The Most Popular Cars by Continent

[baldguy]

If there is one obsession that seems to cross all cultural and economic boundaries around the world, it’s the automobile. There isn’t a country on Earth that doesn’t drive them, sell them and love them. But while one car company might be the king of the mountain here, in other parts of the world, they might not even be a player. Let’s take a look at the best selling and most popular cars by continent.

North America – The science of car sales in has been refined to an art in North America. Not only do we rate which cars sell the best, we also do it by class. For instance, in 2004, Canada’s best selling car was the Honda Civic, and it has been since 1998. The Toyota Corolla was the best selling small car in the United States over the same time period (second in Canada). In Mexico, the Nissan Tsuru small sedan is the top seller.

...

Looking around the world, one truth becomes clear. The only people still driving big cars on a regular basis are Americans. In every other spot on Earth, compacts or subcompacts rule the auto industry. If US automakers want a bigger piece of the international pie, they should stop making SUVs and make more Priuses.

more
http://www.automotoportal.com/article/the-continental-divide-the-most-popular-cars-by-continent

What's the first thing you see at Ford's website?



Chevy?



Chrysler?



But the they're really DaimlerChrysler, aren't they?

[XOKCowboy]

1. When I go overseas (and to Canada) I'm amazed at the Hybrids

They're everywhere. In Vancouver almost all of the taxis were hybrids. Same in Japan and Hong Kong. In Europe they've been used to smaller cars forever. Believe me the Fords in Europe aren't Expeditions, F-series pickups or the big American-style vehicles. The Fords over there look like these...







In France we had an interesting situation. 4 of us went to Cannes and even though we'd all just packed 1 small suitcase we had to almost rent a minivan just to get us and our meager luggage to the hotel. So for 3 days we were driving around in this huge (for French standards) car on those wonderful twisty coast roads and narrow streets. That was fun.

[lithiumbomb]

2. it's much more complex...

First, the three pictures pasted, all of those are those three companies' brand new vehicles introduced over the past few weeks at various premium auto shows. Their halo cars of the moment. If you're searching for big gas guzzlers, DaimlerChrysler makes plenty.

Second, for what it's worth, Ford and GM sell cars worldwide, and tailor those lineups for those markets. Go look at www.ford.co.uk, and www.opel.de (GM), you'll be hard pressed to find a big pile of SUVs.

Fuel costs and cost of vehicles tailor what customers demand. The reality is that despite rising fuel costs in the US in recent years and perhaps a soft economy, our economic factors are still favorable to larger less fuel efficient vehicles. In the UK where a gallon of fuel costs $7, they drive smaller stuff and more diesels.

What would be much more accurate than this article is to look at auto sales trends over the past few years in the US. You'll find a trend from heavy truck based SUVs (ie Ford Explorer) towards lighter and more fuel efficient car based SUVs (Ford Edge shown above) and more cars in general. So we're headed in the right direction.

[baldguy]

6. It's NOT more complex.

America is a large country with non-existent public transportation. Private vehicles are a necessity. The demand for cars is a natural outgrowth of this need.

On the other hand, the demand for SUVs and trucks as daily commuters is totally artificial. It was created by Madison Ave & the auto makers not because they fill a large need in the market, but because they make more per unit than on smaller vehicles. Therefore they can sell fewer and still make money.

But now, that narrow-minded strategy if failing. As imports take over more and more of the market, the Big Three have SUVs clogging their lots going unsold - while other auto makers sell as many hybrids as they can make and still have a backlog of demand.

The Age of the Dinosaurs is over - both for cars and corporations.

[gollygee]

3. There are a lot of reasons for that

gas is cheaper here, many roads in Europe aren't well suited for large vehicles anyway, the rail systems are better in Europe for family trips, probably more stuff I haven't thought of.

If gas prices go up enough, smaller cars and hybrids will become very popular very quickly.

[XOKCowboy]

5. April '06 petrol prices in France

Petrol/Gasoline Prices - 2006 (April)
Euro/litre
Diesel - 1.15 Unleaded - 1.30 95 Super - 1.45
One Euro is worth "approximately" 1.25 US dollars (4 euros = 5 dollars).

So we're basically looking at $6.50 per gallon. I'd be driving one of these



at those prices. Seriously. Would $6 a gallon gas make America change it's car buying/transportation habits?

[Selatius]

4. The US represents 4 percent of the world population, yet it consumes 25 percent of yearly oil output

Corporate propaganda + uninformed citizenry = predictable results.

In 2003, the world consumed just under 80 million barrels per day (MM bpd) of
oil. U.S. consumption was almost 20 MM bpd, two-thirds of which was in the
transportation sector.

http://www.projectcensored.org/newsflash/the_hirsch_report.pdf