PoloDriver

Spain’s football team weren’t the only winners celebrating in South Africa in July. Volkswagen South Africa was punching the air, too, as two members of its model range finished first and second in the country’s new car sales charts. Lifting the trophy for the most units sold, the Polo Vivo achieved record monthly sales of 3141 cars, keeping its lead as South Africa’s favourite passenger car brand. The fifth-generation New Polo stood just below the Vivo on the podium in second place, with sales of 1505 units.

‘Of significance was the July export volume of 7728 New Polos to global right hand drive markets. Our global markets are holding up well and we are on track to achieve the full year planned export volume of 75,000 Polos,’ commented Mike Glendinning, Director of Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Group South Africa. ‘Volkswagen Group South Africa was again the front runner in the passenger market with sales of 6949 cars and a resultant market share of 23.8%,’ he continued.

During July 2010, a total of 29,203 new passenger cars were sold in South Africa, up 9% when compared to June, and by 32.4% when compared to July 2009. This brings the overall year-to-date market in 2010 to a level 28.6% above the same period last year. ‘As is usually the case for the month of July, sales to rental car companies provided an elevated base of support for new car sales during the month, despite the above average demand from rental car companies during the first quarter of the year ahead of the Soccer World Cup,’ Glendinning stated.

The latest UK car sales figures have been released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and the good news is that the Polo remains rooted in the top 10 new cars chosen by UK buyers. UK new car registrations rose again in June, up 10.8%, recording an overall increase of 19.9% during the first half of 2010. Encouragingly, the market as a whole was up despite the end of the UK scrappage scheme, but volumes are expected to slip in the second half of the year.

‘The new car market continued to perform above expectations in June, with fleet sector registrations up 25% compared to this time last year. The results indicate improved business confidence and a strengthening economic recovery’ said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. The actual figures were up by 180,000 units to over 1.1 million units, with the last quarter seeing an 11.8% increase. June 2010 saw the 12th successive rise – 16% above the SMMT’s forecast in April – but volumes were still 8.5% off the 1999-2009 average.

The Polo still retained a foothold in the new cars top 10, selling 3923 units, putting it in 10th place, a fall of three places from May 2010. However, year-to-date figures place it in 6th position, ahead of the Mini and the Peugeot 207. The Vauxhall Astra was the best selling model in June, its first number one slot since February 2008. Ford’s Fiesta had the highest registrations over the first half of 2010.

The UK’s top 10 best-selling cars for June 2010 and the year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Vauxhall Astra: 10525 units (46,264, 3rd)
2 Vauxhall Corsa: 9642 units (44,804, 4th)
3 Ford Fiesta: 8279 units (57,508, 1st)
4 Ford Focus: 6895 units (48,314, 2nd)
5 Nissan Qashqai: 5636 units
6 Mini: 4925 units (22,266, 8th)
7 Volkswagen Golf: 4486 units (31,578, 5th)
8 BMW 3 Series: 4363 units (20,432 units, 9th)
9 Vauxhall Insignia: 4090 units
10 Volkswagen Polo: 3932 units (26,484, 6th)

(The 2010 year-to-date best-sellers absent from June’s sales figures were the Peugeot 207 selling 24,252 units in 7th place, and the Renault Clio with 20,114 units, putting it in 10th place overall.)

June 2010 saw a total of 26,810 new passenger cars sold in South Africa. The total number of new passenger car sales in the country increased by 4.2% when compared to May 2010, and by 25.8% when compared to June 2009, bringing the year-to-date June market in 2010 to a level 27.9% above the same period for 2009. And the top-selling car of June 2010? Following on from April and May’s impressive figures, the new Polo Vivo is again the best-selling car in the market.

‘Volkswagen Group South Africa was again passenger car leader with 22.1% share of the total passenger market. Significantly, the Group’s passenger car sales year to date, are 35.6% ahead of the same period in 2009,’ said Mike Glendinning, Director of Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen of South Africa. ‘The uniquely South African Polo Vivo was the number one passenger car Brand for the third consecutive month, selling 2471 units. The no compromise value proposition of the Polo Vivo has clearly resonated with the South African consumer,’ he continued.

The Polo Vivo, which was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market. Available as both a hatchback and saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103hp 1.6-litre units, two trim levels are available: base and Trendline. Costing from R101,500 for the most basic 1.4 model, the Polo Vivo is based on the facelifted version of the Series 4 Polo, built from 2005 to 2009. Changes include front and rear bumpers, as well as a revised front grille and other minor bodywork changes.

The Polo is still a favourite of UK buyers according to the latest set of Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures for May 2010, sitting in 7th place in the top 10 sales chart, down one place from April’s 6th (though 68 units more were sold than the previous month). It’s also ahead of rivals such as the Peugeot 207 and Renault Clio, both of which don’t feature in the May tallies at all. The bigger Golf is two places ahead at number five. Overall, UK new car registrations climbed 13.5% in May to 153,095 units, marking the eleventh successive monthly rise, preceding an expected market decline.

Volumes over the first five months of the year have risen 22.0%, with the growth reflecting the weakness of the 2009 market. However, May 2010 sales tallies are still 14.6% or 26,177 units down on the 2008 level. Full year registrations total expected to dip slightly as scrappage boost comes to an end. Ford’s Fiesta was knocked off the best selling model list for the first time this year in May, by the Ford Focus. Growth in mini and supermini cars cooled, reflective of the rate of gain in previous months.

The UK’s top 10 best-selling cars for May 2010 and the year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Ford Focus: 7163 units (41,419, 2nd)
2 Vauxhall Astra: 6743 units (36,099, 3rd)
3 Ford Fiesta: 6619 units (49,229, 1st)
4 Vauxhall Corsa: 5950 units (35,162, 4th)
5 Volkswagen Golf: 4314 units (27,092, 5th)
6 BMW 3 Series: 3732 units
7 Volkswagen Polo: 3721 units (22,561, 6th)
8: Mini: 3445 units (17,341 units, 9th)
9 Nissan Qashqai: 3359 units
10 Audi A3: 3093 units (16,346, 10th)

(The 2010 year-to-date best-sellers absent from May’s sales figures were the Peugeot 207 selling 20,346 units in 7th place and the Renault Clio, with 17,454 units, putting it in 8th place overall.)

May 2010 saw a total of 25,724 new passenger cars sold in South Africa. The total number of new passenger car sales in the country increased by 9.1% when compared to April 2010, and by 36.3% when compared to May 2009, bringing the year-to-date May market in 2010 to a level 28.3% above the same period for 2009. And the top-selling car of May 2010? The new Polo Vivo, with 2546 units finding homes.

‘Volkswagen of South Africa continued to dominate the passenger car market with 22.6% share and total sales of 5808 units. We are very encouraged by the reaction from the market to our new entry level Polo Vivo,’ said Mike Glendinning, Director of Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen of South Africa. ‘The new car sales cycle therefore appears set to continue growing through 2010, but possibly characterised by slower rates of growth during the second half of the year than what have been experienced so far in 2010,’ he continued.

The Polo Vivo, which was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market, was also the country’s best-selling passenger car brand in April 2010, shifting 2187 units. Available as both a hatchback and saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre units, two trim levels are available: base and Trendline. Costing from R101,500 for the lowliest 1.4 model, the Polo Vivo is based on the facelifted version of the Series 4 Polo, built from 2005 to 2009.