Volkswagen Gol outsells Maruti Suzuki Alto as world's largest selling small car

However, with the recent success of cheaper Alto 800, the Alto is expected to claw back the lead. 

After keeping hold of the top spot for two consecutive years, Maruti Suzuki’s Alto has paved the way for Volkswagen Gol, which is now officially the world’s largest selling small car. The decade-old Alto has been top trumped by the Gol which happens to be one of Brazil’s top selling cars. The Gol, in fact, has been the largest selling small car in Brazil for 18 years!

Sales of Maruti Suzuki Alto took a serious blow in the year 2012 because of hike in petrol prices and shift in demand for diesel-powered cars; the Alto’s 2012 sales, as a result, dropped by 8 per cent to 286,883 units in India.

The Volkswagen Gol, on the other hand, continued its stellar performance in Brazil. With a total of 293,293 units sold in 2012, the car outsold the Alto by a fairly small margin. However, with the recent success of the cheaper Alto 800, come 2014 and we may well see the Alto clawing back the lead. 

Source: Hindustan Times