Datsun Stanza * See 'Read more' for the Top 10 best-selling models, many thanks to Miguel for the data! * From 1980 onwards, Japanese models are really dominant in South Africa. Nissan/Datsun sells the Nissan Violet as the Datsun Stanza in the country and leads the models ranking this year…
Fiat 127 * See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Andrea * Over the first 6 months of 1980 the Fiat 127 keeps its title of best-selling car in Italy with 123,744 sales and 13.3% share, down 18% on the same period in 1979…
Volvo 242 * See 'Read more' for the Top 25 best-selling models! Many thanks to Torbjörn and Rene * In 1979 the Swedish car market is up 7% to 215,325 registrations. The Volvo 240 keeps the lead with ease at 43,117 units, up 15%, for an all-round 20% market share. Launched…
The Renault 5 is Europe's favourite car in 1979. * See the Top 3 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Flavio * After 6 consecutive years of domination of the Fiat 127, the Renault becomes the most popular car in Europe in 1979, 7 years after…
VW Golf * See 'Read more' for the Top 80/100 best-selling models! Thanks to Florian for the data * The VW Golf progresses all through the period to establish itself as Germany's solid leader, passing the 200,000 annual sales for the first time in 1976 (202,265) and the 250,000 mark…
The Cherry helps Datsun to its first-ever annual win in Finland. * See the Top 50 All-brands and models by clicking on the title * The Finnish market is back in shape in 1979 with registrations up 23.5% to 99.297 units. For the first time, Datsun is the most popular…
Ford Cortina * See the 60 best-selling models by clicking on the title * New car sales in the UK are back on the up over the period, at +3% in 1977 to 1,323,524 registrations, +20% in 1978 to 1,591,941 and +8% in 1979 to a record 1,716,275 units. In…
Ford Fiesta * See the 1978-1980 sales figures for the Ford Fiesta by clicking on the title! * Thanks to René and Ricardo, I am now able to share with you more detail on the best-selling models in Spain in 1978 and 1979. The podium is unchanged over both years, with…
Ford Falcon, Argentina spec * Many thanks to Bruno for making this post possible! * After 5 years of absence, the Ford Falcon manages to reclaim the title of best-selling car in Argentina in 1979 thanks to 28,522 units sold, an impressive 55% increase on its 1978 score, 72% on…
VW Golf * See the Top 25 best-selling models by clicking on the title! * Thanks to Rene I can now share with you a Top 25 by decade in Switzerland, giving us a great insight into the best-selling models in the country at that time. This decade marks the…
Chevrolet Chevette The Chevrolet Impala/Caprice enjoys its third consecutive year atop the American ranking with almost 450,000 sales, down 28%, while the Oldsmobile Cutlass hangs onto its 2nd place for the third year in a row also, down just 1% to just over 400.000 units. Note Car and Driver has…
Renault 5 16/09/2026 update: Now with Top 54 All brands and All models rankings. 1,976,391 new cars found a buyer in France in 1979, which is believed to be a new record. Renault holds a commanding 35% share, distancing Peugeot at 18.1% and Citroen at 16.5%. Talbot comes fourth with…
Toyota was the best-selling brand in Greece in 1974, 75 and 79 if pick-up trucks are included. * See the #1 brands for the period by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Bill * The Greek market undergoes impressive growth over the period: from 7,572 registrations in 1962 to…
Fiat 127 * See the Top 10 best-selling models by clicking on the title! Many thanks to Andrea * Over the first 6 months of 1979 the Fiat 127 is the most popular car in Italy by far with 150,169 sales and an imposing 18.1% market share. It would end…
Lada 2101 The brand VAZ (Volzhsky Avtomobilny Zavod), better known worldwide as Lada, was established in the late 1960's in collaboration with Fiat and started producing the 2101, a localised version of the Fiat 124, in 1970. Even though there are no official figures available, the Lada 2101 in all likeliness dominated…