France 1-11 June 2013: Peugeot 2008 shoots up to #7!

Only 3 weeks after launch, the Peugeot 2008 already ranks within the French Top 10.

* See the Top 10 best-selling models and brands by clicking on the title! *

A relatively satisfying start of June for new car sales in France, down just 3% year-on-year to 51,431 registrations. We are now getting used to solid starts for the Peugeot 208 each month and June is no exception: it ranks #1 with 2,373 sales and 4.6% share, however the #2 is a surprise: after ranking #3 27 days into May and finishing the month at #6, the Citroen C4 shines once again at 1,777 units and 3.5%, up 61% year-on-year. The Renault Clio 4 rounds up the podium at only 3.3% share but despair not: Renault models are always slow at the start of the month in France.

The Citroen C4 ranks #2.

I could go on to describe each position meticulously but I won’t because the big event this week is the thunderous arrival of the Peugeot 2008 inside the French Top 10 directly in 7th position with 1,188 sales and 2.3% share. We were expecting its archenemy the Renault Captur, launched one month earlier, to have the honours of first breaking into the Top 10 after finishing #13 in May. But instead the Peugeot 2008 does so only 3 weeks after its official launch on May 16… A very impressive performance indeed for the first mini-SUV the company has ever launched and a very welcome piece of good news in what has been a pretty drab year for Peugeot so far: with 16,000 orders so far, Peugeot has announced it will double the production rate of the 2008 from 5,000 a month to 10,000 in September…

The Hybrid version pushes the locally-produced Toyota Yaris inside the Top 10.

Needless to say that between the Peugeot 208/Renault Clio IV and Peugeot 2008/Renault Captur fights, 2013 will be another fascinating year to follow in France… Notice also the VW Polo up to #4 and the Toyota Yaris inside the Top 10 at #10 thanks to the hybrid version. Brand-wise, Citroen outstandingly (but most probably temporarily) starts the month in pole position thanks to sales up 15% year-on-year, Toyota is up 27% to #5, Ford up 12% to #7 and Fiat up a mammoth 96% to #10 thanks to the success of the 500L.

Previous month: France May 2013: Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008 intrigue

Previous weekly update: France 1-27 May 2013: Citroen C4 and Dacia Sandero up

One year ago: France 1-11 June 2012: Renault Scenic in pole position

Full 1-11 June 2013 Top 10 models and brands Ranking Tables below.