Italy June 2018: Fiat skids to lowest ever share at 16%?

Fiat 500 sales are down 43% year-on-year in June.

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

New car sales in Italy endure a fourth year-on-year drop in the past five months in June at a painful -7.4% to 175.785 units, pulling the year-to-date tally further into negative at -1.4% to 1.128.037. This time private sales perform best, edging down just 0.5% to 97.381 units and gaining almost four percentage points of market share at 55.4% vs. 51.5% in June 2017. Rental sales on the other hand sink 11% to 40.163 registrations with short-term rentals freefalling down 34.7% to 9.827 but leases up 5.2% to 25.489 – the difference (“other rentals” as per the UNRAE classification) is down 17.1% to 4.847. Finally company sales fare the worst at -17.1% to 38.241 as the tax advantage they benefitted from last year has been discontinued. Diesel sales drop 17% but still remain well above petrol sales (up 3.5%) at 92.763 vs. 58.099. Hybrid sales soar 21.6% to 7.234 and plug-in hybrids are up 70.3% to 695.

Mahindra sales are up 300% year-on-year in June thanks to the arrival of the KUV.

The horizon is getting darker and darker for homegrown hero Fiat: at -30%, June marks its steepest fall this decade, its 9th consecutive year-on-year drop and the 7th double-digit fall in the past 8 months. Moreover, its 16% share for the month is the lowest this decade, this century and possibly in many decades as we don’t have any record of Fiat ever falling below that level. As per FCA’s new worldwide strategy, it looks like Fiat is progressively passing the relay to more profitable Jeep even at home, the American brand once again posting an extravagant 92% year-on-year surge in 7th place overall. Volkswagen is the other outstanding performer in Italy (as it has been so far in every country we have covered for June) with a 22% uplift to 9.2% share. In a lukewarm market, only Smart (+30%), Seat (+20%) and Peugeot (+11%) post double-digit gains in the Top 25 whereas smaller brands are more successful, such as Mahindra (+300%), DR Motor (+163%), Jaguar (+89%), Subaru (+61%), Ferrari (+50%), Mitsubishi (+41%), Lamborghini (+40%), Tesla (+36%), Porsche (+34%) and DS (+17%).

The Ford Ecosport lifts its Italian ranking record up to #16 in June.

Model-wise, the Fiat Panda hits the wall again, diving 21% on its June 2017 score – this is however a much better hold than the Tipo (-47%), Punto (-46%), 500 (-43%) and 500L (-38%). The Panda remains comfortably in the lead with 5.5% share vs. 2.8% for the Renault Clio, managing a third consecutive – and ever – stint in 2nd place. The Fiat 500X (+9%) is back up six spots on May to #3 ahead of the Lancia Ypsilon (-13%). After a record podium ranking last month, the Jeep Renegade (+9%) ends June in 5th place, only its 2nd ever appearance in the Italian monthly Top 5. The Toyota Yaris (+24%) and VW Golf (+10%) also perform strongly in the Top 10 where Jeep places two nameplates for the 2nd month running (and ever) as the Compass drops three ranks on May to #10. Below, the Ford Ecosport rises 102% to break its ranking record at #16 (previous best: #19 last February and March), with the Opel Karl (+70%), Mercedes B-Class (+60%), Peugeot 3008 (+48%), Audi A3 (+43%), Renault Kadjar (+43%), VW Up (+29%), Peugeot 2008 (+28%), Renault Captur (+28%), VW Tiguan (+21%)

Previous month: Italy May 2018: Jeep breaks records – Renegade on podium, Compass #7

One year ago: Italy June 2017: Dacia Sandero breaks into Top 10, market up 12.9%

Full June 2018 Top 45 brands and Top 50 models below.