Citroeen's ZX compact car sold 1.4 million in Europe. With its replacement, the Xsara, Citroen is aiming at a market sector that in 1996 accounted for 3.93 million new car registrations in Europe. For the past six years, this M1 sector has accounted for around 30 per cent of all European new car sales, and it is likely to continue to be the second largest, just behind the B or small car sector. In several European countries M1 signifies lower mid-range cars, in other countries, particularly in North America, it stands for compact cars. Whatever the definition and description in the various sales campaigns, the M1 sector is probably the most hotly contested one. The loss of a few percentage points in market penetration can force a manufacturer to rush out a new model.
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