Brazil February 2015: VW Up in Top 10, threatens Gol

The VW Up finishes the month just 374 sales below the Gol…

* See the Top 140 best-selling models and Top 20 brands by clicking on the title *

The situation worsens for new car sales in Brazil, now down an abysmal 28% year-on-year in February to just 178,822 registrations, bringing the year-to-date total to 422,717 units, down 23% on 2014. This month Fiat fares even worse than the market at -38% but keeps the lead at a round 20% share above Volkswagen at 17.3% (-27%), Chevrolet at 15.7% (-37%), Ford at 10.5% (-10%) and Hyundai at 7.3% (-22%). Thanks to sales down just 4%, Toyota overtakes Renault (-30%) for 6th place overall while Honda (+9%), Mercedes (+9%) and Lifan (+31%) are the only manufacturers in the Top 20 to gain ground year-on-year.

Lifan is the biggest gainer in the Top 20 at +31% this month.

The Fiat Palio is the best-selling nameplate in Brazil for the 8th time in the past 9 months despite falling faster than the market at -31% to 9,205 sales and is followed by the Fiat Strada down 35% to 8,735 deliveries. The plot thickens at Volkswagen and a momentous hierarchy reshuffle is occurring before our eyes within the German manufacturer’s range.

Leadership challenge – The Fox and Up are killing the Gol in Brazil.

The Fox/Crossfox stands out as the brand’s best-seller so far in 2015, hitting a shiny 3rd spot in February (-21%), its highest ranking since August 2012. Reversely the Gol is stuck at #8 for the 2nd month in a row – the nameplate’s lowest monthly ranking in Brazil in 32 years, whereas the Up celebrates one year in market by breaking into the Top 10 for the first time at #9, only 374 units below the Gol. Year-to-date, the Fox is #4, the Gol #8 and the Up #10. To be followed…

Honda Fit sales are up 72% year-on-year in Brazil.

Other interesting developments in the Brazilian models ranking include the Chevrolet Onix falling back down to #4 only 388 sales above its archenemy the Hyundai HB20, the Ford Ka up one spot on January to #6, the Honda Fit up 72% on February 2014 to #13, the Toyota Corolla up 46% to #14, Honda City up 40% to #20, and the Audi A3 Sedan up 14 ranks on last month to #69. In the Chinese aisle, only the Lifan X60 (#79) and Chery QQ (#95) manage to crack the February Top 100, however the Lifan 530 (#115) and Foison (#116) could soon join them.

Previous month: Brazil January 2015: Fiat Palio and Chevrolet Onix fight for pole position, VW Gol down to lowest ranking in 32 years

One year ago: Brazil February 2014: Fiat Strada up to record 2nd place!

Full February 2015 Top 140 models and Top 20 brands below.