Tesla Model Y powers toward being No. 1-seller for 5th time in 8 months

The Tesla Model Y appears to be a lock to finish August as Europe's top-seller, taking that crown for the fifth time in eight months.

Powered by a 189 percent rise in volume, Tesla sold 19,725 Model Ys during the month, based on preliminary figures from market researcher Dataforce.

In July, the Model Y finished 17th.

The Volkswagen T-Roc, which was July's top-seller, is in a tight race with the Peugeot 208 for second place.

The T-Roc has a lead of 315 units over the 208, according to data representing 95 percent of sales in the European Union, the EFTA countries and the U.K.

The T-Roc's sales were down 4.4 percent to 14,593, while the 208's volume was up 2.5 percent to 14,278.

The Dacia Sandero, which has been among Europe's top-sellers all year, sat in fourth place, just 324 sales ahead of the VW Golf.

The Sandero's August sales were down 5.3 percent to 13,663 while the Golf's volume was up 12 percent to 13,339.

There are also very close races for No. 6 and No. 8 on the list of August's top-sellers.

The Opel/Vauxhall Corsa, up 10 percent to 12,592, had a lead of just 19 sales over the surging Renault Clio, up 163 percent to 12,573, Dataforce's figures show.

Meanwhile, the VW Tiguan, aided by an 8.3 percent rise, is ahead of the Citroen C3, down 2 percent, by 214 sales for eighth place for the month.

That means there could be some changes once all markets have reported their sales data.

Other cars poised to make big sales gains in August are the Tesla Model 3 (+278 percent), Toyota Corolla (+32 percent) and VW ID4 (+79 percent).

Sales growth at Tesla, which has been offering discounts on the Model Y since January, has not been linear. The premium midsize SUV was Europe's top-seller in February, March, May and June but didn't make the top 10 in January, April and July.

The Model Y's rebound in August means the premium midsize crossover has claimed the No. 1 slot in the race to be Europe's overall top-seller from the Dacia Sandero. Through eight months, the Model Y leads the Sandero 153,191 to 148,080, according to Dataforce. That advantage is likely to grow in September as Tesla historically has had its strongest sales during the final month of a financial quarter.

If the Model Y's success continues, it would become the first premium midsize SUV, first full-electric model and first Tesla to finish the year as Europe's best-seller.

So far this year the Sandero has been Europe's No. 1 seller twice (January and April) while the T-Roc was tops in July.

Over the first eight months the biggest winners have included the Model Y (+198 percent), Dacia Jogger (+80 percent), Clio (+58 percent), Volvo XC40 and Skoda Karoq (both +36 percent) and the Nissan Qashqai (+23 percent).