Mike Rutherford, writing in the ST Motoring section has some interesting figures re the ups and downs of UK car sales.
In 2002 Audi sold us 67000 cars, in 2012 12400 outselling Toyota and Honda
In 2002 MG Rover sold 100000 cars in 2012 they sold 782
Kia 2002 sold 12000 in 2012 67000
Hyundai 2002 sold 12000 in 2012 74000
SAAB 2002 sold 14000 in 2012 232 (Are they even still made?)
Renault 2002 sold 200000 in 2012 40000
Peugeot 2002 sold 200000+ to 2012 to 100000-
Daihatsu 2002 4000, 2011 sold 3, 2012 None
Lotus 2002 sold 1305 2012 sold 137
He concludes that the cars that sell well have
1, Improved in quality and reliability
2. Keen pricing
3. Good looks and styling
4. Long warranties
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>> 1, Improved in quality and reliability
>> 2. Keen pricing
>> 3. Good looks and styling
>> 4. Long warranties
>>
What more could the public ask for?
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I'm confused. In 2012 Toyota sold 85000 passenger cars in the Uk. I didn't look at Honda.
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Given the number of 12 and 62 reg Audis around here - I'd have thought they'd have sold a lot more than that...
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Found a stat for 2011 - 99000 sold.
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I suspect that for Audi 2012, there's a 0 missing from the end of the figure given.
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You are are right. Problems with typing on a laptop, on my lap, while trying to read the paper. 124000 Audis in 2012
Last edited by: Meldrew on Sun 20 Jan 13 at 10:21
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>> He concludes that the cars that sell well have
>>
>> 1, Improved in quality and reliability
>> 2. Keen pricing
>> 3. Good looks and styling
>> 4. Long warranties
Wow who would have thought it. I always though Rutherford was a sheer genius
Honestly he is a complete idiot about cars. He once concluded we will drowning in a sea of Hyundai Ponies.
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>> Honestly he is a complete idiot about cars. He once concluded we will drowning in
>> a sea of Hyundai Ponies.
Well, maybe if they hadn't all finished up in Tesco Value Burgers?
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>> Honestly he is a complete idiot about cars
To quote my 6 yr old today (although they weren't referring to Rutherfud)...
"He's a bumnugget"
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>> 1, Improved in quality and reliability
>> 2. Keen pricing
>> 3. Good looks and styling
>> 4. Long warranties
>>
How does that account for Audi then?
I would say reliability is no better now, and if anything, worse - I understand the A5 is not the most reliable model out there
Pricing - Audi's always used to be cheaper than BMW - not so sure they are now - A1 starts at just under 14K. That budget gives you a lot of choice
Good looks - I like Audi's, but they are becoming more common on the roads, and some of the Seats / Skodas are looking quite similar now
Standard 3 year warranty - no more than the minimum offered by most.
Dont reckon that MG Rover did sell 782 cars - take out the ones that went to Avis and the dealer demos and I bet there are very few real sales.
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>> Dont reckon that MG Rover did sell 782 cars
I saw a 62 plate MG6 yesterday. First MG6 I've seen in a while, and the first one I've seen that wasn't an 11-plate.
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MG "Sales" included 500 to AVIS ISTR. I wonder what they sold for when they were moved on after 6 to 9 months?
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They went for sale on ebay, I can't remember the prices. Huge loss on list I think it was 60% in a year.
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>> They went for sale on ebay, I can't remember the prices. Huge loss on list
>> I think it was 60% in a year.
There are plenty on AT, year old under 20k miles for between 9 and 10k, the list was 15.6k, so depreciation is not too horrendous. Pity its a sales disaster because its an attractive bit of kit.
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Fair enough, I thought there were some of top sec ones closer to £22k that had taken a hammering?
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Plenty of them on fleabay - seem to be asking solid prices. Might be worth a punt if one was in the market for decent looking saloon with a good chassis.
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And low emissions/low fuel consumption ISTR from reviews and road tests
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Alas not, the Fuel Consumption and CO2 was horrible, thats why they didn't sell.
The best petrol one was only 37mpg combined and 174 co2s. Big RFL bill.
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I think they've got a diesel on the way. I think they got the common rail engine rover were developing when they went bankrupt.
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>> I think they've got a diesel on the way. I think they got the common
>> rail engine rover were developing when they went bankrupt.
Err, No thanks.
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>> >> I think they've got a diesel on the way. I think they got the
>> common
>> >> rail engine rover were developing when they went bankrupt.
>>
>> Err, No thanks.
>>
i know what you mean but by all accounts it was actually pretty good. I think it was to be called the G series. They took a few dressed up in the MG ZS bodies around the UK and Europe to let their dealers have a play, by all accounts it was pretty good. Never realesed to the motoring press, so I guess we'll never know.
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Never realesed to the motoring press,>> so I guess we'll never know.
>>
Not sure those two statements are compatible, with notable exceptions, one of which IMO is HJ.
One thing i noticed about Rover's Diesels, they always issued a horrible Diesel burn stench from the exhaust would make me heave, the only other vehicle to do that is Iveco lorries.
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>> Never realesed to the motoring press,>> so I guess we'll never know.
>> >>
>>
>> Not sure those two statements are compatible, with notable exceptions, one of which IMO is HJ.
Sorry I'm not sure what you mean.
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>> Sorry I'm not sure what you mean.
>>
Just that much of the stuff spouted by the motoring press is sensationalist or irrelevant to many of us, in few hands would we have had any meaningful reviews of the strengths and weaknesses of this engine for the normal buyer who doesn't explore the limits.
Waxing lyrical about its 0-60 times and claimed economy for example, tells me nothing about its tractability refinement and durability which are far more important too me.
HJ's tests and reports are short and concise, but i find them more useful than pages of waffle from some others, his sensible stance on sensible tyres and ride being something i agree with fully.
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>> >> Sorry I'm not sure what you mean.
>> >>
>>
>> Just that much of the stuff spouted by the motoring press is sensationalist or irrelevant
>> to many of us, in few hands would we have had any meaningful reviews of
>> the strengths and weaknesses of this engine for the normal buyer who doesn't explore the
>> limits.
>>
>> Waxing lyrical about its 0-60 times and claimed economy for example, tells me nothing about
>> its tractability refinement and durability which are far more important too me.
>>
>> HJ's tests and reports are short and concise, but i find them more useful than
>> pages of waffle from some others, his sensible stance on sensible tyres and ride being
>> something i agree with fully.
Right thanks, I get what you mean now. I think the only people who could tell you anything about them are the security guards at Longbridge, by all accounts the test cars got given to them.
>>
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Unbelievably there is an MG dealership here (Santiago) selling those new things.
They look alright from a distance, I keep meaning to stop and have a close look.
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>>
>> >> 1, Improved in quality and reliability
>> >> 2. Keen pricing
>> >> 3. Good looks and styling
>> >> 4. Long warranties
>> >>
>>
>> How does that account for Audi then?
>>
>> I would say reliability is no better now, and if anything, worse - I understand
>> the A5 is not the most reliable model out there
I'd say it was mainly down to the looks and body types. Audi make soft roaders, compact estates and hatchbacks, and couple that with feel good interiors - just the sort of thing that appeals to many younger British buyers.
And the younger buyers won't care as much about things like ride quality or reliability - image is the main driver. A workmates friend in his early twenties is paying around £400 a month to get behind the wheel of a new Audi A3. Most of the time he is in debt.
They are always suffering from electrical niggles and still haven't solved the water ingress problems. But as long as they sell like hot cakes, why should they care?
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A certain prestige brand are trying to offload their 'lympic specials under the "own a piece of history" banner. Unless you know who's derriere has graced your car then it is just another used car with a couple of k off list.
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 20 Jan 13 at 14:58
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I had the chance to lease one, twasnt cheap enough to bother.
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It's the whole marketing exercise for me. Fair enough if you know what you're getting but if it was an IOC taxi for some hanger on you'd feel cheated.
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UK Car sales - Trends - Notdoctorchris
