Switzerland April 2020: BMW scores first win and record share in market down -67.2%

The BMW X3 is the 2nd best-selling vehicle in Switzerland in April.

The Swiss new car market is shot down -67.2% year-on-year to 9.382 units by COVID-19 disruption, pulling the year-to-date tally down -35.6% to 64.834 sales. 4×4 sales almost match the market at -66.9% to 4.885 units and 52.1% share vs. 51.6% a year ago, while alternatively fuelled vehicles contain their drop to -34.5% and 2.019 sales, almost doubling their share as a result from 10.8% to 21.5%. That includes 1.038 hybrids (-33.4%), 532 EVs (-52.5%) and 424 PHEVs (+45.7%). Year-to-date, 4×4 deliveries are down -33.2% to 34.353 and 53% share vs. 51% over the same period in 2019 and AFVs are up 31.8% to 13.750 and 21.2% share vs. 10.4% last year, including 7.090 hybrids (+41.3%), 3.653 EVs (-11.9%) and 2.707 PHEVs (+153%).

Brand-wise, although it repeatedly ranked #2 in Switzerland (24 times in the past 5 years alone!), we don’t have any record of BMW (-49.9%) ever topping the charts outright… until this month with a record 11.8% share (previous best: 10.2% in December 2017), thanks to the best hold in the Top 7. Volkswagen (-69.6%) drops to #2 ahead of Mercedes (-53.5%), Skoda (-64.1%), Seat (-59.2%) and Audi (-67.7%). Dacia (-49.1%) resists best in the Top 10, up 7 spots on March to #8, while further down Ferrari (+3.9%) is the only brand up and Bentley (-16.7%), Lotus (-16.7%), Mitsubishi (-53.7%) and Mini (-58.4%) resist.

The Skoda Octavia (-55.9%) reclaims the top spot it holds YTD while the BMW X3 (-18.2%) only edges down year-on-year and shoots up to 2nd place overall, a new record eclipsing the 5th place it only reached last month. The VW Tiguan (-68.4%), Mini Hatch (-56.1%) and Seat Leon (-50.3%) complete the Top 5 while the Dacia Duster (-46.2%) is up 16 spots on March to #6 and the BMW 2 Series (-57.8%) is up 21 to #10. Leader last month, the Tesla Model 3 (-74.3%) is relegated to #12 just as the VW Golf (-75%) drops a further 4 ranks to a paltry #13. The Mercedes GLE (+37%) and CLA (+4.6%) post the only gains in the Top 50 and the Mazda CX-30 (#42) tops recent launches above the Skoda Kamiq (#47) and Ford Puma (#59).

Previous month: Switzerland March 2020: Mitsubishi (+39.1%, Porsche (+22%) only islands of growth in market down -39.4%

One year ago: Switzerland April 2019: Skoda (+54%), VW (+17.7%) lift market up 7.9%, Tesla Model 3 down to #6

Full April 2020 Top 45 All-brands and Top 295 All-models below.