China November 2012: Ford Focus & VW Lavida to record heights
Ford Focus
* NOW UPDATED with the Top 285 All-models ranking! Click on title to see *
Sales of passenger cars in China are up 13% year-on-year in November to 1.419 million units, equalling the growth rate of the US. The year-to-date total now stands at 13.12 million, up 7% on 2011. These are China Passenger Car Association figures. Japanese manufacturers see their decline ease compared to September and October, with Toyota at -25%, Honda at -29% and Mazda at -30%. In the meantime, Ford is up a spectacular 56% and Chinese brands manage to grab 35.1% of the overall market, their highest penetration rate in 20 years!
VW Lavida
Firstly let’s salute the exceptional performance of the Ford Focus, #1 for the 4th month in a row and the 5th time in the last 6 months, and smashing its volume record again at 38,362 sales. This could even be the highest monthly volume ever for any Passenger Car in China with the only other model to reach similar levels being the BYD F3 at 36,046 units in March 2010. However I do not have 2009 monthly figures for the F3 and it may have hit higher ground back then. To be noted, Focus figures include the previous generation still sold in the country as ‘Focus Classic’. The Focus is now #2 year-to-date only 1,748 units below the Buick Excelle and it should edge past it next month to finish 2012 in pole position.
VW Sagitar
The VW Lavida also lodges a second record month in a row now that the new model is well and truly established with 31,397 sales, the nameplate’s 2nd time ever above 30,000 monthly units with last month. It is now #4 year-to-date. The Chevrolet Sail is back on the podium with a solid 26,143 sales, followed by the VW Passat extremely robust again at 23,197 units, the Buick Excelle weak at 23,381 and the VW Sagitar at a record 22,886 units. The new gen Hyundai Elantra Langdong drops one spot to #11 but improves to a best-ever 18,910 sales.
Chery QQ3
For the first time since last May, the Chery QQ is the best-selling Chinese model this month thanks to the new model, up 9 spots to #14 with 16,670 sales, its highest ranking in its native country since April 2011 and its strongest monthly volume since… January 2010! It is followed very closely by the Emgrand EC7, stable at #15 and a record 16,568 units. The Great Wall H6 stays #18 and also breaks its volume record again at 15,120 while the Great Wall Voleex C30 is up 8 ranks to #19. The FAW Xiali N3/N5, #25 this month, remains #1 year-to-date at #18.
Venucia R50
Notice also the Hyundai ix35 up one spot to break into the Chinese Top 20 for the first time at #20, the Kia K3 up a spectacular 33 ranks to #30 with 10,313 sales for its 2nd month in market, the BYD F3 Surui (new gen) also cracking the 10,000 monthly units mark at 10,126 but down one spot to #32 and the Venucia R50/D50 up a massive 67 ranks to #46 with 8,047 units (59% R50 already). The Japanese are quietly back, with 6 models in the Top 40 vs. just one last month: the Honda CR-V (#24), Nissan Sylphy (#29), Toyota Camry (#51), Corolla EX (#35), Corolla (#37) and Nissan Teana (#39).
Fiat Viaggio
Finally, there is a very significant newcomer in the Chinese ranking this month: the Fiat Viaggio. Consistent with my latest Chinese Viaggio sales update, GAC official numbers (thanks Jeff!) say 4,075 units sold in November, placing the model in 105th position and bringing its year-to-date total to 7,193. Note Chooseauto.com.cn, my source for monthly Chinese figures, did a catch-up on Viaggio sales directly to 7,193 year-to-date so all records are now up-to-date and we’re going to be able to follow very closely the career of the first Italian manufactured in China in 10 years (since the Fiat Palio in 2002).
Previous post: China: Fiat 6,000 Viaggio sold since mid-September
Previous month: China October 2012: Ford Focus #1, only one Japanese in Top 50!
Previous year-to-date update: China 10 months 2012: Discover the Top 290 All-models ranking
One year ago: Great Wall Haval up to best-ever #7
Full November 2012 Top 285 All-models Ranking Table below.
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