Germany August 2019: Skoda, Seat, Dacia break records, Duster inside Top 10, T-Roc leads private sales
All guns blazing: the Dacia Duster sees its record ranking in Germany rise from #29 to #10.
Now updated with Private Sales data (Top 50 models and commentary).
New car sales in Germany hold surprisingly well in August, edging down -0.8% to 313.748 which means the YTD volume remains in positive at +0.9% 2.495.536 registrations, the largest 8 months tally since 2009 (2.674.600). This August score is particularly impressive given year-ago volumes were artificially boosted by pre-WLTP stock clearances, and a more accurate comparison set shows this month is up a stunning 23.7% on August 2017. Even more intriguing: some brands that had their sales pumped with non WLTP-compliant models a year ago do even better this month as we’ll see further down. One key reason for this strong hold is that fleet sales (-1.1%) have kept their year-ago level at 67.2% share vs. 67.4% in August 2018 and 64.3% so far this year. Diesel sales are down -8.2% to 30.2% share, petrol sales are down -2% to 61.4% share and EVs soar 104% to 1.6%.
Skoda is inside the Top 5 brands for the first time as the Kamiq lands.
Quite logically the VW Group, which played the pre-WLTP system in full last year, is down -7.9% year-on-year to 119.360 but remains above its YTD share at 38% vs. 37.4%. Volkswagen (-17.1%) and Audi (-10.5%) drop, but Skoda (+13.8%) breaks into the German Top 5 for the first time in history, outselling BMW (-2.9%) for the first time ever and Opel (+1.5%) for only the 2nd time after July 2018. Skoda’s performance is due to very high fleet sales up 42.1% to 76% of its volume vs. 68.1% a year ago and 66.6 YTD. As for Seat (+5.9%), it breaks the volume (18.228) and share (5.8%) records established just a year ago in August 2018, outselling Opel for the first time in German history. This time private sales have helped Seat, up 19.5% to 36.9% ratio. Let’s not forget Ford (+27.5%), Mercedes (+22%) and Hyundai (+20.4%) posting the largest year-on-year gains in the Top 10.
Mercedes sales jump 22% year-on-year just as the GLB arrives.
Just outside the Top 10: Dacia (+20.8%) is stuck at an all-time high 11th place, reaching a new record market share (3.8%) and its largest volume (11.888) since a scrappage scheme-boosted May 2009 (13.571 and 3.5% share, the brand’s previous record. However this performance is due to unusually high fleet sales up 115.4% to 6.021 units this month, representing 50.7% of the brand’s volume vs. 28.4% a year ago and 21.5% so far in 2019. Tesla (+526.8%), Chevrolet (+265.9%), Cadillac (+51.9%), Smart (+51.7%), Aston Martin (+33.3%), Lexus (+32%), Lamborghini (+30.4%), Lada (+21.5%), Peugeot (+17.9%), Ssangyong (+16.7%), Citroen (+12.2%), Mini (+11.8%), Volvo (+7.8%) and Porsche (+7.3%) also enjoy an excellent month of August.
The Leon is up to a best-ever #4, pushing Seat to record volume and share.
Model-wise, the VW Golf (-34.2%) and Tiguan (-14.3%) are in freefall but hold onto the Top 2 spots, while the VW T-Roc (+7.5%) steps up to its very first German podium finish, eclipsing its previous best of #4 established last June. The Seat Leon (-0.6%) also breaks its German ranking at #4 (previous best #7 in August 2017, July 2018 and August 2018) as well as its share record at 1.9% (pb 1.8% in August 2018). The Opel Corsa (+40.7%) also shines whereas the VW Polo (-18.3%), Audi A4 (-13.1%), Mercedes C-Class (-5.2%) and Skoda Fabia (-2.4%) sink, but the most spectacular record-breaker this month is in 10th place: the Dacia Duster (+61.4%) absolutely smashes all its previous best scores at #10 (pb: #29 in April and August 2018), 4.753 sales (up 60% on pb of 2.976 in June 2018) and 1.5% share (up 50% on pb of 1% in January 2011). This means the Dacia Duster ranks higher in Germany (#10) than in France (#11) in August…
The VW T-Roc scores its first overall podium and is #1 with private buyers…
The Mercedes B-Class (+206.3%), Skoda Kodiaq (+104.9%), Ford Focus (+102.8%), Smart Fortwo (+84.1%), Skoda Karoq (+82.2%), Hyundai i20 (+73.1%), Hyundai Kona (+69.1%), Mercedes V-Class (+60.3%), Audi A6 (+53.4%), BMW X3 (+51.5%), Mercedes A-Class (+42.2%), Dacia Dokker (+31.3%) and BMW X1 (+21.2%) also post fantastic scores in the remainder of the Top 50. As for new launches, the VW T-Cross is up 16 spots on July to sign its very first Top 15 finish at #14, well above the Skoda Scala up 58 to #53, the Seat Tarraco up 10 to #61 and the Citroen C5 Aircross down 12 to #117. This month we welcome the Mazda CX-30 (#219), Mercedes GLB (#270) and Skoda Kamiq (#289).
…while the VW T-Cross scores its first Top 10 private sales finish.
A deep dive into German private sales figures also reveals its lot of surprises, with an extremely rare event: a new #1, and not the one you’d expect. The VW T-Roc (+13.5%) spectacularly advances past the VW Golf (-38.1%) thanks to double the private sales ratio (PS%) at 41.8% vs. just 20.7% for the Golf. The T-Roc is rewarded with the 2ndplace YTD, overtaking the Tiguan (-30%) down to #8 this month. Its record overall volume should have propelled the Dacia Duster to the top of the private sales ladder given its traditionally sky-high PSR, but not so: indeed, this month’s fantastic score is actually due to a spectacular surge in fleet sales (+234%) while its private sales actually recede (-3.4%) and its PS% plummets to 43.5% vs. 83.9% YTD, even though it climbs up 4 spots on July to #3 with private buyers. Similarly, Dacia Sandero private sales drop -27.5% while fleets gain 78.5%. Below, another new VW SUV sparkles the T-Cross is up 6 ranks on last month to break into the private Top 10 for the first time at #7.
Previous month: Germany July 2019: Diesel (+7%), fleet sales (+5.9%), Mercedes (+22.4%), BMW (+32.2%) lift market up 4.7%
Full August 2019 Top 50 brands, Top 340 models and Top 50 private sales models below.
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