France 1953: Renault 4 CV leads, Citroen up to 28% share, Renault Fregate up to #6

The Renault Fregate is up to #6 in France in 1953.

After growing leaps and bounds since the end of World War II, the French new car market takes a breather in 1953, edging down -0.6% to 379.171 registrations, including 283.887 passenger cars (-0.8%), 93.475 light and medium commercials (-0.3%) and 1.809 buses and trucks (+17.5%). The detailed data we have mined in local newspaper L’Argus feature wholesales (388.748). Imports are down -22.5% to 6.693 incl. 6.053 private cars, coming from Germany (2.358 incl. 1.897), the USA (2.084 incl. 2.011), the UK (1.138 incl. 1.037), Benelux (526 incl. 522) and Canada (133) with a further 454 uncategorised.

Renault 4 CV

Renault holds onto the brands pole position at 31.8% share of the overall market including trucks (vs. 36.9% in 1951), but this year Citroen is getting dangerously close at 28.3%. Peugeot also improves to 18.3%, meaning the market is consolidating around the best-sellers, with the podium holding a gargantuan 78.4% of the French market vs. 76.1% in 1951. Simca, Ford France, Panhard et Berlier round up a Top 7 unchanged on 1951, while Delahaye is up 5 spots to #8. Model-wise, the Renault 4CV remains on top, up 13.5% on its 1951 volume, that’s less than all its direct followers, led by the Peugeot 203 (+30.7%), Citroen 11 CV Traction Avant (+83.2%), Simca 9 (+28.4%) and Citroen 2CV (+102.2%) while the Renault Fregate lands in 6th place.

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Full Year 1953 Top 23 All local brands and Top 105 All-models vs. Full Year 1951 figures below.