Iran 1997-2000: Paykan still ultra dominant 30 years after launch, market up to record 286.000 units

The Iran Khodro Paykan celebrates 30 years in Iran in 1997.

After crossing the 100.000 annual sales milestone for the first time in history in 1996, the Iranian market continues to boom in 1997 at +43.5% to almost 170.000 units, with the Paykan (+25.4%) still accounting for every second sale in the country. The Saipa Pride (+52%) is up to 19% share above the Iran Khodro Paykan Pickup (+45.7%) while the Peugeot 405 (+307.6%) is back up 3 spots to #4 and the Nissan Saipa 24 Pickup (+107.6%) returns inside the Top 5. Renault painfully climbs back to just over 1.000 units thanks to the new Sepand, a widened version of the first generation Renault 5 assembled locally on Kia Pride underpinnings.

New car sales in Iran are up a further 16.8% in 1998 to end the year just under 200.000 units at 198.465. A formidable progression indeed. The Iran Khodro Paykan (+1.6%) edges up to a record 90.000 sales but drops below the 50% share mark at 45.4. The Saipa Pride (+34%) remains well below at 21.8% wit the Iran Khodro Paykan Pickup (+75.7%), Peugeot 405 (+44.4%) and Nissan Saipa 24 Pickup (+51.1%) ensure the Top 5 is unchanged on the year before. The Renault Sepand (+320.1%) continues to progress.

The Paykan crosses into the new millennium with 38.3% share of Iran sales.

1999 sees the Iranian new car market lurch 16.7% ahead to a 5th consecutive record volume at 231.633 units. The Iran Khodro Paykan (-0.5%) however plateaus and falls to 38.7% share. That’s still more than double any other model in the Iranian market including the Saipa Pride (+1.8%) at 19% share. Below the Iran Khodro Paykan Pickup (+17.1%) flirting with the 10% share, the Peugeot RD leaps up to #4 with over 20.000 sales, toppling its mass market variant the Peugeot 405 (+5.9%). This is the year Peugeot (+120.5%) more than doubles its sales to tease Saipa at 36.000 vs. 44.000 units. Meanwhile Renault (+142.6%) tops the 10.000 sales mark for the first time thanks to the success of the Sepand.

Another 23.4% surge lifts Iranian new car sales to 285.896 units in 2000. Iran Khodro (44.6% share), Saipa (23.7%) and Peugeot (16.6%) are now established as the three leading forces in Iran, adding up to 85% of the market vs. 83% in 1999. The Paykan (+22.1%) holds its share steady at 38.3% despite its 33 years of age, even breaking its all-time volume record at 109.400, its first six-digit result ever. The Saipa Pride (+53.7%) improves to 23.7% share while the Peugeot RD (+36.5%) climbs onto the podium, toppling the Iran Khodro Paykan Pickup (-20.5%) just as the Peugeot 405 (-7.5%) rounds out the Top 5 like in 1999. The Renault Sepand (+14%) continues to progress, now at 11.620 sales. The Peugeot Pars breaks into the Top 10.

Full Year 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Top 14 All-brands and Top 23 All-models below.