The Europeans have landed

European marques are on a roll. Motoring editor ALASTAIR SLOANE looks at the sales shift to Continental.

The figures tell the story of the 70 per cent-plus sales growth of European vehicles in New Zealand.

In 1998, the Europeans sold about 4000 vehicles for 8.6 per cent of the market. Of the main players, BMW had 750 sales, Peugeot 597, Mercedes-Benz 440, Volkswagen 342, Audi 338.

Last year the Europeans sold about 7000 vehicles for 12.8 per cent of the market. The main player was Volkswagen with 1355 sales. BMW had 1127 (passing 1000 sales for the first time), Peugeot 965, Mercedes-Benz 789 and Audi 659. Fiat and Alfa Romeo had 524 combined sales.

So far this year, the Europeans have 17.6 per cent of the market, thanks to early demand. They expect about 15 per cent share at year's end. If their projections are right, that's about 7 per cent growth in four years, nearly double market share.

Check the numbers: 8.6 per cent in 1998, 10 per cent in 1999, 12.3 per cent in 2000, 12.8 per cent in 2001.

What's behind the growth? Mostly, it's good-looking cars, aggressive pricing, sharp marketing, a wider choice - and luxury sports utility vehicles such as the M-Class Mercedes-Benz and BMW X5.

Take the big mover, Volkswagen. It went from 342 sales in 1998 to 634 in 1999, 1253 in 2000 and 1355 in 2001. The Beetle was responsible for much of the growth over the past two years. This year VW has the new Polo and is targeting 1500 sales. Next year it enters the sports utility market for the first time with the four-wheel-drive Touareg, named after a nomadic tribe in the Sahara Desert.

Peugeot followed on its 1998 figures of 597 sales with 593 in 1999, 788 in 2000 and 965 in 2001. This year it aims to sell 1300. Included in that number will be the 307 station wagon, a derivative of the 307 hatchback which has sold 223 units in about 10 weeks.

Audi went from 338 in 1998 to 453 in 1999, 565 in 2000 and 659 in 2001. This year it expects to sell 750, thanks to a bigger range of A4 models. It will get the big V8 version of the AllRoad next year.

Mercedes-Benz' growth has been constant, too - 440 in 1998, 610 in 1999, 771 in 2000, 789 in 2001. This year it is eyeing 850 sales. Next year it gets the all-new E-Class and facelifted S-Class.

BMW dropped a handful of sales in 2000 but it has been the dominant luxury marque for many years. It sold 750 vehicles in 1998, 883 in 1999, 862 in 2000 and 1127 last year. It expects the flagship 7-Series to boost numbers further this year.

Fiat also expects to increase its share this year with the new Stilo. So does Alfa Romeo with high-performance GTA variants of the 156.

Peugeot intends to capitalise on its growth with the 307 SW, a people-mover modelled on the 307 hatchback, a vehicle it believes is the template for modern family transport.

The vehicle will arrive in October and is bigger all-round than the hatchback. The interior layout has three rows of seats which, says Peugeot, can be configured to suit almost all the requirements of such a vehicle.

It is expected to be extensively equipped, and powered by a choice of petrol or diesel engines.

The growth of the Europeans in this country can be perhaps be summed up by Porsche numbers. A few years ago it was happy with 30-odd sales a year. Last year it moved about 100 cars.