List of best-selling automobiles

Best selling automobiles are those passenger cars and light trucks which, since the introduction of the Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1886, can lay claim to being the highest selling vehicles in the markets they compete in.

While references to verify the manufacturers' claims have been included, there is always the possibility of inaccuracy or hyperbole. Also note that a single vehicle can be sold concurrently under several nameplates in different markets, as with for example the Nissan Sunny; in such circumstances manufacturers often provide only cumulative units sold figures for all models. As a result, there is no definitive standard for measuring units sold; Volkswagen has claimed its Beetle as the bestselling car in history as it did not substantially change throughout its production run.^[1] By contrast, Toyota has applied the Corolla nameplate to 11 generations since 1966, which have sold over 40 million through July 2013.^[2]

World's bestsellers

Three cars have been widely acknowledged as the "bestselling automobile in the world" since Ford built its millionth Model T on December 10, 1915. The Model T itself remained the highest seller until forty five years after production ceased in 1927. On February 17, 1972 Volkswagen claimed that the Ford had been superseded by the Beetle, when the 15,007,034th was manufactured.^[1] Although The Model T has subsequently been credited with 16.5 million units sold, this anomaly is moot in light of the Beetle reaching 21 million.^[3]

The Beetle remained the bestselling vehicle until the late 1990s,^[4] when it was itself overtaken by the Toyota Corolla.^[5] However, this was an example of the modern practice of applying a brand name across a range of vehicles, and retaining it for marketing purposes even as the car changes.^[6] While the first Corolla in 1966 was rear wheel drive and rode on a 2286 mm wheelbase, the current front wheel drive versions share a 2600 mm wheelbase and use a mechanically unrelated platform. The Beetle's overall design, both aesthetically and mechanically, changed so little over the course of its 65-year run that it's possible to mount a 1936 body on a 2003 chassis or vice versa.

Image	Automobile	Production	Units Sold	Years sold	Notes
	Ford Model T	1908–27	16,500,000[7]	1908–27	The first car to achieve one million, five million, ten million and fifteen million units sold. By 1914, it was estimated that nine out of every ten cars in the world were Fords.[7]
	Volkswagen Beetle	1938–2003	21,529,464[3]	1972–97	The first car to achieve twenty million units sold.[1]
	Toyota Corolla	1966–present	40,000,000[2]	1966–present	The 40 million milestone was reached in July 2013. However, the model type has been different over the years.[2]

National bestsellers

Sortable and collapsible table

Country	Image	Automobile	Years sold	Notes
Australia		Ford Falcon	1960–2016	Over 3,000,000.[8]
Brazil		Volkswagen Gol[9]	1980–present	Over 4,500,000.[10]
China		Volkswagen Santana	1984–2013	Over 1,670,000 domestically produced Santana up to 2008.[11]
Czech Republic		Škoda Octavia	1996–present	Over 6,000,000 to 2016.[12]
France		Renault Clio	1990–present	12,300,000 to 2013.[13]
Germany		Volkswagen Golf[9]	1974–present	Over 25,000,000 to 2006.[14]
India		Hindustan Ambassador	1958–2014	4,000,000 until 2005[15]
Italy		Fiat Uno	1983–present (1983–1995 in Italy)	Approximately 8,800,000 worldwide to 2004.[16]
Japan		Toyota Corolla	1966–present	>
Malaysia		Perodua Myvi	2005–present	77,657 at 2010.(or about 1,500,000 since 2005.)[17]
Poland		126p	1973–2000	3,318,674 in Poland, (plus 126 model – 1,352,912 in Italy; 2,069 in Austria, and an unknown number in Yugoslavia.)[18][19]
Spain		SEAT Ibiza	1984–present	3,949,597 up to 2008.[20]
Sweden		Volvo 200 Series	1974–93	2,862,573.[21]
Turkey		Renault Symbol	1999–present	260,000 up to 2013.[22][23]
Ukraine		ZAZ Zaporozhets	1960–94	3,422,444.[24]
United Kingdom		Morris Mini	1959–2000	5,505,874.[25]
United States		Ford F-Series	1948–present	Over 34,000,000 America's bestselling vehicle for 28 consecutive years;[26] 33,900,000 in 12 generations to May 2010.[26]

Brand bestsellers

Brand	Image	Automobile	Production	Units Sold	Notes
Alfa Romeo		Alfa Romeo Alfasud	1972–1989	1,017,387.[27]
Alpine		Alpine A310	1971–1984	11,616.[28]
American Motors		AMC Hornet	1970–77	Approximately 860,000.[29][30]
Aston Martin		Aston Martin DB7	1993–2003	7,000[31][32]
Autobianchi		Autobianchi A112	1969–1986	1,254,178.[33]
BMW		BMW 3 Series	1975–present	Over 14,000,000 to 2015.[34]
Buick		Buick LeSabre	1959–2005	Over 6,000,000.[35]
Bugatti		Bugatti Type 40	1926–30	Approximately 800.[36]
Cadillac		Cadillac De Ville	1959–2005	Approximately 3,870,000 excluding early Series 62 hardtops, 1981–1988, 1991–93, and 2000–05. (Total production for 1981–1988, 1991–93 and 2000–05 is unknown but a good guess is over 1,300,000.)[29][30]
Checker		Checker Marathon	1961–82	10,559 not counting taxicabs and private sales for 1961–63, 1976 and 1980–82 (private sales for 1961–62, 1976 and 1980–82 are unknown).[29][30]
Chevrolet		Chevrolet Impala	1958–present	Over 13,000,000 to 1996.[37]
Chrysler		Chrysler Newport	1961–81	Approximately 1,920,000 (excluding early Newport hardtops).[29][30]
Citroën		Citroën 2CV	1948–90	3,872,583.	Including commercial variants, the total figure is approximately nine million[38]
Continental		Continental Mark II	1956–57	3,012 (only car produced by the short lived Continental division of the Ford Motor Company).[29]
Crosley		Crosley	1939–42 1946–49	62,210 before introduction of series names in 1950 (does not include 1949 Hot Shot).[29][39]
DeSoto		DeSoto Custom	1939–42 1946–52	Approximately 570,000.[29][39]
De Tomaso		De Tomaso Pantera	1970–1991	7,260 produced over a single generation	[40]
Dodge		Dodge Coronet	1949–59 1965–76	Approximately 2,060,000 in six generations not counting 1949–53 4-doors, 1953 coupes, Dodge Chargers and Super Bees. (Production of 1949–53 4-doors and 1953 coupes is unknown but a reasonable guess is about 400,000 total.)
Eagle		Eagle Talon	1990–98	Approximately 200,000.[41]
Edsel		Edsel Ranger	1958–60	50,803.[29]
Excalibur		Excalibur Series II	1970–82	2,230.[42]
Facel		Facellia	1960–1964	1,500[43]
Ferrari		Ferrari 360	1999–2004	Over 17,000 coupés and convertibles.[44]
Fiat		Fiat Uno	1983–present	Approximately 8,800,000 worldwide to 2004.	Sold over six million in Western Europe before being replaced by the Punto in 1995, while production continued in South Africa, Poland and Brazil.[16]
Ford		Ford F-Series	1948–present	Over 34,000,000 America's bestselling vehicle for 28 consecutive years;[26] 33,900,000 in 12 generations to May 2010.[26]
Frazer		Frazer Standard	1947–51	Approximately 90,000.[29]
Henry J		Henry J Deluxe	1951	43,400.[29]
Hindustan		Hindustan Ambassador	1958–2014	Almost 4,000,000.[15]
Holden		Holden Commodore	1978–present	3,130,000 to 2013.[45]
Honda		Honda Civic	1972–present	Over 16,500,000 to May 2006.[46]
Hudson		Hudson Super	1916–26 1940–42 1946–50	Approximately 600,000 not counting 1916–17 and 1940–42. (Production for 1916–17 and 1940–42 is unknown but a reasonable guess is about 80,000.)[29][39]
Imperial		Imperial Crown	1957–70	Approximately 127,000.[29]
Jaguar		Jaguar XJ	1968–present	800,000 up to 2005.[47]
Jeep		Jeep Cherokee (XJ)	1984–present	2,884,172 in North America until 2001; production continues in China.[48]
Kaiser		Kaiser Deluxe	1949–53	Approximately 130,000.[29]
Koenigsegg		Koenigsegg CCX	2006–10	29.[49][50]
Lada/AvtoVAZ		Lada Riva VAZ-2105/04/07	1980–present	13,500,000 until exports to Europe were discontinued in 1997.	Production continues in Egypt.[51]
Lagonda		11, 11.9, 12 and 12/24	1913–26	over 6,000	[52]
Land Rover		Series/Defender	1948–2015	over 2,000,000 (approx)	[53]
Lamborghini		Lamborghini Gallardo	2004–2013	14,022 coupés and convertibles to November 2013.[54]
Lancia		Lancia Ypsilon	1996–present	over 870,000 to 2005.[55]
Lincoln		Lincoln Town Car	1981–2011	Approximately 2,290,000 not counting 2005–2011. (Production of 2005–2011 is unknown but a reasonable guess is about 160,000.)[30][56]
Lotus		Lotus Elise	1996–present	over 20,000 produced over two generations to December 2004.[57]
McLaren		McLaren 12C	2011–2014	1000th sold by June 2012 in a single generation.[58]
Maserati		Maserati Biturbo	1981–1994	Over 38,000[59]
Mazda		Mazda Familia	1963–2003	Over 10,000,000 up to 1995.[60]
Mercedes-Benz		Mercedes-Benz C-Class	1993–present	6,900,000 to November 2006.[61]
Mercury		Mercury Grand Marquis	1983–2011	2,687,888 from 1983–2009 (excludes 2010–2011 models); also excludes approximately 270,000 1975–82 Grand Marquis built as part of the Marquis series.[29][30][62]
Messerschmitt		Messerschmitt KR200	1955–1964	30,286
Metropolitan		Metropolitan	1958–61	55,215 as a separate marque under AMC.[63]
Mitsubishi		Mitsubishi Lancer	1973–present	Over 6,000,000 to the end of 2006.[64]
Nash		Nash Statesman	1950–56	Approximately 340,000.[29]
Nissan		Nissan Sunny/Sentra/Pulsar/Almera	1966–present	Over 15,900,000.[51] Ten generations, and four nameplates depending on marketplace.
Oldsmobile		Oldsmobile Cutlass	1961–99	11,900,000 across several platforms and generations.[65]
Opel		Opel Corsa	1982–present	Over 18,000,000 sold worldwide in 25 years and in 4 generations. 10 million of them were sold only in Europe.[66]
Packard		Packard Eight	1933–36 1938 1942 1948–50	Approximately 250,000.[29][39]
Peel		Peel Trident	1965–66	82 in a single generation.[67]
Perodua		Perodua Myvi	2005–present	77,657 at 2010. (or about 1,500,000 since 2005.)[17]
Peugeot		Peugeot 206	1998–2012	Approximately 8,600,000 to 2012.[68]
Plymouth		Plymouth Fury	1959–78	Approximately 3,680,000 (counting VIPs, but not counting 1959 and 1962 Sport Furys and 1975–77 Gran Furys).[29][30]
Pontiac		Pontiac Grand Am	1973–75, 1978–80, 1985–2005	Over 4,000,000.[69]
Porsche		Porsche 911	1963–present	820,000 produced up to 2013.[70]
Rambler		Rambler Classic	1961–66	Approximately 1,460,000 (including those produced in 1966 under AMC).[29][30]
Renault		Renault Clio	1991–present	12,300,000 up to 2013.[13]
Rolls-Royce		Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow	1965–80	29,030 produced over a single generation.[71]
Saab		Saab 900	1978–93	908,810.[72] in the first generation.
Saturn		Saturn S-Series	1991–2002	Approximately 2,210,000 not counting 2002 (sales of 2002 are unknown).[73]
SEAT		SEAT Ibiza	1984–present	3,949,597 up to 2008.[20]	The sales of the fourth generation of the SEAT Ibiza, as well as those of its derivatives (such as the SEAT Córdoba and the SEAT Inca, or the rebadged versions) are not included in the figures.
Simca		Simca 1100	1967–1982	2,139,400	Figures include a small number of complete knock down (CKD) kits and commercial versions.[74]
Smart		Smart Fortwo	1998–	Over 1,500,000 by mid-2013.[75]
Studebaker		Studebaker Champion	1939–42 1946–58	Approximately 1,320,000.[29][39]
Subaru		Subaru Legacy	1988–present	Over 3,000,000 to 2005.[76]
Škoda		Škoda Octavia	1996–present	Over 6,000,000 to 2016.[12]
Toyota		Toyota Corolla	1966–present	40,000,000 through July 2013.[2]
Tesla Motors		Tesla Model S	2012–present	100,000 by December 2015.[77]
Trabant		Trabant	1957–91	Over 3,000,000.[78]
Volkswagen		Volkswagen Golf	1974–present	30,000,000 by mid June 2013.[79] Became Volkswagen's bestseller in 2002.
Volvo		Volvo 200 Series	1974–93	2,862,573.[21]
Willys		Willys 77	1933–36	Approximately 68,000.[80]
ZAZ		Zaporozhets	1960–94	3,422,444.[24]

Class bestsellers

Class	Image	Automobile	Production	Units Sold	Notes
All-electric car		Nissan Leaf	2010–present	200,000 sold by December 2015.[77]	The world's bestselling all-electric car in history.[77][81]
Full-size car		Chevrolet Impala	1958–1985 1994–1996 2000–present	Over 13,000,000 between its introduction and 1996.[37]	The bestselling car in America in a single year, with 1,046,514 sold in 1965 including the Impala SS.[29]
Hybrid electric vehicle		Toyota Prius	1997–present	3,600,000 in three generations up to November 2015.[82] Combined sales of the Prius family nameplate reached 5,264,307 units through July 2015,[83]	The world's all-time best selling hybrid electric vehicle.[82]
Pickup truck		Ford F-Series	1948–present	Over 34,000,000 America's bestselling vehicle for 28 consecutive years;[26] 33,900,000 in 12 generations to May 2010.[26]	World's bestselling truck for thirty consecutive years.[84]
Plug-in hybrid		Chevrolet Volt	2010–present	100,000 sold by October 2015.[85]	The world's bestselling plug-in hybrid.[86] Sales include over 9,900 Opel/Vauxhall Ampera variants sold in Europe through September 2015.[85]
Full-size luxury car		Cadillac De Ville	1959–2005	Approximately 3,870,000 excluding early Series 62 hardtops, 1981–1988, 1991–93, and 2000–05. (Total production for 1981–1988, 1991–93 and 2000–05 is unknown but a good guess is over 1,300,000.)[29][30]
Racing car		Porsche 911 GT3 Cup	1998–	1,400 up to 2011[87][88]
Rotary engined car		Mazda RX-7	1978–2002	811,634 in three generations to 2005.[89]
Single-cylinder car		Iso/BMW/VELAM/Romi Isetta	1953–61	161,728 in all variations[90]
Sports car		Nissan Z-cars	1969–99 2003–present	1,535,000 in five generations up to 2005.[91]
Two-seat convertible sports car		Mazda MX-5	1989–present	Over 940,000 in the first two generations to June 2014.[92]	Verified by the Guinness Book of Records as the bestselling two-seater, convertible (open top) sports car in history.[92]
Van		Volkswagen Type 2 (Transporter)	1950–present	Over 12,000,000 in six generations to August 2015[93]	Best-selling van nameplate of all-time.[93] Second-generation T2 sold for 46 years (1967–2013), longest production run of any van and second-longest production of any Volkswagen (except for Type 1 Beetle).

See also

• List of automobile sales by model
• Automotive industry
• List of automotive superlatives

References