28 December 2015

UK Top 20 Models : 1975-79


I decided to include the Top 20 as I had consistent data for each year. The first sales figures column is how the best 20 finished in 1979. Any models below were also all Top 20 finishers between 1975-78. If sales didn't make the Top 20, then the sales figure square is blank.

Looking at the Top 10 first. Seven US brands and three UK ones made up the best selling models. Ford had five of them, BLMC three and GM two. Medium sized cars sold well, with the Cortina, Marina and Cavalier all of that category. The small Escort, Allegro and Chevette likewise were popular. The Mini and Fiesta were the mini cars and the Granada the only big car.

From 11th place down, Datsun had a couple of solid selling models while BL added four more. Datsun did get the Sunny model at 10th, the first time for a Japanese model and before any European models could achieve that feat. Chrysler had cars down the list but clearly for such an important market as the UK, this was disappointing. A few European models were starting to show themselves but their impact was still modest. Top 10 figures are coloured brown.


Model 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975
1 Ford Cortina 193,784 139,204 120,601 133,959 106,837
2 Ford Escort 131,667 114,415 103,959 126,263 103,817
3 Austin/Morris Mini 82,938 72,617 60,337 81,107 84,668
4 Morris Marina 62,410 82,638 66,088 71,288 78,632
5 Austin Allegro 55,985 61,535 56,175 55,218 63,339
6 Ford Fiesta 58,681 68,723 40,934

7 Ford Granada 52,089 38,099 32,257 28,016 20,116
8 Ford Capri 49,147 31,642 42,816 36,098 27,678
9 Vauxhall Cavalier 46,517 55,373 41,128 29,762
10 Vauxhall Chevette 44,197 52,327 51,763 43,827 19,847







11 Datsun Sunny 31,665 37,923 35,257 30,444 28,264
12 Austin Princess 31,253 36,813 29,819 31,702 29,067
13 Austin Maxi 30,169 31,960 26,339 33,476 26,969
14 Chrysler Alpine 29,936 34,046 33,314 16,157
15 Rover SD1/2.0-3.5 29,756 31,669 17,187
15,280
16 Datsun Cherry 29,371 26,126 24,922 21,213 16,233
17 Chrysler Horizon 29,014



18 Renault 18 28,724



19 Chrysler Sunbeam 27,759 29,278


20 Chrysler Avenger 27,219 31,161 29,314 31,445 38,877

Triumph Tol/1.5/Dol
22,529 24,764 30,197 30,119

Fiat 127
20,137 16,881


Vauxhall Viva

17,349 33,901 54,731

Chrysler Hunter


20,232 28,966

Renault 5


15,698 14,780

VW Golf


15,521 19,069

Renault 12



15,981

Top 10 777,415 722,854 619,058 646,839 619,053

% of Total 45.3 45.4 46.8 50.3 51.8

Total 1,716,275 1,591,939 1,323,524 1,285,583 1,194,130

Data source: SMMT.

Other years in the series:
65-6970-7480-8485-8990-9495-9900-0405-0910-14.

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