Spain April 2020: Market down -96.5% to lowest volume ever, PSA Group holds 56.1% share

The Opel Crossland X is the best-selling vehicle in Spain in April.

In order to stem the spread of COVID-19, Spain has been under a strict national lockdown since March 16, scheduled to last until May 11. At the time of writing, Spain ranks 2nd in the world for reported coronavirus cases (217.466) and 4th for deaths (25.264). April will likely be remembered as the worst month of this crisis, with all car dealerships across the country closed and new car sales down -96.5% year-on-year to just 4.163. This is, and by far, the lowest monthly sales volume ever recorded since Spanish statistics started in 1973, the 2nd lowest being September 2012 (35,206). The year-to-date tally is now down -48.9% to 222.866 units, estimated to be the lowest volume at this stage of the year since 1985 (est. 188.000 sales). Dealerships are scheduled to progressively reopen from May 11 onwards, but May volumes are expected to remain very low. In the absence of stimulus such as scrappage schemes, Anfac and Ganvam expect the Spanish market to fall to roughly 700.000 units in 2020, which would equate to a -46% year-on-year drop and the lowest annual tally since 1986 (667.017). We at BSCB currently forecast a -35% year-on-year fall to 843.000 units, which would be the weakest year since 2013 (723.948).

Spain stopped in April 2020.

82.7% of the April volume came from just three provinces: Madrid (59.3%) down -95.2% to 2.468, Valencia (15.3%) down -95.4% to 639 and Catalunya (8%) down -97.7%. Note that YTD these three provinces account for just 64.3% of Spanish sales and are ranked respectively #1, #4 and #2. Andalucia, #3 YTD with 9.8% of national sales, is down -98.1% in April to just 4.8% share. Private sales implode -98.2% to 823 and 19.7% share vs. 37.7% in April 2019 while company sales dive -97.3% to 993 and 23.8% share vs. 30.5% a year ago. In fact, 56.4% of Spanish new car sales in April, are registrations by rental car companies, potentially to health personnel. They amount to 2.347 units, down 93.8% year-on-year and to be compared with 31.8% share a year ago in April 2019. Year-to-date, private sales are down -47.8% to 99.433 and 44.6% share vs. 43.7% over the same period in 2019, company sales drop -43.4% to 78.491 and 35.2% share vs. 31.8% a year ago and rental sales drop -58% to 44.942 and 20.2% share vs. 24.5%.

Citroen holds 20.9% of the Spanish market in April.

Opel (-83.5%) shoots up 15 spots on March to snap the Spanish pole position this month with a gargantuan 25.3% share. Even though it doesn’t mean much in the current context, this is obviously Opel’s largest ever market share in Spain, and its first top spot since May 2017. Citroen (-89.5%) is up 8 ranks on last month to land at #2 with an impossibly high 20.9% share, its 4th podium appearance in the past 7 years after February 2013 (#3), January 2014 (#3) and February 2020 (#3). Peugeot (-96.8%) is up 5 spots to #3 with 8.5% share, ensuring the PSA Group monopolises the Spanish podium in April, also holding 56.1% of the Spanish market for the month. Below Toyota (-94.6%), all remaining Top 10 brands lose more than 96% year-on-year, with Hyundai (-98.7%) and Mercedes (-98.2%) the hardest hit. Further down, Tesla (-65.8%), DS (-85.1%) Land Rover (-87.9%) and Porsche (-89.5%) post the best holds.

The Opel Corsa ranks #2 in Spain in April.

Model-wise, the Opel Crossland X (-66.6%) and Corsa (-75.8%) spectacularly climb to the top of the charts, both models being produced in Zaragoza which means a larger stock may have been available to be delivered to rental companies. Citroen monopolises the rest of the Top 5 with the C3 (-83.1%), C3 Aircross (-79.3%) and C4 Cactus (-85.4%). Opel places two additional nameplates in the Top 10: the Grandland X (-89.1%) at #9 and the Astra (-79.9%) at #10 and Peugeot has the 2008 (-92.7%) at #6, meaning 9 of the 10 best-selling cars in Spain in April belong to the PSA Group. The odd one out is the Toyota Aygo (-70.9%) up 95 spots on March to #7. The Ford Puma (#17) and Kia Xceed (#99) lead recent launches.

Previous month: Spain March 2020: State of emergency brings market down -69.3% to 2nd lowest monthly volume ever recorded

One year ago: Spain April 2019: Seat and Leon back on top in first market uptick in 8 months

Full April 2020 Top 40 All-brands and Top 185 All-models below.