Top selling cars: 1982, 92, 02, 12

[Brazen]

Interesting article
http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/t...509-2j8ye.html

In 1982 the Ford Falcon was the highest selling car in Australia.
Vehicle sales figures for the past four decades give a stark indication of the changing face of the Australian car market.

Sales of cars produced in Australia have plummeted, while imported small cars and utes have muscled their way to the pointy end of the sales charts.

Drive has compiled figures for the top 10 selling vehicles across four decades - in 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2012 – using data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the 2013 Australian Automotive Intelligence yearbook.

Only two cars - the Toyota Corolla and Holden Commodore - appear in all four lists. And where locally made cars dominated the top ten in the '80s and '90s, they have fallen off the radar since the turn of the century.

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Many of the nameplates would be foreign to the all important younger generation, or Gen Y; the Mitsubishi Sigma, Ford Laser, Holden Gemini and Toyota Corona to name a few.

The other alarming change is how few cars need to be sold to sneak into the list of top sellers.

In 1982 the top selling Falcon sold 84,184, almost double that of the top selling Mazda3 from 2012 - despite the market almost doubling in the same period.

In 1982 the top sellers were all traditional sedans, hatchbacks and wagons, whereas in latter decades the massive growth in ute sales - brought about partly because of the mining boom and the acceptance of dual cab utes as family cars - has seen the likes of the Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara come to the fore.

Despite our seemingly endless love of four-wheel-drives and SUVs only in one of the years we detailed - 1992 - does an SUV infiltrate the top 10 list.

Toyota's LandCruiser has always been popular but has seen its once dominant market share decline as more models have arrived.

The segment we now know as SUVs has also changed markedly. Whereas once they were basically off-roaders used by farmers or adventurers, these days most are soft-roaders used as family trucksters.

And not much has changed so far in 2013, with the Mazda3, Corolla and HiLux again topping the sales charts. However, the Cruze has edged up ahead of the Commodore, on track to become the first Holden to outsell the Commodore since it went on sale in 1978.

1982
Ford Falcon - 84,184

Holden Commodore - 78,429

Mitsubishi Sigma - 42,210

Ford Laser - 40,069

Nissan Skyline - 34,048

Holden Gemini - 27,501

Toyota Corolla - 22,916

Holden Camira - 20,843

Toyota Corona - 19,000

Nissan Stanza/Sunny/Pulsar - 14,662

1992
Ford Falcon - 67,044

Holden Commodore - 63,511

Mitsubishi Magna - 34,009

Toyota Camry - 25,699

Toyota Corolla - 23,825 (up 2)

Ford Laser - 18,960 (down 2)

Toyota LandCruiser - 17,235

Nissan Pulsar - 15,358

Toyota HiLux - 14,697

Mitsubishi Lancer - 9605

Holden Rodeo - 8749

2002
Holden Commodore – 88,478 (up 1)

Ford Falcon – 54,629 (down 1)

Toyota Corolla – 34,948 (up 2)

Toyota Camry – 30,592

Holden Astra – 29,536

Toyota HiLux – 22,515 (up 1)

Mitsubishi Magna – 21,258 (down 4)

Mitsubishi Lancer – 18,646 (up 1)

Ford Falcon Ute – 17,883

Nissan Pulsar – 16,258 (down 4)

2012
Mazda3 - 44,128

Toyota HiLux - 40,646 (up 4)

Toyota Corolla - 38,799 (up 1)

Holden Commodore - 30,532 (down 3)

Holden Cruze - 29,161

Hyundai i30 - 28,348

Toyota Camry - 27,230 (down 4)

Nissan Navara - 26,045

Toyota Yaris - 18,808

Ford Focus - 18,586

[Trump]

Falcon was moving 7000 units a month... simply wow.

[302 XC]

Interesting list,perhaps a sign of the times ???
Lets get some lists together for other purchases and compare
Mowers,electrical appliances, furniture
Im betting any aussie products that were once big sellers,wouldnt even make a mention on a top 100 list
Wonder who once bought a victa mower,and now doesn't ???
Or who once bought an aussie build Greenfield ride on,that now doesn't ???

[Whitey-AMG]

It's Ford Forums.......but
Credit where credit is due. The Dunnydore has held it's own for such a long time, Holden have done a remarkable job of keeping its mainstream product alive and kicking. It's stats like these that make you cry for the Falc.......

[Raysie]

Originally Posted by ESP

It's Ford Forums.......but
Credit where credit is due. The Dunnydore has held it's own for such a long time, Holden have done a remarkable job of keeping its mainstream product alive and kicking. It's stats like these that make you cry for the Falc.......

That's the confusing part though...

Why has the Commodore (Although still selling less) been able to keep up? While the Falcon has tattered away?

I'd understand if today's Falcon was a POS on wheels. But it's a brilliant car with world class standards.

What does everyone put the Falcon's problems down to? It can't all be blamed on more competition, as the Commodore seems to be hanging in there.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Raysie

That's the confusing part though...

Why has the Commodore (Although still selling less) been able to keep up? While the Falcon has tattered away?

I'd understand if today's Falcon was a POS on wheels. But it's a brilliant car with world class standards.

What does everyone put the Falcon's problems down to? It can't all be blamed on more competition, as the Commodore seems to be hanging in there.

Public perception...

The AU by lots of accounts was a brilliant car, yet the styling wasn't agreeable with most...then the BA came out with the blander/safer styling, yet had some short comings in its quality. Then as soon as the sales drop off, the media digs its fangs in...badgering the name furthering damaging perception.

That, and Holden have always managed to keep the Australian aspect fresh on peoples minds...

[93EB_SXR6]

Originally Posted by Raysie

That's the confusing part though...

Why has the Commodore (Although still selling less) been able to keep up? While the Falcon has tattered away?

I'd understand if today's Falcon was a POS on wheels. But it's a brilliant car with world class standards.

What does everyone put the Falcon's problems down to? It can't all be blamed on more competition, as the Commodore seems to be hanging in there.

Price vs. competitors has been the Falcon's main killer.
Price of fuel probably also has something to do with it.

[K_Man]

I think that period when Ford released the AU hasnt helped. All of a sudden Holden could do no wrong, and started to create every variant you could think of (AWD coupe and crewman comes to mind) and the public just lapped it up. HRT was dominating the v8sc too. Now, especially a lot of people that perhaps werent old enough to drive back in the late 90s are growing up to buy more commodores.

Media hasnt helped either, how much was in the news about Holdens billion dollar baby compared to the FG? Its becoming much the same as the beat up about the 380, noone wants to buy a car that will disappear soon.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Raysie

That's the confusing part though...

Why has the Commodore (Although still selling less) been able to keep up? While the Falcon has tattered away?

Falcon has always been one of the better looking and more modern cars on the road but Falcon lost it with FG, BF was getting awfully long in the tooth and the FG was a real disappointment looking too similar, it never recovered.

[The G6ET Spot]

Originally Posted by Raysie

That's the confusing part though...

Why has the Commodore (Although still selling less) been able to keep up? While the Falcon has tattered away?

I'd understand if today's Falcon was a POS on wheels. But it's a brilliant car with world class standards.

What does everyone put the Falcon's problems down to? It can't all be blamed on more competition, as the Commodore seems to be hanging in there.

It all comes down to marketing and public perception.

There is no denying the fact that Holden's marketing department does a great job of advertising their product.
And since the mid to late nineties Ford has been taboo in a lot of the publics eyes.
Irrespective of how good the car is.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Falcon has always been one of the better looking and more modern cars on the road but Falcon lost it with FG, BF was getting awfully long in the tooth and the FG was a real disappointment looking too similar, it never recovered.

No

It's called choice....
More choice has diluted the market and given buyers a hell of a lot more to look at. It doesn't mean FG is a bad car....on the contrary....
There are just way too many funky small cars around now that can and do attract a much more varied audience. The fact is.....falcon hasn't been competing with its traditional rival commonwhore for a decade now....it's been competing with a plethora of global rivals that offer better value for money in the eye of the buyer.

Where Ford has missed the boat is in its ability to find a substitute quick smart. Holden saw it coming and have the Cruze....i see these damned things everywhere...theyre like a plague. WTF do Ford have that will sell in droves.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by ESP

No

It's called choice....
More choice has diluted the market and given buyers a hell of a lot more to look at. It doesn't mean FG is a bad car....on the contrary....
There are just way too many funky small cars around now that can and do attract a much more varied audience. The fact is.....falcon hasn't been competing with its traditional rival commonwhore for a decade now....it's been competing with a plethora of global rivals that offer better value for money in the eye of the buyer.

But the Commodore is in the top 10

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Brazen

But the Commodore is in the top 10

Because there is still a market for a big car....it's not big enough for 2 manufacturers anymore but it's still there and unfortunately for Ford....many more buyers favour the Holden product....simple as that.
They market their product better, they have a loyal fan base for their performance products that has had an unbroken lineage without all the ?$&; that ford did to its performance market in the 80's. and 90's in the showroom and on the track. Holden continue to have a great looking wagon in many variants of trim...they have a very popular small car in the Cruze and barina and their Cramped SUV captiva is successfully masquerading and selling as a competent 7 seater.... They have product depth.

For ford...mondeo may have canibalised falcon even more ? - ecoboost ended up being totally ignored because it was technology wrapped in the same skin...I reckon most buyers were probably confused about the whole thing and just dismissed it as a gimmick with no added value. A shame really.

Focus is the only shining light...great little car.....deserves so much more.
I wonder how KUGA is going?

[ford man xf]

The BA/BF was the highest selling 6 cylinder sedan in Australia, Ford even put an advert in the Herald Sun regarding this, it's only when you add up the other Commodore derivatives such as station wagons, V8's etc. that the Commodore comes out on top. Now is a very different story though, the market for larger sedans still exists, but people have moved away from the Falcon and as a lot of people on here will say the station wagon is now the Territory.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by ESP

No

It's called choice....

this. what the charts clearly show is the big numbers have disappeared from the top 2 or 3 makes.

many will have you believe that the small cars are selling in much bigger numbers, but the fact is, they aren't. these tables show that the corolla has been selling a very similar amount for the last 11 years.

there are more small cars on the road because there are many more being sold (models). not many cars crack the 4000/month now, if any.

one day, someone might acknowledge that perhaps we shouldn't have allowed australia to be the world car makers dumping ground, with more makes and models available than any other country in the world.

by then no doubt it will be too late to try to protect our diminishing local manufacturing.

[doktoravalanche]

User chooses novated lease have had a massive impact at one end, and at at the other the price of fuel, a 6 cylinder for stop/start driving which you get in most suburbs just isn't economical for most people.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Falcon has always been one of the better looking and more modern cars on the road but Falcon lost it with FG, BF was getting awfully long in the tooth and the FG was a real disappointment looking too similar, it never recovered.

Got to disagree on that one. The day Ford bought out the AU. It went downhill from there. I'll never forget my first look at the new model when it was released. Butt ugly and every bloke you spoke to said the same thing. And it was downhill after that. Look at the figures once the AU was released.............
I thought they were back in the park with the BA. When I first laid eyes on the BA XR8 with raised bonnet I thought the styling was sensational. Even the XR6 was awesome. I still think they are..........

[mik]

people have been tightening their wallets to be sure, regardless of higher wages, a lot of people have less disposable income and have taken the the cheaper alternatives, commodore sales have been on a downward scale too.

[mik]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Got to disagree on that one. The day Ford bought out the AU. It went downhill from there. I'll never forget my first look at the new model when it was released. Butt ugly and every bloke you spoke to said the same thing. And it was downhill after that. Look at the figures once the AU was released.............
I thought they were back in the park with the BA. When I first laid eyes on the BA XR8 with raised bonnet I thought the styling was sensational. Even the XR6 was awesome. I still think they are..........

i would agree the forte was pretty ugly, the fairmont models and xrs i think look alright.

[Nikked]

Lets not make this a AU bashing thread...

[uniacidz]

Initially and still do, the Ford marketing team regarding the BA BF and FG models simply didnt capture the markets anymore whilst Holden did advertise and saw results.

Also Ford discontinued the wagon, Holden redeveloped it to a sporty looking wagon that does look good.

The market also has changed so much in the last decade.
Citys are heavily populated, small cars zip around easier and park easier, and alot of persons whom migrated to Australia just want a car and its usually that smaller one.

SUVs hit the market with a force, soccor mums and dads went away from the falcons to things that look decent and can carry all the kids and luggage etc and can go on trips wherever with ease.

Thats the jist of it anyway i reckon

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Lets not make this a AU bashing thread...

AU bashing threads often seem to be triggered by someone posting a "AU was the best and everything since is inferior" or similar statement.

If you start it do not expect to be protected.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Lets not make this a AU bashing thread...

But its ok for you to have a less than positive opinion on the BA - with its bland safer styling and quality issues......wtf ?

Truth be told.....all models have their issues.

[UberKnee]

Originally Posted by ESP

No

It's called choice....
More choice has diluted the market and given buyers a hell of a lot more to look at. It doesn't mean FG is a bad car....on the contrary....
There are just way too many funky small cars around now that can and do attract a much more varied audience. The fact is.....falcon hasn't been competing with its traditional rival commonwhore for a decade now....it's been competing with a plethora of global rivals that offer better value for money in the eye of the buyer.

Where Ford has missed the boat is in its ability to find a substitute quick smart. Holden saw it coming and have the Cruze....i see these damned things everywhere...theyre like a plague. WTF do Ford have that will sell in droves.

But the point still stands that the Commodore are still in top 5 while Falcon has fallen of the list completely. Its not just a case of more competition out there otherwise Commodore would be selling similar numbers not substantially more. Holden just seem to be the cool thing in Australia, the media loves them and bogans love to go on about how Aussie they are (even if the driveline is 100% American and prior to the VE 99% of it was just a parts bin special after raiding the GM warehouse). There's an image there supported by Holden winning SuperTaxis every year, the media's love of them and damage done by dealers with poor aftersales service.

[UberKnee]

Originally Posted by prydey

this. what the charts clearly show is the big numbers have disappeared from the top 2 or 3 makes.

many will have you believe that the small cars are selling in much bigger numbers, but the fact is, they aren't. these tables show that the corolla has been selling a very similar amount for the last 11 years.

there are more small cars on the road because there are many more being sold (models). not many cars crack the 4000/month now, if any.

one day, someone might acknowledge that perhaps we shouldn't have allowed australia to be the world car makers dumping ground, with more makes and models available than any other country in the world.

by then no doubt it will be too late to try to protect our diminishing local manufacturing.

No point protecting local manufactuers if they cant keep up. Its not Australia is the only country with large variety. Every car brand you can think of are sold in Seppoland, Every car brand sells various cars across Europe, etc.

Variety is the spice of life and forces Holden/Ford to continue to improve if they want to stay relevant.

[last fairlane]

Quite a few years back I posted about the then brand new FG
and said something along the lines of it looks the same as a BF
I also said that Mitsubishi did the same thing and nearly went broke over it
they made the new at the time Sigma look exactly like the old one
but just with panels that were 20mm bigger all round
which made the car bigger but look the same
it doesnt work people need
a new car to look new
facelifts are fine
but a brand new model has to look the part
re the AU bashing
Im the opposite
I have two cars
an AU Fairmont
and a BA Ghia
and I find the AU nicer to drive
just my thoughts
thanks John

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by ESP

But its ok for you to have a less than positive opinion on the BA - with its bland safer styling and quality issues......wtf ?

Truth be told.....all models have their issues.

All I did was point out some minor aspects of them...

Hence "lots of accounts was a brilliant car" and "had some short comings in its quality"

Styling wise, the AU did make the BA blander in comparison...hence a bit safer. Its a shame that the public was wooed by the VT...with its design dating back to 1994...The BA was more "likeable", and the sales show, the BA gained ground again, and IIRC, even pulled in front of the Commodore for a few months.

No car is perfect, and the BA did do a lot to boost Fords perception about performance...the simple addition of the Turbo and FPV range did wonders for the brand. The tie in with FPR and the V8 supercars was a masterstroke, seeing BA01 do a lap around Bathurst, and Lownde's Green eyed monster wetted the appetite. There was also a focus on building up the merch market at this time too. The I6 was given a wonderful overhaul, a truly world class engine.

To top it off, we got the territory as well...

the BA era is probably one of the most fondly remembered, a full on assault on the market...

Then we get the FG...leaps and bounds above the BF, all the little details are there...world class, great quality and styling.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by prydey

one day, someone might acknowledge that perhaps we shouldn't have allowed australia to be the world car makers dumping ground, with more makes and models available than any other country in the world.

Would be interesting to find out a "makes per capita" compared to the rest of the world...

[mik]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Would be interesting to find out a "makes per capita" compared to the rest of the world...

i don't think there is any doubt Nikked that we are the dumping ground of the world, we have twice as many models as the US, for one tenth of the populous approximately??

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by mik

i don't think there is any doubt Nikked that we are the dumping ground of the world, we have twice as many models as the US, for one tenth of the populous approximately??

America has some good protection, there is high taxes on imports if a rival vehicle is made locally.