Vauxhall cars star in European sales chart
Vauxhall can celebrate a successful 2011 after two of its cars were named in the top five best-sellers in Europe over the past 12 months.
The Vauxhall Astra, which was the seventh best-seller in Europe in 2010, moved up two places to finish fifth in the charts.
This is good news for the Ellesmere Port factory in Cheshire, which currently builds the Vauxhall Astra hatchback and the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer.
Astra sales are expected to be boosted even further in 2012 after the introduction of a third body style, the sporty three-door Vauxhall Astra GTC coupe, this year.
However, the small family car could not match sales of the new Vauxhall Corsa. After an update in 2010, the three- or five-door supermini has enjoyed a surge in sales across Europe.
The Vauxhall Corsa was the fourth most popular car in Europe in 2011, the latest figures reveal.
In total, European car sales dipped by 1.2 per cent across the continent in the past 12 months, according to the latest sales figures.
However, Vauxhall has enjoyed success abroad and in the UK market, where the Vauxhall Insignia joined the Corsa and Astra in the top ten best-sellers, outselling key rivals from Ford and Volkswagen in the process.
The large family car, available in hatchback and estate body styles, was the best-selling car of its segment in the UK.
Vauxhall's range will be boosted in 2012 with the introduction of the Astra GTC coupe, the new, seven-seat Vauxhall Zafira Tourer and the new Vauxhall Ampera, the first extended-range electric car in the Vauxhall range.
A new city car, the Vauxhall Junior, is planned for 2013 to complete the new-look Vauxhall range.