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Germany May 2019: BMW (+42.1%), Seat (+34.9%) shine in market boosted up 9.1% by resurgent diesel sales

BMW sales surge 42.1% year-on-year in May.

New car sales in Germany enjoy their largest year-on-year gain since last August at +9.1% to 332.962 units, lifting the year-to-date tally up 1.7% to 1.523.769, its highest level at this stage of the year since 2000. The odd reason behind such a large market uptick this month (by far the biggest in the Top 5 European markets) is a resurgence of diesel sales up a staggering 16% to 33.3% share just as petrol sales peter out at +0.7% to 59%. Sales of alternatively powered vehicles (EV, PHEV and hybrid) are up 100% to a still minuscule 1.4% share. Fleet sales are pulling the market up at +12% to 62.9% share while private sales gain 4.5% to 37.1% of the market.

Leader Volkswagen (-4.6%) isn’t following its home’s upwards trend but still manages to sell double the amount of #2 Mercedes (+9.5%) just outpacing te market. Audi (-4.3%) is also in difficulty whereas Opel (+15.2%), Ford (+18%) and most strikingly BMW (+42.1%) score very impressive gains, as do Seat (+34.9%) and Hyundai (+17.7%) at the tail end of the Top 10. Below, the list of over-performing brands is long: among them Aston Martin (+138.9%), Tesla (+116.5%), Alpine (+111.1%), Lexus (+97.2%), Volvo (+77.2%), Bentley (+56.9%), Land Rover (+44.5%), Lamborghini (+43.6%), Jaguar (+37.1%), Smart (+36.3%), Mitsubishi (+32.4%), Citroen (+30.1%), Mazda (+26.8%), Peugeot (+23.5%) and Toyota (+18.3%).

The Tarraco helps Seat up 34.9% in Germany.

No surprise atop the models ranking with the VW Golf (-6%) and Tiguan (-5.7%) on top like YTD joined on a 100% negative podium by the VW Passat (-4.2%) whereas the 3 following nameplates all advance faster than the market: the Skoda Octavia (+10.9%), Mercedes C-Class (+13.3%) and VW T-Roc (+74%) lodging a 4th Top 6 finish this year. Up to #3 last month as campervan orders were hitting a pre-Summer frenzy, the Fiat Ducato (+10.3%) roughly matches the market but is down 6 spots to #9. Disappointing month for the VW Polo (-23.5%) down to #10 vs. #3 YTD even though the current generation should now be in full flight.

The new Toyota Supra has landed in the German charts.

Spectacular upticks are reserved to premium nameplates in the Top 30, with the Audi Q3 (+117.9%), Mercedes A-Class (+91.4%), BMW X1 (+66.3%), BMW 3 Series (+51.4%) and Audi A6 (+41.1%) the most dynamic. The VW T-Cross is up 75 spots on last month to lead all recent launches at #54 ahead of the Seat Tarraco (#95), Skoda Scala (#98) and Citroen C5 Aircross (#118) as we welcome the Toyota Supra back in the German charts at #289.

Previous month: Germany April 2019: VW (-11.2%), Audi (-12.8%) struggle, Fiat Ducato leaps to #3 in 7th market decline in past 8 months

One year ago: Germany May 2018: VW monopolises Top 5, VW Group monopolises Top 8 for first time in history

Full May 2019 Top 50 brands and Top 330 models below.

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