Germany: 1962-1979 more detailed Historical Data now available!

1962 Ford 17M

* See ‘Read more’ for the direct links to these 7 new posts! Thanks to Florian for the data *

I am now able to share with you the best-selling models in West Germany from 1962 to 1979 in much more detail! For 1962, 1963 and from 1971 to 1973 there is a Top 20 ranking, for 1974, 1975 and 1979 a Top 100 (yes!) and for 1976-1978 a Top 80, so you can see the behaviour of nearly all the models sold in Germany over the period.

So much happened in these 18 years! The VW Beetle, after having lodged its strongest year ever in 1961 (348,929 sales), stays solid all the way through to the early seventies, selling more than 300,000 units in 1962, 65, 69 and 70 and celebrating 25 consecutive years atop the German ranking in 1973, its last year in pole position.

1972 Opel Rekord

In 1962 the Opel Kadett nameplate launches and becomes a regular fixture on the podium, ranking #2 from 1967 to 1971. The Opel Rekord is #2 from 1962 to 1965 and in 1972-73, the strikingly designed Ford 17M becomes the 3rd car in German history to sell over 100,000 annual units in 1962 and reaches a best-ever 2nd place in 1966.

Mercedes ‘Strich 8’

In 1974 the Mercedes ‘Strich 8’ is the surprise best-seller before the VW Golf takes the relay in 1975, passing 250,000 sales in 1979. Mercedes doesn’t give up and places the W123 at #2 from 1977 to 79, making it only the third car to ever sell upwards of 200,000 annual units in Germany after the Beetle and Golf…

From 1967 to 1979 the Renault 4 is the best-selling import in Germany, peaking at an exceptional 84,900 units in 1970, a score that makes it the 5th best-selling model overall that year, the highest ranking ever to be achieved by an import. Discover all this and much more by clicking on ‘Read more’ below.

Direct links to these 7 new posts below.