the Saipa Tiba, destined to replace the Pride in the long term, continues its slow but steady gearing up: from 1,059 units in April to 2,151 in May, 2,912 in June and 3,105 in July. Still a long way to go to catch up on the 50,000+ monthly units of the Pride! Also notice the Mazda2 breaking into the Top 10 at #9 with 697 units.

Previous post: see the May 2011 Iran Top 10 best-selling models here.

Full July 2011 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

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Saipa Tiba

* Many thanks to Max from Italy for sharing the data source for this post! *

The Iran Vehicles Manufacturers Association (IVMA) publishes car production data monthly so I am now able to share with you for the first time some official monthly figures for Iran!

In the Iranian calendar, May 2011 corresponds roughly to the 2nd month of year 1390. 124,794 passenger cars were produced last month, up 7% year-on-year. A total of 1,367,014 units were produced during calendar year 2010, making Iran one of the Top 10 car markets in the world.

Saipa 132/new Pride

Two local manufacturers, Iran Khodro (IKCO) and Saipa dominate the market. The Saipa New Pride, a restyled 1986 Kia Pride, leads the way with astounding numbers: 56,645 units produced last month, 86,567 year-to-date and 609,045 or 45% of the total production during 2010!

Peugeot 405/Pars

Produced by Iran Khodro, the 23 year-old Peugeot 405 comes in 2nd place with 24,964 units last month and 343,940 last year (yes that’s nearly 350,000 units produced in one year!!), ahead of the Peugeot 206 at 13,710 and 156,553 units respectively. The Iran Khodro Samand is #4 with 13,231 units and the Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) is up 61% year-on-year at 6,230 units at #5.

Solid start for the Peugeot 207i (aka 206+) seeing 3,597 units coming out of the Iran Khodro  factory this month at #6. Another new model makes its appearance in the ranking: 3,210 units of the Saipa Tiba were produced in the last 2 months in Iran.

Iran Khodro Runna

Iran Khodro Dena

Iran Khodro has unveiled two models planned to start production in the next year: the Runna, based on the 206 platform, will kick-off in September 2011 with a production target of 150,000 units/year, and the Dena, using a modified Peugeot 405 platform, will start production in April 2012, targeting 100,000 units/year from 2015 onwards.

Full May 2011 and Full Year 2010 Top 10 Ranking Tables below.

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