VW bounces back to top world’s best-selling brands
- Gareth Herincx
- @garethherincx
- Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Share via email
- •
- 139 reads
- •
- 585 views
- •
- 8 min read
Volkswagen has regained its place as the No 1 car maker globally.
When the diesel emissions scandal hit in 2015, many industry analysts predicted gloom and doom for the Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini and Seat.
Sure enough, VW slipped from first to third in focus2move.com’s 2015 World Car Group Ranking.
However, the German giant didn’t just bounce back in 2016 – it hit an all-time record with 10.1 million sales globally, reclaiming its top spot in the charts from Toyota.
Fasten your seatbelts for the world’s biggest selling brands in 2016…
1) Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Group, which includes Seat, Skoda, Audi and Bentley, is back on top of the world after a rocky 12 months which saw it slip to third in the World Car Group Ranking featured on focus2move.com. The diesel emissions scandal seemed to be consigned to history because the Group hit an all-time record in 2016 (according to preliminary figures) with 10,102,036 global sales and an 11.1% market share – up 1.4% on 2015.
2) Toyota
The Japanese car giant failed to take full advantage of VW’s woes in 2015 and slipped from first to second place in 2016. Toyota closed the year up only 0.2% (according to focus2move.com preliminary figures) with sales of 9,947,416 and a 10.9% global share.
3) Renault-Nissan
The Renault-Nissan Alliance was a another casualty of Volkswagen’s bounce back in 2016, dropping from second to third place. The good news is that sales were up an decent 6.2% (according to focus2move.com preliminary figures) with a total of 8,513,050 vehicles, which represents a 9.4% global share.
4) Hyundai-Kia
The South Korean giant is up one place with sales of 8,175,871, representing a global share of 9%. 2016 was a busy year for the brands with the launch of the important Hyundai Ioniq (pictured) and Kia Niro cars, both available as an electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid.
5) General Motors
General Motors sold 7,972,401 vehicles in 2016 with an 8.8% global market share – down 0.3% on 2015 – according to focus2move.com preliminary figures. GM, whose brands include Vauxhall and Opel in Europe, plus Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac in the States, dropped from fourth to fifth place in the World Car Group Ranking.
6) Ford
The Ford Motor Company was a non-mover, remaining at sixth place in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking. According to preliminary figures, sales were up 1.7% to 6,295,636, representing a 6.9% global share.
7) Honda
Honda was another non-mover, staying in seventh place in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking. Thanks to a strong performance in Europe, sales were up 4.7% to 4,906,685, according to preliminary figures.
8) FCA
Italian-American giant Fiat Chrysler Automobiles consolidated its 8th position in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking with sales up 2.5% globally to 4,864,390, according to prelimimary figures. FCA’s brands include Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Ram, Maserati and Abarth.
9) PSA
French car making group Peuegot Citroen, which also includes DS Automobiles, ended 2016 where it began – in 9th place. According to focus2move.com, the PSA group’s sales were down 1% to 3,248,108 – representing a 3.1% global share.
10) Suzuki
Suzuki had a busy year in 2016, launching both the new Baleno supermini and Ignis compact crossover. The Japanese car maker consolidated its position at No 10 with sales up 0.3% to 2,855,573 during 2016.
11) Daimler
The German heavyweight, which is most famous for its Mercedes-Benz brand, had a stunning 2016 with sales up 10%. Moving up a place to 11th in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking with sales of 2,449,881, the three-pointed star’s SUV and compact cars were especially successful.
12) BMW
German premium brand BMW dropped a place to 12th, despite a healthy 3% rise in sales, according to focus2move.com. A total of 2,354,577 cars were sold, representing a 2.6% global market share. BMW Group in the UK achieved its best ever sales in 2016 with both BMW and MINI brands setting new records.
13) SAIC
China’s SAIC (formerly the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) ended 2016 where it began – in 13th place, despite a 4.9% drop in sales, according to focus2move.com. The company, whose brands include MG in the UK and Roewe in China, has sales of 1,627,547, which is a 1.8% global market share.
14) Mazda
Mazda dropped a place to 14th in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking with sales of 1,511,579 – down 0.3% – giving a global share of 1.7%. Otherwise it was a great year for the Japanese brand, winning both the 2016 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) and the World Car Design of the Year.
15) ChangAn
China’s Changan Automobile was a big mover in 2016, rising four places to No 15 in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking with sales of 1,368,833 – up 4% – giving a global share of 1.5%. The Changan Raeton saloon is one of the company’s best known cars back home in China.
16) Geely Group
China’s Geely brand, which also owns Swedish legend, Volvo, dropped two places in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking, despite a 9.2% rise in sales to 1,203,083, representing a 1.3% global share. Volvo’s UK sales hit a 25-year high of 46,696 cars in 2016.
17) Dongfeng Motor
China’s Dongfeng has a number of partnerships with foreign-brands, including Citroen, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Renault and Peugeot (Dongfeng Peugeot 4008 SUV pictured). Dongfeng’s sales were up an impressive 14.3% in 20916, resulting in a 1.2% global market share.
18) Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi was at the centre of an emissions scandal during 2016, which may have been why its sales were down 9.7% to 1,033,685, according to Focus2move.com. The Japanese company, which joined the Renault-Nissan Alliance in October, has a 1.1% global share.
19) Great Wall Motors
Great Wall is China’s largest SUV producer and currently sells a range of pick-ups in the UK, including the Steed (pictured). Great Wall dropped a place to 19th during 2016 in focus2move.com’s World Car Group Ranking, despite a 6.3% rise in sales to 1,027,429, giving a 1.1% market share.
20 Fuji Heavy Industries
Best known for its Subaru range of cars and SUVs, Fuji Heavy Industries plans to change its name to Subaru Corporation in 2017. Subarus are particularly popular in the States, helping sales rise by 3% in 2016 to 1,003,377, representing a 1.1% global share.