2018 auto sales: Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance top in passenger cars plus LCVs, VW No.1 overall

Auto sales figures for 2018 are starting to trickle out, and the usual suspects have posted some big numbers. According to Reuters, the Volkswagen Group has held on to its position as the world’s top-selling automaker for the fifth year running, although it was edged out again by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, excluding heavy trucks.

The Franco-Japanese alliance together sold 10.76 million passenger cars and LCVs last year, according to Reuters’ calculations after new data released yesterday. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance doesn’t sell heavy trucks.

Of this grand total, Nissan sold 5.65 million vehicles in 2018 (down 2.8% year-on-year), Mitsubishi contributed 1.22 million units (up 18%), while senior partner (in terms of cross shareholding) Renault sold 3.88 million units (up 3.2%).

The alliance’s slightly weaker tally just about edged out the VW Group’s 2018 total of 10.6 million cars and LCVs sold. Throw in the German giant’s MAN and Scania heavy trucks, the group’s total result was a record 10.83 million units, up 0.9%.

Maintaining its place on the auto sales podium is Toyota with 10.59 million units. Besides its namesake brand and Lexus, Toyota’s total includes compact cars by Daihatsu and light and heavy trucks produced by Hino. Excluding Hino, the Toyota group sold 10.39 million units of cars and LCVs. The top Japanese automaker’s target for 2019 is 10.76 million vehicles.

According to Reuters, automakers are trying to boost sales volumes to achieve economies of scale and reduce costs amid soaring investments needed to develop next-generation technologies, including electric vehicles and autonomous technology.

The most obvious example is the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, which is looking to share more vehicle parts and consolidate production platforms to trim R&D and manufacturing costs, while raising profitability. However, the three-party relationship is currently rocky with its former chairman Carlos Ghosn indicted on charges of misconduct in an ongoing trial.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Renault business went up while Nissan went down, indicating the disgust of the world on the poor treatment of Ghosn and the sapot they gip to his French overlord. IF it was not for Renault & Ghosn, Nissan & Mitsu wud have been sold to Geely or kolos shop long time ago. They can now clearly see how the Alliance makes so much sense and how crazy it is looking for divorce now. What will Jepunis lords do now?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 14
    • Roti john on Jan 31, 2019 at 11:52 am

      Habisla Proton! Not included in the list…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 15
      • No worries. When Renault Nissan alliance eventually breaks up, Geely empire will be there to suck them up for cheaps. Habislah Jepunis lords then! Lolz!

        Geely, P1, Mesidis, VolvoCar, VolvoTruck, L&C, Lotus > all

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 2
    • YB Kunta Kinte on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:19 pm

      Where is Geely in the list? They talk big the company got so much of sales etc.

      The company so irrelevant until nobody includes them kah in global surveys?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
    • John Bin Palat on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:46 pm

      Mitsubishi, Renault, Citroen, Suzuki……wow, Proton got so many partners in the past.

      All failed.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
      • Dr Strange on Jan 31, 2019 at 4:09 pm

        Sadly true.
        Mitsubishi, got played out and bought by Nissan. Renault, for all their troubles in rescuing Nissan have their best CEO in jail. Citroen, still a failed brand with Peugeot. Suzuki, nearly got played out by VW before an acrimonious divorce. I wondered why Proton got so lucky not to be involved with all these scandals and managed to attract a good partnership with Geely. Strange isn’t it?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
    • John Menangis Kuat Kuat on Jan 31, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      john speak as if he is a Nissan and Ghosn expert. I think Ghosn knows better than you bro

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
      • Brian on Jan 31, 2019 at 3:40 pm

        But john certainly knew more than you do. So…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
      • Aziz Mahmood on Jan 31, 2019 at 6:19 pm

        It’s normal. John has unrealistic expectations

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
        • Avenger on Feb 01, 2019 at 3:41 pm

          Expecting the japs to be grateful for Ghosn saving one of their biggest automaker is unrealistic? Boy, I just… can’t… Do you know the meaning of ‘grateful’?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • “The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance doesn’t sell heavy trucks.”
    How times have changed. Renault lord used to have Renault Trucks, Nissan used to have UD Trucks, now both under Volvo Trucks, and Mitsu used to have Fuso, now under Daimler. Both Volvo Trucks and Daimler now got links to Geely.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 8
    • paratha cap sang neela oothama on Jan 31, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      none of it is Optimus Prime semi-truck

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Nissan malaysia tido on Jan 31, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    Meanhile, nissan malaysia is just happy to sell almera

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
    • EDITOR on Jan 31, 2019 at 3:44 pm

      Sell Almera? Their sales team is just happy to spend their working hours coming to Paul Tan and whacking other brands. They don’t care about sales since most sales comes from their staff purchases. The less they sell, the more discounts ETCM will be desperate to give for their staff purchases. So you see why they aren’t bothered to push for sales?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
 

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