The Citroen DS 19 is launched in October 1955. It's a second consecutive year of double-digit gains in France in 1955 with new car sales up 20.9% to 554.020 units including commercial vehicles. It is the first time in French history that the annual volume crosses the half-million mark. Imports add…
The Simca 9 Aronde is up 47.3% to #2 in France in 1954. The new car market in France jumps up 17.9% year-on-year in 1954 to 458.198 units including commercial vehicles, a new all-time record. Renault (+19.1%) can breathe a little easier as it widens the gap with #2 Citroen…
The Peugeot 203 ranks #2 in France in 1951. 21/07/2019 update: Now with the Top 101 All-models for 1951. The French new passenger car and light commercial vehicle market gains a sturdy 36.3% year-on-year in 1951 to surpass 200.000 annual units for the first time since 1938 at 235.947. Imports…
Renault 4CV In 1950, the French market is rebooted: rationing tickets are a thing of the past, the sale of petrol is not controlled anymore, people can move wherever they want inside the country and raw materials are more widely available. New passenger car and light commercial vehicle registrations leap…
The Citroen 2CV is unveiled at the 1948 Paris Auto Show. * See the Top 24 brands production ranking and Top 10 brands sales ranking by clicking on the title * Finally a frank year of growth for the new car market in France: up 64% overall to 120.557 registrations,…
Renault Juvaquatre (pre-war model shown) * See the Top 24 best-selling models and Top 23 brands by clicking on the title! * In 1947 like in 1946, the large majority of vehicles produced in France were exported, as French consumers simply did not have the means (yet) to purchase a…
Renault launched the 4CV in 1946. * See the Top 23 All-French producers by clicking on the title! * 1946 is the year the French car industry slowly starts to get back in shape at 96,062 units produced vs. 34,625 in 1945. More significantly, whereas private cars were almost inexistent…
Renault AHN * See the Top 15 brands by clicking on the title! * With the end of World War II, the French vehicle production is starting to perk up again, up from a low of 10,000 in 1944 to 34,625 in 1945. However given by 1944 almost all vehicles…
Renault AHR During World War II, the new car market in France came to a standstill, and in any case sales were not reported so there is no trace of it now. The only available data is an estimation of vehicle production in the country during the period. France capitulated…
Peugeot 202 New data was made available by L'Argus covering the Model Year 1939, meaning the October 1938 - September 1939 period or just before the start of World War II. 169.726 new passenger cars and light commercials were registered over the period, with Citroen the best-selling brand with almost…
The Peugeot 202 launches in 1938. After spending much of the thirties in muddied waters, the French new car market displays a very healthy 11% growth in 1938, passing the 200,000 sales milestone for the first time since 1930 at 205,677 units. This includes 181,637 new private cars (+11%), 22,551…
The Renault Juvaquatre is launched in 1937 After surging by 17% in 1936, the French new vehicle market returns into negative 1937, mainly due to a wave of labour disputes, strikes, and worker unrest that spread throughout the French automobile industry and affected sales. The market as a whole is down…
Citroen Traction Avant After a few wobbly years affected by the Great Depression (no frank growth since 1930), the French new car market is in great shape in 1936 at +17% to 190,167 registrations, also the highest annual volume since 1930. This includes 168,429 private cars (+19%) and 21,738 trucks…
1933 Citroen Rosalie * See the 1930-1934 annual sales volume by clicking on the title! * 1930 is the date of the oldest official annual new car sales figures for France made available by L'Argus. At the time a total of 285,461 new vehicles found a buyer, including 239,530 private…
The Peugeot Type 5 launched in 1894 and was one of only 200 cars in circulation in France then. For the first time in the history of BSCB and thanks to the CCFA in Paris I am able to share with you official stats for the 19th century! At that…