Performance car sales figures - end of an era?

[MBK]

I saw this interesting article on Pistonheads about the new Golf GTi and how sales have declined over the years:

New Golf GTI: too little, too late? - PistonHeads

It seems that just 1770 Golf GTi's (3.2% of total Golf sales, down from 25% or 6000 sales at best) were sold in 2012.

I was even more surprised that only 306 RS Megane's were sold in 2012 (down from 772 in 2010).

I thought I'd build on that idea and look at a few other cars via How Many Left?

The Scooby WRX STi sold just 200 in 2012, down from 5300 in 2003 - when you used to have to wait in line for a Subaru - and we all know what has happened to that model.

The RS3 sold 440 in 2011 and another 220 in the 3/4 of 2012 (estimated 300 for whole year?) so 660 in total which seems strong given the price in comparison to the Golf GTi.

For full year figures I've used 2011 and Audi sold 400 (203 in '12) R8's & over 7000 (5000ish in '12) TT's - not easy to break those down further to model/fuel.

Meanwhile Nissan shifted 370 GT-R's and 405 370Z.

I'm not sure exactly what it all means but I read it as bad for the GTi type cars. It suggests quite a few people have moved to a TT! I'm well aware of the halo effect of top spec cars but even so this looks like we could see the decline of a good few performance cars over the next few years. I want cars like the RS Megane to still be around for track blasting fun and to keep the likes of Audi innovating and making the RS3 / TTRS even better.

Over 6500 Toyota Prius were sold in 2011 I seriously hope that isn't the future we're all headed for!

 

[L1ARR]

Money and cost of these things, people's needs and demands change. Lets be honest what 24 year old can afford a £40k RS3, let alone insure it. Most cars over £40k will be bought by people who are 35+ with an established job etc, however there is always the odd exception.

 

[slepy]

Wait few years when performance hybrids will show up properly. IMO its nothing but fuel prices that stop people from buying it, plus diesels get faster all the time.

 

[lae203]

Money and cost of these things, people's needs and demands change. Lets be honest what 24 year old can afford a £40k RS3, let alone insure it. Most cars over £40k will be bought by people who are 35+ with an established job etc, however there is always the odd exception.

Must be the odd exception - 24 and 1/4 to be precise! Insurance is slightly cheated as it goes on the fleet. Fuel prices are a bit of a killer, but if you don't drive it all the time and use it to cheer you up after a bad day in work its not that bad. Especially if you don't drink/smoke. Just all depends how people justify these sorts of things in their heads.

 

[P_G]

There appears to be a number of factors responsible for this when looking at each car brand but on the whole it is the diversity and number of hot hatch varaints available and the age demographic that are buying them plus the economy on the whole which are the biggest contributing factors.

When the Golf GTI made up 25% of all Golf sales I'm guessing that was with the Mk II/III (IV was rubbish so not likely to be it) and then the Focus and Astra were the main sellers in the family hatch segment so overall Golf sales were low. But now VW Golf's are IIRC the best selling small hatch in the UK beating Focus, Astra, Civic, Megane, A3, BMW 1 etc etc. So more unit sales and the GTD being as quick but more economincal hurts VW's own sales coupled to there now being S3, RS3 135i 1M Civic Type R VXR Focus ST/RS Megane Trophy/R BMW JCW/GP. Everyone has a hot hatch now whereas the MkII/III fought against the Astra GSi/GTE, a wamer Focus until he Focus RS and a Civis Type R. Peugot and Renault at that time didn't do great cars, S3's weren't common.

As for Subaru, again they suffer because nearly all manufacturers have a hot hatch now and I beliueve crucially, they are no longer in the WRC. There are now cars that have the power and 4WD they offered but with comfort and a premium badge. I don't think their styling direction has helped or that their best versions stay in **** and don't get exported. I uspect EVO figures are not much better.

But ultimately people appear to be going high performance and fuel efficient and when yo do see 335d BMW's and the Bi-Turbo Audi and what they can do it's easy to see why hot hatches aren't as popular. I don't think it'll be the end of them though because Audi and BMW have had little trouble selling the RS3, 1M, etc.

Ironically I was talking to a colleague yesterday and he has a C7 A6 TDI. Admitedly it is a bigger car but when we got on to mpg his is only going 6 more than the RS3. The gap for those who drive both enthusiatically is not that great sometimes and a bit of a myth when you then look at increased purchase and fuel costs on diesels.

 

[robbiemac]

boom........

 

[MBK]

Love it but where on earth did they get inspiration for that grille?

 

[N8]

Money and cost of these things, people's needs and demands change. Lets be honest what 24 year old can afford a £40k RS3, let alone insure it. Most cars over £40k will be bought by people who are 35+ with an established job etc, however there is always the odd exception.

There must be a lupe hole. I have a customer coming in Monday, 25 with an RS3, he had a new S3 before hand and the RS3 is cheaper to insure, yet for him to insurance a TT-RS it was another £1k ontop, bonkers I tell ya.

 

[L1ARR]

There must be a lupe hole. I have a customer coming in Monday, 25 with an RS3, he had a new S3 before hand and the RS3 is cheaper to insure, yet for him to insurance a TT-RS it was another £1k ontop, bonkers I tell ya.

N8, it's true i had previously checked and a RS3 is £200 per year cheaper than my S3 to insure.

 

[CarrG]

N8, it's true i had previously checked and a RS3 is £200 per year cheaper than my S3 to insure.

Just had my renewal as its just a yr old, it was very reasonable last yr and now it's gone down £50!
Doesnt happen often!

 

[Kohaku]

Just had my renewal as its just a yr old, it was very reasonable last yr and now it's gone down £50!
Doesnt happen often!

Was it as reasonable as this. F/Comp £400 ex.plus all the usual bits.. £182..lol,but did have to pay extra £62 for 2 speeding offences.
Oh dear..£244.

 

[PigPen]

Just had my renewal as its just a yr old, it was very reasonable last yr and now it's gone down £50!
Doesnt happen often!

This may be as a result of the sexist change in insurance when men were penalised?

 

[CarrG]

Was it as reasonable as this. F/Comp £400 ex.plus all the usual bits.. £182..lol,but did have to pay extra £62 for 2 speeding offences.
Oh dear..£244.

Nearly fella....minus any speeding offences lol...

 

[poverty]

Golf GTI is overpriced for what you are getting these days. 28-30k with a few options for 220bhp??? I don't think so. The UK market is small anyway compared to others.