Europe's Top Ten In May 2012
Europe’s car market is slowly swirling down the drain. Sales in May were down by 8.7 percent. Five months into the year, the market is down 7.7 percent.
Europe’s best-selling cars are impacted disproportionately. Eight out of ten suffered double-digit percentage losses. Only one car managed a slight increase in May.
According to data released by Yato Dynamics, Volkswagen’s Golf (-13.5%), and Ford’s Fiesta (12.4%) retain their first and second places, despite double digit losses. The only gainer is the Renault Megane. Up 2.6%, it managed a place in the Top 10.
Outside the Top Ten, Toyota Yaris, Audi A6 and Mercedes B-Class recorded significant increases in sales during May. New models such as the Volkswagen Up, Audi Q3 and Peugeot 208 also had solid sales last month.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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I didn't realize Europe loved the Golf as much as they do until I started reading TGM and CAR. MAN they love the Golf.
Focus sales are down for one reason. It's looks are just horrible. The car is a design disaster.