Italy August 2017: Fiat Tipo hits record share in market up 15.8%

The Fiat Tipo hits a record 3.9% share just as the Fiat Panda is at its lowest in 5 years.

* See the Top 45 brands and Top 50 models by clicking on the title *

The Italian new car market leaps up 15.7% in August to 84.104 registrations, the highest result for the month since 2009. The Italian market has now been in positive for 43 of the past 45 months (only May 2014 and April 2017 showed a decline). However this month the growth is entirely artificial: company sales are up a whopping 50.2% to 21.331 and 25.4% share vs. 19.5% a year ago and rental sales are up 41.8% to 13.492 and 16% vs. 13.1% in August 2016. Short term rentals are even up 76% to 3.194. In contrast, private sales only edge up 0.6% to 49.281 and 58.6% share, tumbling down from 67.4% in August 2016. Year-to-date, Italian sales are up 8.8% to 1.375.637 but private sales are actually down 1.2% to 773.502 and 56.2% share vs 62% over the same period in 2016. Company sales are up 35.7% to 282.680 and 20.5% share vs. 16.5% in 2016 and rental sales are up 17.4% to 319.445 and 23.2% share vs. 21.5% a year ago…

The Ford Kuga is up 64% year-on-year in August. Picture allaguida.it

Fiat remains of course the preferred brand in Italy but trails the market at +13%, resulting in a weaker 19.9% market share compared to the 21.4% it commands year-to-date. Volkswagen (+12%) is back in 2nd place above Renault up a whopping 42% to #3 and Ford up just 8% to #4. Peugeot (+20%), Citroen (+32%), Toyota (+35%), Audi (+39%) and Nissan (+50%) all post spectacular gains within the Top 10. Below, notice Mercedes (+22%), Jeep (+23%), Seat (+26%), Alfa Romeo (+36%), Suzuki (+36%), Volvo (+37%), DS (up an unusual 55%) and Mahindra (+180%). Dacia (-1%) and Kia (-7%) are the only Top 20 brands in negative while further down, Lexus (-30%), Ssangyong (-31%) and Infiniti (-34%) struggle.

The Audi Q2 hits a record 34th place in August. 

Model-wise, the Fiat Panda remains unsurprisingly on top, but with sales only edging up 2% year-on-year, it slumps to its lowest market share in over five years (since July 2012) at 5.6%. The Fiat Tipo for its part gains 50% to 3.9% share – a record for this new generation – and returns to the 2nd place for the third time ever after last May and June. The Tipo is now only 634 sales below the Lancia Ypsilon in the race for the #2 spot YTD. The Renault Clio shoots up 92% to cement its #1 foreigner title at #4, distancing the Fiat 500L (+21%) and Fiat 500 (+26%) while the Citroen C3 (+69%) stays at #7. Excellent performances of the VW Tiguan (+47%), Nissan Qashqai (+38%) and Ford Kuga (+64%), The Toyota C-HR (#27) dominates recent launches (<12 months) just as the Audi Q2 jumps 16 spots on July to hit a best-ever #34. Notice also the Audi Q5 up 169% to #39 and the Renault Megane up 104% to #47.

Previous post: Photo Report: The cars of Ventimiglia, northern Italy

Previous month: Italy July 2017: Fiat 500 and Punto on podium

One year ago: Italy July 2016: Hatchback lifts Fiat Tipo to 7th place

Full August 2017 Top 45 brands and Top 50 models below.