Germany 2003: VW Golf feels the heat

VW Golf

*See the Top 100 best-selling models and each monthly Top 20 by clicking on the title! *

New car sales are down 3% in Germany this year at 3,236,938 units. The VW Golf continues its downward spiral at a worrying -20% this year to 205,084 sales and 6.3% share, its lowest annual volume in Germany in 22 years!

The VW Golf had been the #1 car in the country for 128 consecutive months since April 1992 and in 2003 the unthinkable nearly happened twice: in January the Golf was down 30% to 16,194 sales and 6.8% share while the BMW 3 Series was up 95% to 15,067 units and best-ever 6.3% share…In December, the Golf dropped to a lowest-ever 5.3% share and 12,258 sales while the VW Polo was up to 4.6% and 10,647 units…Both much smaller margins than what the Golf is used to.

BMW 3 Series

Overall the BMW 3 Series keeps its 2nd spot at 135,293 sales and 4.2%, ahead of the VW Polo up 4 spots to a best-ever #3 position at 112,925 units and 3.5%, followed by the VW Passat, Audi A4 and Mercedes C and E Class. The Opel Astra hits rock bottom at #8 and only 89,567 sales, by far its weakest performance ever, and even dropped to #10 and 2% share in December.

VW Touran

Disturbing the Golf this year is the all-new VW Touran built on the same platform. Launched in June, it is an instant hit with German consumers, breaking into the Top 10 as early as August (#8) and into the Top 5 in October! It finishes the year at #16 with 51,628 sales.

For the third year running the Peugeot 206 is the best-selling import, improving to #12 and 2% share and what is still Peugeot’s strongest single model annual volume in Germany at 63,426 sales. It peaked at #10 in June and July but was passed by the Peugeot 307 reaching a best-ever 13th spot in December. The Audi A3 grows to a best-ever 13th place this year, the Skoda Fabia is the first Skoda to ever break into the German year-end Top 20 at #18 and the Opel Meriva lands directly at #28, peaking at #12 in July.

Full Top 100 and every Monthly Top 20 Ranking Tables below.