Germany 1999: Ford Focus and Mercedes A Class arrive

VW Golf

Opel Astra

* See the Top 100 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Thanks Florian for the data *

Over the first 6 months of 1999, Germans bought 2,037,526 new cars, only the third time in history (after 1991 and 1992) that the 2 million mark is passed at that stage. I don’t have the final figure for the full year so if you do please get in touch! However I do have models ranking for the full year:

The VW Golf is still comfortably installed its leadership position with 313,414 sales but is already down 7% for the current generation’s second year, while the Opel Astra is up 4% to 229,756 units. The BMW 3 Series lands on the podium for the third time after 1993 and 1995 with with 143,103 sales, up 15%.

Mercedes A Class

The VW Passat is down one place and 15% to #4, followed by the best newcomer in this year’s Top 10: the Ford Focus, replacing the Ford Escort and landing directly at an outstanding 5th place with 112,873 sales. Another remarkable entry in the Top 10 is the Mercedes A Class, now Mercedes’ best-seller at #7 with just above 100,000 sales for its second full year…

VW Lupo

The VW Lupo confirms its shining start from late last year, up 30 ranks to #16 with 60,965 sales. This would end up being the nameplate’s best position.

The Renault Twingo manages to keep the imports pole position for the third consecutive year in spite of a 6% drop at #17 with 54,832 sales. In fact, Renault delivers the four best-selling imports in Germany this year, something no manufacturer had ever achieved before in the country! The Clio is #20 at 46,234 units, the Scenic is #21 with 45,378 sales and the Megane is #22 44,467 units. Notice also the Peugeot 206 up to #23 and 43,836 sales, the MCC Smart up to #29 and Skoda Octavia up to #30.

The VW New Beetle was #26 at half-year with 17,042 sales but the second half of the year was very disappointing at only 8,220 units sold, finishing the year at #38 with 25,262 sales…

Full Top 100 Ranking Table below.