VW Golf in front but for how long?

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After years of playing second fiddle to the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Corsa in February the VW Golf finally out sold its two rivals, shifting 2,709 units in the month. I spoke to my mates down at VW and they can’t really put their finger on one specific reason, but it certainly felt, from their point of view, that supply has been pretty good. One hunch could be customers having been hit by long delays in waiting for their new cars have decided they could wait no longer and taken delivery in the pre new reg month.

This means it could be an isolated incident and the Golf’s time at the top may be limited but it does seem to indicate how buyers are no longer intent on having the new reg and that maybe, in the case of VW dealers, they incentivised the deal enough for it to count for the month before.

We have certainly been aware that many VW dealers nationally have had quite heavy sales promos in February which isn’t traditionally a sale month and this could also be a factor in why the Golf has sold so well.

Ford bringing out the (very good) Focus is likely to be a factor in customer buying decisions and it is probable that the mighty Focus will quickly regain its place in the heart of Britain’s car buyers. The Ford Focus was the UK’s bestselling car from 1999 to 2008 (when it was toppled by the Fiesta) and is actually the top selling car so far in 2011 (Jan and Feb combined). But it doesn’t do any harm for that title to be challenged once in a while and although the Golf remains a major player on the world stage it still has some way to go to permanently replace the Focus as the go to car of the British “C” segment car buyer.

It is also worth considering that as diesel sales rise the Golf is likely to have even greater success thanks to a fantastic engine line up with the BlueMotion example great for emissions and road tax and in London congestion charge free.

Ford Focus – VW Golf – Tale of the Tape

(Outgoing) Ford Focus saloon
21 models in the range (3 and 5 door)
Entry	OTR
Ford Focus Style 5 door 1.6 100PS	£15,545
Top
Ford Focus Titanium 5 door 1.6 TDCi 109(DPF)	£23,995
VW Golf mk IV
50 models in range (3 and 5 door)
Entry	OTR
VW Golf 3 door Twist 1.4 80PS	£13,610
Top
VW Golf R TSI 5 Door 2.0 270PS	£32,975

Price lists:
VW Golf
Ford Focus