Volkswagen has set another all-time Australian sales record in 2011, in figures just released.

VW sold 44,740 vehicles in Australia in 2011, a 17.7% increase over the 38,016 sold in 2010.

VW outsold both Subaru and Honda in 2011, moving up to 8th place overall on the Australian market. This is the first time VW has outsold Subaru since 1976, and Honda since 1973.

Overall sales were:

1. Toyota - 181,624
2. Holden - 126,095
3. Ford - 91,243
4. Mazda - 88,333
5. Hyundai - 87,008
6. Nissan - 67,926
7. Mitsubishi - 61,108
8. Volkswagen - 44,740
9. Subaru - 34,011
10. Honda - 30,107

The VW Golf had its best year ever in Australia, selling 18,383 in 2011 and finishing the 11th best-selling model on the Australian market. This is the fifth-best ever one-model one year total in VW's Australian history, behind only the VW 1200 Beetle in 1963 (20,125); 1962 (21,273); 1964 (22,293) and the record, 1960 (24,388).

The top selling models in 2011 were:

1. Mazda3 – 41,429
2. Holden Commodore – 40,617
3. Toyota HiLux – 36,124
4. Toyota Corolla – 36,087
5. Holden Cruze – 33,784
6. Hyundai i30 – 28,869
7. Nissan Navara – 21,675
8. Toyota Camry – 19,169
9. Ford Falcon – 18,741
10. Mitsubishi Lancer – 18,717
11. Volkswagen Golf – 18,383

good to be a stat at 11

I wonder what the statistics would be on cars sold per dealer? As there are GM, Toyota, Ford, Subaru dealers that are actually outside capital cities.

.........and some of them know how to fix cars!

Interesting thought.

In 1964 VW sold 31,419 vehicles in Australia, through around 330 dealers across the country (every major country town had a VW dealer/agency then). That's an average of 95 cars sold per dealer per year. Obviously big dealers like Lanock Motors at Camperdown sold many more VWs than little agencies like Roberts Motors Pty Ltd at Wyong, but overall that was the 1964 average - 95 VWs per dealer.

In 2011, by comparison, VW sold 44,740 vehicles through around 110 dealers (I don't have a 2011 dealer listing in front of me so I'm going from memory). That's an average of 406 VWs per dealer!

I think the situation is very much like the 1964 corner shop v 2011 mega supermarket. In the old days the friendly little corner shop sold a few groceries to locals with a friendly smile and personal service. Today most of the little shops have closed, and the mega Coles or Woolies sells vastly more goods but without the personal service - you are even encouraged to 'self serve' the checkout nowadays. Most of the VW dealers today are the 'Auto Centre' supermarts that sell at least half a dozen makes - look at the ones at Penrith, or Liverpool, or Campbelltown for example. They are Holden/Japanese/Korean/dealers who have taken on VW as a way of making extra money, not because they feel loyalty or affection for the make. All the old dealers are gone - none of the VW dealers before 1989 still exist.

In Sydney Barloworld is the only 'VW-only' dealer. But they are a South-African company, where a strong VW culture already exists. Sydney still doesn't have a VW dealer in Bankstown or Hurstville, or in the eastern suburbs or northern beaches, or the Hills district or Ryde/Eastwood region, and the one in the Shire is so small you can drive past without seeing it. The one at Blacktown is commercials only - stupid arrangement. And as for the country - Bathurst only got a new VW dealer this year, while Goulburn still doesn't have one. Nor does Lithgow, or Forbes, or Parkes. It would be interesting to list the large country towns that still don't have a VW dealer.

Some of the Subaru country dealers are probably some of the original VW dealers - the one at Gosford is.

Sydney still doesn't have a VW dealer in the northern beaches

Bill Buckle

Buckles are at Brookvale - not what I was thinking of. I mean Collaroy or Mona Vale - where VW used to have Youngs Motors and G Brothers VW dealers. Lots of wealthy potential owners up that way.

Yes

I see a lot of Golfs [and new Beetles] on the New England Highway now going thru Scone
and there are even a few Golfs now in Scone..

so, they have to find a dealer to sell them one now..lol

Cessnock or Tamworth I would think...

not sure whether there is a VW dealer in Maitland..

in the 60;s VW dealers in Scone Muswellbrook Maitland
Gloucester etc..
with VW trained mechanics and special VW tools too..

Have You seen the page adds for the new VW Jetta

very plain looking...
I thought VW was going to have a similar grill in all their cars...??

LEE







LEE

Lee, all the current Volkswagen dealers are also supposed to have trained VW mechanics and special VW tools and equipment for the new range. It's part of their franchise contract. Servicing a 2012 Golf is a bit more complex than a 1960s Beetle! The problem is that in most cases they also have to support other makes too; do they have 'enthusiasm' for the VW make or is it just a business?

VW's current dealer network is slowly rebuilding after pretty much shutting down in the 1980s. Maitland now has Hunter Volkswagen, at 174 High St. Tamworth has Woodleys Motors, at 200 Marius St. Dubbo has Iverach Volkswagen, at 31 Bourke St. That's it for up your way at the moment. I am sure that new ones will continue to pop up. But there'll never be the network there was in the '60s.

The Jetta plain?! Splutter; conservative but classy I would have said. Sorry Lee I forgot you are a 'bling' man !

OK Phil

the Jetta may look better in the flesh..
I've only seen the page adds..
and it may be great inside..

today's paper says the Passat is very plain looking also... ,,
although it does have a couple of chromed bars on the grill..
lol,,

the New Golf and Polo fronts look great...

problem with multi franchises..
many of the sales people know virtually nothing about some of the cars they are selling.. !!
maybe they all have a favorite car they try to sell???

LEE

VW's new headquarters at Chullora includes a large new Training Centre - so things should hopefully improve in dealer-land.

VWs have always been classy and understated compared with the bling and out-there styles of the others. Who cares if some motoring journalist thinks they're 'plain'! But take a look at how good a 20-year old Golf still looks now, compared with say a 20-year old Corolla, Pulsar or Laser. Does anyone still think the Ford Telstar or Corsair from the '90s are still good looking? Or an early '90s Magna? Yet a Mk2 Golf still looks great. It will be the same with today's VWs.

More people must be agreeing - a 17% rise in VW sales over 2010 speaks for itself.