Italy September 2021: Dacia scores first ever podium finish, Spring up to #11, market hit -32.5%

The Dacia Spring is the best-selling BEV in Italy in September.

The microchip and parts crisis and the expiration of government incentives have combined to produce a particularly ghastly month in Italy in September with sales plunging -32.5% to 106.345 units. The year-to-date volume is now up 20.9% to 1.176.520. This paltry result prompts us to downgrade our 2021 Forecast for Italy to 1.52m units (+10.2%). Private sales fall slightly faster than the market at -34.5% to 70.808 and 66.6% share vs. 68.7% in September 2020, self-registrations fall -45.6% to 9.585 and 9% share vs. 11.2% a year ago, long term leases resist well at -14.8% to 17.893 and 16.8% share vs. 13.3% a year ago, short-term rentals crumble down -55.3% to just 1.676 and 1.6% share vs. 2.4% and company sales limit their fall to -9% at 6.383 units and 6% share vs. 4.5% a year ago. Year-to-date, private sales roughly match the market at +20.1% to 733.859 and 62.4% share vs. 62.8% over the same period in 2020, self-registrations gain 8.1% to 115.025 and 9.8% share vs. 10.9% in 2020, long term leases surge 35.9% to 203.479 and 17.3% share vs. 15.4% a year ago, short-term rentals only edge up 6.8% to 60.109 and 5.1% share vs. 5.8% in 2020 and company sales are up 27.8% to 64.048 and 5.4% share vs. 5.1%.

Looking at fuel type, in September petrol crumbles down -48.6% to 26.591 and 25% share  vs. 32.8% in September 2020, diesel implodes -60.2% to 20.320 and 19.1% share vs. 32.4% a year ago and GPL limits its fall to -16.6% at 9.987 units and 9.4% share vs. 7.6% a year ago. Alternatively fuelled vehicles buck the negative trend and all post year-on-year gains. HEV is up 3.2% to 33.276 and 31.3% share vs. 20.5% in September 2020, becoming the favourite fuel type in Italy and including 25.258 mild hybrids (+6.2%). PHEV soars 89.1% to 5.507 and 5.2% share vs. 1.8% a year ago and BEV surges 107.2% to 8.492 and 8% share vs. 2.6% in 2020. Year-to-date, petrol edges down -7.8% to 359.399 and 30.5% share vs. 40% over the same period in 2020, diesel sinks -18.8% to 276.285 and 23.5% share vs. 35% a year ago but GPL gains 29% to 82.808 units and 7% share vs. 6.6% in 2020. HEV leaps up 163.2% to 331.355 and 28.2% share vs. just 12.9% in 2020, including 255.165 mild hybrids (+198.5%). PHEV is up 325.7% to 52.969 and 4.5% share vs. 1.3% a year ago and BEV gains 169% to 47.232 and 4% share vs. 1.8%.

Brand-wise, Fiat (-43.1%) is hit hard and falls to 12.5% share, its lowest since March 2020 (9.9%) and to be compared with 15.2% year-to-date. Volkswagen resists slightly better than the market at -30.4%) to 9% share, in line with its YTD level of 8.8%. The hero of the month is Dacia, up 2.8% and 6 spots on August to hit a record ranking at #3 and a record share at 6.9%. Its previous bests were reached in August 2019 at #4 and 6.6%. As a result Dacia cracks the YTD Top 10 at #10. The next three carmakers all fall faster than the market: Ford (45.1%), Renault (-41.8%) and Toyota (-38%) all falter while Jeep (-30%) holds a little better at #7. Kia (+7.7%) signs the largest gain in the Top 15 for the second month running, down one spot on August to #8 and 4.5% share vs. #16 and 2.9% year-to-date while Hyundai (+2.6%) also manages a year-on-year uptick at +2.6%, up two ranks on last month to #9 and 4% share vs. #15 and 3% YTD. Peugeot (-49.9%) suffers and rounds out the Top 10 at #10 vs. #3 YTD. Tesla (+49.5%) is the only additional gainer in the Top 20 at #19 while further down, Cupra (+15400%), DR Motor (+64.5%), Lamborghini (+50%), Great Wall (+36%), Ferrari (+29.6%) and Land Rover (+15.1%) post rare gains. MG appears in the charts at #41. 

Over in the models ranking, the Fiat Panda (-47%) falters but remains by far the best-selling vehicle at home with 7% share. The Lancia Ypsilon (-37.1%) and Fiat 500 (-2.1%) swap positions to #2 and #3 respectively. Dacia manages to place the Sandero (-27.2%) at #4 and the Duster (-14.6%) at #5 vs. #9 and #16 respectively YTD. The Renault Clio (-41%) suffers but rallies back up four spots on August to #6. The Jeep Compass (-16.4%), VW T-Cross (-20.9%) and Renault Captur (-23.8%) all fare better than the market in the remainder of the Top 10 whereas the Jeep Renegade (-38.3%) sinks. The big surprise is just outside the Top 10: the Dacia Spring lurches to #11 overall for its first Top 50 finish in Italy. The Spring is the best-selling BEV in Italy in September, distancing the Fiat 500, Tesla Model 3, Smart Fortwo and Tesla Model Y. Other models bucking the negative trend include the Hyundai Tucson (+115.5%) propelled by the new generation, the Kia Sportage (+38%), Toyota RAV4 (+17.7%), Audi Q3 (+13.5%), Tesla Model 3 (+13.5%), Kia Picanto (+10.5%), VW T-Roc (+6%), Suzuki Swift (+5.6%), Kia Stonic (#36) and Opel Mokka (#40). Notice also the Toyota Yaris Cross breaking into the Italian Top 50 for the first time at #42.

Previous month: Italy August 2021: Kia (+13.2%) only island of growth, Fiat 500 teases Panda for #1, sales off -27.1% 

One year ago: Italy September 2020: Government incentives lift private sales up 25%, trigger first market lift of 2020 (+9.8%)

Full September 2021 Top 44 brands and Top 50 models below.