Portugal Production : 2024-25

You may not think of Portugal as having a vehicle assembly industry yet it does. It isn't the biggest but has been growing. 2025 was the second best year ever, only 2019 outperforming it. In 2025, production was up 3% to 269,500.

PCs: VW is the main contributor here with 89% of the total. That comes via the T-Roc model (pic above). As for the Stellantis quartet, they are vans with seats so small such as the Berlingo and Rifter. Vauxhall models would come under Opel. 

CVs: Stellantis again has the van range sans seats. Fuso makes the Canter, Toyota the Land Cruiser 70 and Caetano zero emission buses. Overall, 329,500 cvs were made in 2025, up 5%.

Summary: Success for Portugal in challenging times for vehicle manufacturing. 

Data source: ACAP.

Slovenia Passenger Car Sales : 2025

Formerly part of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Slovenia is known for its beautiful scenery, the architecture in the capital Ljubljana and for wine production. I've not been there but I'd like to visit. 

For 2025 passenger car sales were up 8% and compared to the average over the previous five years, up 12%. I usually do a previous ten year comparison, but I believe the source's counting system changed in 2019.  

Volkswagen overtook Renault in 2014 and remained at the top ever since. In recent times, Škoda has been swapping second spot with Renault and in 2025 is won that duel for now.

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand. 

Top 50 Models.

 

Data source: ADS. Photos Škoda above (Fabia) & Dacia models below. 

Mercedes-Benz Vans Global Deliveries : 2023-2025

It seems an odd fit for the premium marque M-B to also have a van range but they do and it is successful. Their brief foray into pick up trucks was a spectacular flop so they retreated back to what does work for them. 

M-B actually made the first working van in 1896. The modern day van range started with the L 319 in 1956. So vans are part of M-B's DNA.

On to recent history. In 2023, wholesale deliveries were up 10 to 447,790. 2024 reached 405,610 units but that represented a drop of 9%. 2025 recorded an 11% reduction in deliveries. 

Regions: Europe (without Germany) is down 13% and Asia (without China) is up 12%. North America (-28%) and China (-25%) have pulled things down. When combined, 70% of sales are Europe/Germany.  

Van classed as commercial vehicles account for 83% of the volume and passenger vans 17%. The Sprinter contributed 189,000 sales to the total, the Vito/V-Class 140,600 and the Titan/T-Class 29,700.  M-B is to end the Titan/T-Class range in 2026 and focus on the more profitable larger vans. 

Electric van sales came to 27,488 units in 2025, up 46%. That is still just 7.7% of total van deliveries but at least they are improving. 

Conclusion: M-B has a strong brand image and the van range does that no harm at all. Moving away from small vans is a smart move, something the company is also doing with its car range.  

Data & photos: M-B. For passenger cars, simply click here.