Germany 2008: Audi A4 and Mercedes C Class on podium

VW Golf 6

* See the Top 346 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Florian *

At 3,090,040 registrations this year, down 2%, German new car sales are at their lowest since the reunification… The VW Golf is slowing getting itself out of the weakest period of the nameplate’s 35 year career, thanks to the Station Wagon version and the 6th generation launched towards the end of the year. It is up 15% to 173,034 sales and 5.6% market share, still very shy by Golf standards.

Audi A4

For the first time in 50 years (since 1958!), only one model sells over 100,000 units in Germany, showing the increasing fragmentation of the market. The Audi A4 reaches an annual 2nd place for the first time ever in Germany, up 17% to 98,714 sales and 3.2%. It peaked at 10,106 units and 3.8% in July.

Mercedes C Class

The Mercedes C Class confirms the success of its current generation by finishing the year at an excellent #3 with 93,733 sales and 3%, up 20%. Its best month was also July at 9,646 units and 3.7%. The BMW 3 Series drops 1 spot to #4 and the VW Passat drops 3 to #5. The Opel Astra is down 8% to #6, albeit reaching a lowest-ever 16th place and 1.6% share in November.

BMW 1 Series

The BMW 1 Series has by a large margin its best-ever year so far in Germany, #7 overall with 75,621 sales and 2.4%, up 8 spots and 37%. It delivered its best-ever month in May with 8,567 sales and 3.1% in 4th place. Its direct competitor, the Audi A3, dropped 1 rank to #11 but reached a best-ever 5th place in November.

Helped by the new generation, the Skoda Fabia broke into the Germany Top 10 for the very first time in August and repeated this feat twice within the year, reaching a best-ever 5,859 sales in September and 2.3% share in December. It finished the year at #14, its best year-end position in Germany so far.

The VW Tiguan, launched in late 2007, progressed regularly all throughout the year to reach a record 17th place and 1.6% share in November. It is #24 in the full year. At #17, the Peugeot 207 is the 2nd best-selling import, peaking at #12 and 1.9% in May. Hyundai makes history in November and becomes the first South Korean manufacturer to place two models within the German Top 25: the i10 at #22 and the Getz at #25.

Full Top 346 and every Monthly Top 30 Ranking Tables below.