Spain May 2020: Dacia Sandero #1, Audi A1 #3 in market imploding -72.7% despite easing lockdown

The Audi A1 climbs on the Spanish podium for the first time.

New car sales in Spain collapse -72.7% year-on-year in May to 34.337 registrations, according to data by Anfac. This follows a March drop of -69.3% and an April fall of -96.5%, as contrary to France, the May drop remains higher than March. This is the second lowest monthly volume in in Spain since statistics started in 1973 below last month (4.163) and above September 2012 (35,206) and March 2020 (37.644). The year-to-date tally is now down -54.2% to 257.202 units, estimated to be the lowest volume at this stage of the year since 1985 (est. 235.000 sales). The national lockdown ended on May 11 like in France, with life slowly getting back to some kind of normality and car dealerships reopening. We at BSCB have updated our 2020 forecast down at -40% fall to 782.000 units which would be the weakest year since 2013 (723.948).

Regionally, Madrid drops -73.1% to 13.681, Cataluña is also down -73.1% to 4.620, Andalucia falls -68.8% to 3.868 and Comunidad Valenciana is off -79.5% to 2.840, with these four regions accounting for 73% of the total market vs. 74% so far in 2020, so pretty much a return to the long-term regional structure of the Spanish market. If last month rental sales uncharacteristically held 56.4% of an annihilated market, in May they are by far the most affected at -93.2% to 2.332 units and 6.8% share vs. 27.1% a year ago, as both international and local tourism was frozen in the country given border closures and long distance movement restrictions. Company sales fare the best at -63.7% to 13.477 and 39.2% share vs. 29.5% in May 2019 and private sales drop -66% to 18.528 and 54% share vs. 43.4%. Year-to-date, private sales are off -51.9% to 117.960 and 45.9% share vs. 43.6% over the same period in 2019, company sales fall -47.7% to 91.968 and 35.7% share vs. 31.3% and rental fleets implode -66.5% to 47.274 and 18.4% share vs. 25.1% last year.

Peugeot (-74.4%) reclaims the brands top spot it held in January and February and over the FY2019, distancing Volkswagen (-68.9%) and Renault (-72.2%) both back up 11 spots on April to #2 and #3 respectively. Seat (-79.5%) is up 12 ranks to #4, Audi (-54.1%) is up 17 to #5 and scores the best hold in the Top 15. Dacia (-58.5%), BMW (-63.9%), Mercedes (-70.4%) and Toyota (-70.9%) also resist better than the market in the remainder of the Top 10 but Citroen (-80.4%) isn’t that lucky. Below, Porsche (-41.8%), Volvo (-48%), Land Rover (-51%), Cupra (-55.1%), DS (-56.2%), Mini (-65.2%) and Lexus (-65.6%) stand out while among brands selling in the single-digits Ferrari (-33.3%), Dongfeng (-40%), Lamborghini (-50%) and Bentley (-60%) survive.

The models ranking is completely overhauled with none of the Top 9 best-sellers having ranked inside the April Top 17. The Dacia Sandero (-51%) is up 21 spots to score its 5th first win in the past 12 months, the Renault Clio (-63.1%) is up 41 to #2 and the Audi A1 (+8.9%) secures the only year-on-year gain in the Top 40 to shoot up 67 ranks on April and land on the podium at #3. The A1 thus obliterates its previous ranking record of #13 hit back in April 2013. The Fiat 500 (-72.5%) is up 19 to #4, the Seat Leon (-77.6%) up 33 to #5 and easily remaining at #1 YTD, the Peugeot 308 (-64.8%) is up 13 to #6, the Peugeot 3007 (-73.8%) up 11 to #7, VW Tiguan (-57.2%) up 49 to #8 and the VW Golf (-69%) up 57 to #9. At #10 in May, the Peugeot 2008 (-64.8%) is the only Top 10 model that already ranked in the April Top 10. The Ford Puma (#17) is the best-selling recent launch ahead of the Mazda CX-30 (#44), Kia Xceed (#60) and Skoda Kamiq (#82).

Note: Our usual Spanish source, ANIACAM, is not operative at this stage. This is a different source which explains the different YTD volume and some LCVs not included in the models charts.

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

One year ago: Spain May 2019: Peugeot, Citroen and Toyota stay afloat in 8th market decline in past 9 months

Full May 2020 Top 48 All-brands and Top 245 All-models below.