Best Selling Cars – Matt's blog

Great Wall Voleex C30

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

As always the Iranian monthly models ranking reflects production (not sales) but is a pretty accurate representation of the most popular cars in the country as high import duties limit sales of other vehicles. In the Persian calendar June 2012 corresponds roughly to the third month of the Persian year 1391, Khordad, and during that period new car production continues to fall alarmingly to just 68,510 units, down 47% on Khordad 1390. Year-to-date after 3 months in 1391 the market is down 37% to 208,781.

Iran Khodro Runna

Again the main culprit for this worrying development is very weak production figures of the Saipa Pride at only 25,440 units this month, down 57% year-on-year and bringing its year-to-date total to 83,447, down 45% on 1390. Peugeot’s stopping of part imports from France is again also having an impact, with the Peugeot Pars down 16% at #5 and the 206 down 74% at #6. Reversely the Peugeot 405 still holds well, up 9% year-on-year at #2 with 12,695 units ahead of the Iran Khodro Samand at 10,111 and the Renault Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) at 6,271.

But the main event this month is the very rare arrival of a new model in the ranking: after Lifan, Great Wall is the second Chinese manufacturer to start assembling new cars in Iran: the Great Wall Voleex C30 lands directly in 11th position this month with 146 units produced. For its part the Iran Khodro Runna seems to have actually started its career in its native country no less than 3 years after its original presentation with a best-ever 57 units produced this month (#15).

Previous month: Iran May 2012: Peugeot 405 back to #2, Iran Khodro Runna starts

Full June 2012 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot 405. Picture by kamshots.

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

As usual for Iran only models rankings by production (not sales) are available but they are a good reflection of car sales in the country as high import duties limit sales of other vehicles. The second month of the Persian year 1391, Ordibehesht, corresponds roughly to May 2012 and during that period only 86,356 cars were produced in Iran, a worrying fall of 34% on the 129,859 produced in Ordibehesht 1390. Year-to-date after 2 months in 1391 the market is down 31% to 140,096.

Iran Khodro Runna

The main reason for this fall is the disappointing figures of the Saipa Pride: it is down 38% this month to 36,551 units and 37% year-to-date to 58,007. Peugeot’s halt on part imports from France is having an impact also: the Peugeot Pars is down 19% at #5, the 206 is down 56% at #6 and the 207i is down 89% at #9. However the Peugeot 405 manages to increase its sales year-on-year at +6% and reclaims the 2nd place with 13,986 sales, way ahead of the Iran Khodro Samand at 10,453.

Renault models continue to take advantage of Saipa and Peugeot’s difficulties: the Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) is up 34% year-on-year and stays at a best-ever 4th position with 8,657 units while the Megane is up 42% to 1,540 units at #8.

Originally presented in April 2009, the Iran Khodro Runna, based on the Peugeot 206, had only ever been produced at 10 units in Ordibehesht 1390. 24 additional units have been recorded in the official spreadsheets of www.ivma.ir this month. Coincidence, production blip or real kick-start? Hard to say and only the next couple of months will confirm whether over 3 years on, large scale production is finally starting for the Runna.

While we’re talking about delayed production starts, let’s mention the Iran Khodro Dena, unveiled in April 2011. Plans were to kick-start production in April 2012 to deliver 35,000 units by the end of the year but the Dena is yet to appear in the production spreadsheets of www.ivma.ir.

Previous month: Iran April 2012: Peugeot withdraws, Renault wins

One year ago: Iran May 2011: Saipa Pride rules, Tiba lands, Peugeot 405 still #2!

Full May 2012 Top 15 Ranking Table below.

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Peugeot Pars

* See the Top 10 most produced models by clicking on the title! *

In the Iranian calendar the month of April 2012 roughly corresponds to Farvardin, the first month of the new year 1391. As Peugeot slowly winds down after stopping the importation of CKD kits under pressure from General Motors, total production of new cars in Iran this month is down 27% year-on-year to 53,740 units. Surprisingly it’s actually the Saipa Pride production figures that have the most impact of the overall fall: going from 32,576 units at the same time last year to 21,456 now, down 34%.

Renault Tondar 90

The Iran Khodro Samand resists and only loses 5% to 7,470 units, gaining one spot on last month to #2 while the Peugeot 405 is down 12% to 7,112 units. The big beneficiary of Peugeot’s withdrawal is Renault, with the Tondar 90 (aka Dacia Logan) up a massive 35% year-on-year to 5,149 units and reaching its highest ranking ever at #4. The Peugeot 206 follows, down 53%, ahead of the Peugeot Pars down 6%. The Peugeot 207i still delivers solid numbers at 1,202 units ahead of the Renault Megane up 48% to 911 units. Sad month for the Saipa Tiba down 54% year-on-year.

Previous month: Iran March 2012: Last good showing for Peugeot…

Full April 2012 Top 10 Ranking Table below.

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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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