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Germany January 2016: Volkswagen caught up by emissions scandal?

VW Golf Germany January 2016. Picture courtesy autoexpress.co.ukVolkswagen sales drop 9% at home in January. 

* See the Top 48 All-brands and Top 300 All-models by clicking on the title *

The German new car market starts 2016 in a very healthy way: up 3% 218.365 registrations in January. After resisting fairly well over the past few months, local behemoth Volkswagen stalls in January: down 9% to 21.6% share. Are German consumers starting to lose patience in the face of continuing (worsening?) emissions scandal? The January 2015 base was particularly high (24.5% share) so we won’t come to rushed conclusions just yet. If Seat (-2%) and Skoda (-7%) are also in difficulty, Audi recovers from a paltry 6th place in December with sales up 22% year-on-year to 21.741 and 10% share, distancing Mercedes (9.3%) and BMW (7.9%). Opel (+22%) and Ford (+19%) confirm their return to form, joining Mazda (+20%), Mitsubishi (+22%), Land Rover (+47%), Jaguar (+68%), Honda (+81%) and Ssangyong (+86%) among carmakers posting double-digit gains in January.

Opel Astra Germany January 2016. Picture courtesy autobild.deThe Opel Astra hits its highest ranking in almost four years.

Despite losing significant ground for the first time since the emissions scandal, Volkswagen monopolises the models podium as it did over the Full Year 2015 with the Golf (-21%), Passat (-16%) and Polo (+21%) in the lead. Big news in 4th place: the Opel Astra takes full advantage of the new generation to double its sales year-on-year (+98%) to 4.818. This is the Astra’s best ranking in Germany since May 2012, but the real test will be to see whether the Astra can break into the Volkswagen-ruled podium, and stay there.

Infiniti Q30 Germany January 2016. Picture courtesy autobild.deThe Infiniti Q30 makes its first appearance in the German sales charts this month.

Lifted up 96% by the Active/Gran Tourer, the BMW 2 Series is up to #9, with the Audi Q3 at #19 (+33%), the Audi A1 at #24 (+40%) and the Mercedes GLC at #27 (+68% on the GLK a year ago) also posting strong results. The Mercedes CLA (+120%) and Audi Q7 (+624%) take off, while further down the Ford Mustang is up 65 spots on December to #109 and we welcome the Infiniti Q30 in the German sales charts at #279.

Previous post: Germany Full Year 2015: VW Golf celebrates 40 years in pole position

Previous month: Germany December 2015: Audi down 6% to #6 in market up 8%

One year ago: Germany January 2015: Mercedes B-Class and Mini up

Full January 2016 Top 48 All-brands and Top 300 All-models below.

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