Ford Escort * See the Top 20 best-selling models and Top 10 brands by clicking on the title! * Thanks to Chris, author of British Leyland Chronicles, and via Andrew I am now able to share with you the best-selling models in Ireland in 1974, nearly 20 years prior to the…
Volvo 144 * See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Rene * Norwegian car sales are up a timid 1% in 1974 to 90,239 registrations. The Volvo 140 manages to stay in pole position for the 4th consecutive year at 7,894 units and…
Fiat 127 * See the Top 150 best-selling models and Top 57 All-brands by clicking on the title! Thanks Andrea * After two years spent in the shadow of the Fiat 128, the Fiat 127 becomes the best-selling model in Italy in 1974 and would stay at that position for…
Fiat 127 * See the Top 3 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Flavio * Big change atop the European sales charts this year: the Fiat 127 becomes the most popular model on the continent for the very first time, 1973 marking the first of 6…
1966 VW Beetle First presented in 1938 but produced from 1945 onwards, the VW Type 1, or 'Beetle' is the most recognised car in the world. Its total production took 10 years to reach the first million (in 1955), but then its sales boomed, helped by clever advertising and iconic status…
1970 Ford Cortina * See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! * In 1972, the UK new car market shoots up by a huge 27% to a record 1,637,775 registrations before stabilising (+1%) in 1973 at 1,661,639 units. The imports market share is up to 23.5%…
Holden Kingswood In 1973 the Holden Kingswood/Belmont family sold over 10.000 units in New Zealand, an annual tally that wouldn't be approached by any other nameplate in the country for the next 15 years.
VW Beetle * See 'Read more' for the Top 20 best-selling models, many thanks to Florian for the data! * The VW Beetle enjoys its last 3 years atop the German models ranking, making it 25 consecutive years. Over the period it slows down from 291,312 sales in 71 to 257,742…
Toyota is the best-selling brand in Finland in 1973 and the Corolla is the best-selling model. * See the Top 55 All-brands and Top 50 models by clicking on the title * Finnish new car sales gain 17.1% in 1973 to 117.967 and it's a historical year in Finland: only…
Seat 127 Thanks to Ricardo, I can now share with you the best-selling cars in Spain almost 40 years ago - this is the oldest data yet for this country on Best Selling Cars Blog. At that time Seat produced rebadged Fiats and had a total stranglehold over the Spanish…
Renault 12 15/09/2026 update: Now with Top 33 brands New passenger car sales in France progress 6.6% year-on-year in 1973 to 1,745,830, an all time record again. Renault (+3.5%) can't match its home market's growth rate and drops to a round 30% share. Peugeot (+16%) is the performer of the…
Topping off over 10 years of constant progression, the VW Fusca reaches what remains its highest production volume ever in Brazil in 1972 at 252,209 units. It then drops 6% in 1973 at 237,509. The Fusca claims 40% of the total Brazilian production in 1970, up to 45% in 1972…
Chrysler Valiant Rebel * See the Top 15 best-selling models by clicking on 'Read more' at end of post! * Thanks to info shared by Miguel we go back nearly 40 years to detail the best-selling cars in South Africa in 1973... The Chrysler Valiant was the most popular model…
Fiat 128 Fiat 127 * See the Top 65 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Andrea * In 1973 the Fiat 128 is the best-selling car in Italy for the 2nd year in a row, but the race was close with the Fiat 127 still gearing…
Volvo 144 * See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Rene * The Norwegian car market "consolidates" over the period: down 8% in 1972 to 74,680 and back up 19% in 1973 to 88,989 units. The Volvo 140 Series confirms its newly acquired…