Italy May 2019: Dacia (+42.4%) shines again, Fiat 500 (+57.8%) on podium in market down -1.5%

The Fiat 500 scores its first podium finish at home in over a year.

New car sales in Italy are back in negative territory for the 8th time in the past 10 months at -1.5% in May to 197.876 units, leading to a year-to-date volume now down -4.1% to 913.120. Once again private sales fare poorly at -7.6% to 104.661 units and 52.9% share vs. 56.4% in May 2018. Company sales drop even further at -15.4% to just 30.926 and 15.6% share vs. 18.2%. Hero this month are rental sales, bulking up in preparation for Summer at +22.1% to 62.289 and 31.5% share vs. 25.4% a year ago. Short-term rental gain 35.6% to 25.446 and long-term leases shoot up 18.1% to 33.300. Year-to-date, this time private sales stand tall at +1.5% to 516.190 and 56.5% share vs. 53.4% over the same period in 2018, whereas company sales dive -23.8% to 141.496 and 15.5% vs. 19.5% and rental sales dip -1.1% to 255.434 and 28% vs. 27.1%, with short-term up 1.8% to 103.087 and long-term down -2.6% to 135.776. Petrol sales soar 22.5% to 86.487, holding onto a thin advantage over diesel sales (-20.2%) at 82.810 in a situation vastly different from the rest of Europe where diesel registrations have for the most part been annihilated. GPL sales gain 5.1% to 13.016, hybrids are up 34.7% to 10.597 and EVs up 91.6% to a meagre 1.167. Year-to-date, petrol is up 23.9% to 396.167, diesel down 24.1% to 391.073, GPL up 5.7% to 60.583, hybrid up 32.5% to 48.465 and EV up 94.3% to 3.518. Crossovers (+15.7% to 64.299) and multi-spaces (+24.2% to 3.302) are the only segments in positive while YTD only crossovers (+12.6%) stay afloat at 291.735 units and 31.9% share vs. 27.2% in 2018.

In the brands ranking, Fiat (-1.2%) manages to contain its fall to the single-digits for the second month in a row and in the past 15 months, reaching its highest share in a year at 17.7% but its YTD volume remains in hell at -14.5%. Volkswagen (+5.4%) and Opel (+5.9%) are the only Top 6 carmakers in positive just as Renault (-14.2%), Ford (-6.7%) and Peugeot (-1.4%) skid down. Dacia (+42.4%) is by far the largest gainer in the Top 10 for the third straight month – but also the Top 25 – remaining at a record 7th place, with Toyota (+6.2%) and Citroen (+5.8%) also stepping up inside the Top 10. Further down, Tesla (+492.6%), Lamborghini (+182.4%), Mitsubishi (+103.3%), DS (+62.5%), Mahindra (+55.6%), Lexus (+52.5%), DR Motor (+35.8%), Porsche (+33.5%), Seat (+33.4%), Lancia (+20.2%), Skoda (+17.7%) and Mazda (+14.1%) impress with spectacular gains.

Model-wise, the Fiat Panda (-0.9%) endures its first year-on-year decline since last October but remains frankly in the lead, selling more than double the amount of the #2, the Renault Clio (+9%) up to its best ranking since August 2018 when it took the overall lead. The Fiat 500 (+57.8%) for its part loads up on Summer rentals, scoring its first podium finish at home since February 2018 and distancing the Lancia Ypsilon (+20.2%), Fiat 500X (+26.3%) and Jeep Renegade (+3.3%). Even if it is down to #3 SUV in Italy, the Dacia Duster (+83.6%) nevertheless manages the largest gain in the Top 35, ranking at an excellent 7th place. The VW T-Roc (+54.8%) clocks in a 5th straight Top 10 finish, with the Toyota RAV4 (+132.9%), Opel Karl (+59.3%), Fiat Qubo (+56.7%), Mercedes A-Class (+40.2%), Kia Picanto (+35.3%), Peugeot 2008 (+32.7%), Ford Ecosport (+23.7%) and Renault Kadjar (+22.6%) also making waves in the Top 50. The VW T-Cross is up 23 spots on April to a record 26th place, the only new launch in the Top 50 just as the Toyota Corolla is knocked out to #53.

Previous month: Italy April 2019: Dacia Duster (+226.2%) first non-FCA SUV on podium in market back up 1.2%

One year ago: Italy May 2018: Jeep breaks records – Renegade on podium, Compass #7

Full May 2019 Top 45 brands and Top 50 models below.