Autoblog

Mercedes says it's tops in luxury sales for 2012, not BMW

David Kiley — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:59:00 EST

It turns out that Mercedes-Benz North America has legitimate claim to being the top selling luxury nameplate in the US in 2012.

While sources such as Autodata had put BMW in the top spot, registration data from R.L. Polk shows that Mercedes customers registering new vehicles topped the Bavarian automaker in the most recent calendar year. Polk says Benz posted 274,123 registrations, compared with BMW's 268,498.

In terms of sales posted, BMW had bested Benz 281,460 to 274,134. But sales are recorded somewhat inconsistently from automaker to automaker. Some book the sales as soon as they are shipped from factory to dealer. There is perennial gamesmanship between the two German rivals, and the sales numbers suggest that BMW pushed out some extra sheetmetal to dealers in the last four weeks of the year.

Polk officials have not released their numbers to the public, but Autoblog obtained them from Mercedes-Benz.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the International Motor Press Association in New York City, Mercedes-Benz North America chief Steve Cannon said, "Cars sold to people in the calendar year who then register their vehicles seems to be a more accurate measure of real sales than just the raw sales numbers."

Cannon claims that BMW used "various methods" to beef up its sales in December, as Mercedes had been watching month-to-month registrations all year, and had been leading BMW for 11 months. Cannon said, "When you look at the difference between our sales and registrations, there is a discrepancy of 11. When you look at BMW's, there is a discrepancy of 13,000."

A BMW spokesman said the company stands by its sales figures.

Mercedes says it's tops in luxury sales for 2012, not BMW originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi threatening BMW as luxury leader

George Kennedy — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

For the last seven years, BMW has had a stranglehold on the top spot in the luxury car market. That reign is in danger of coming to and end, as Audi sales are on the rise. According to an Automotive News Europe report, Audi cut the difference in sales between itself and BMW to only 2,110 vehicles sold so far this year.

Analysts point to the growth of the A-class vehicle segment, and Audi's established presence in that market in the form of the A3. Bolstered by products like the redesigned A3, Audi sold 108,100 total units in the month of August, compared to BMW's 102,730.

This time last year, BMW had a lead of more than 40,000 on Audi. But The upstart from Ingolstadt is finally seeing tangible results of a 20 billion ($25.6 billion) investment in research and development by the Volkswagen Group. Since 2003, the luxury brand has doubled its vehicle portfolio, adding the Q7, Q5, and R8, and new vehicles such as the A1 subcompact and Q3 compact crossover.

Audi overtook Mercedes-Benz in 2011, leaving only BMW in its sights. According to the report, Audi's intent is to supplant BMW as the top premium brand by the year 2020.

Another factor in Audi's success has been its sales in China, where BMW hasn't been quite so quick to develop a strong market presence.

With 961,000 vehicles sold through eight months, Audi could very likely eclipse its 2011 sales totals of 1.3 million units. Will it be enough to surpass BMW? Only time will tell.

Audi threatening BMW as luxury leader originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac sets sights on No. 1

Scott Burgess — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Marketing/Advertising, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Don Butler, Cadillac's vice president of marketing, says Cadillac will to return as the No. 1 luxury brand in the United States, some day.

"It's my goal that we're the No. 1 luxury brand in the U.S.," Butler said. "I'm not going to say when we hope to achieve that, yet, but there's no reason to aim for anything less."

Cadillac certainly has reason to think it's moving up. The all-new 2013 ATS arrives next month to directly compete with the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C300. The larger Cadillac XTS launched last month, and next year, the third generation CTS arrives and new Escalade will also roll into dealerships.

"We've gone nearly three years without new product," Butler said. "Now we're bringing in some great vehicles."

Currently, Cadillac would need to add more than 100,000 units to take the top spot from Mercedes-Benz, which sold 261,573 units in 2011. Cadillac sold 152,389 vehicles in 2011. And that's just to top Mercedes. Lexus, which lost its top spot last year, has vowed to recapture it and Audi recently said it plans on becoming the No. 1 luxury brand in the world.

Cadillac sales are currently down 18.6 percent for the year, according to Autodata Corp. though that number will likely change dramatically when the ATS hits showrooms. Luxury vehicle sales are up 12.8 percent and luxury car sales are up 16.8 percent.

Butler readily admits that Cadillac has a lot of work to do to get back on top. The brand's name used to be synonymous with luxury; it was the Cadillac of luxury brands. But it hasn't been that for decades.

"We used to be up on a pedestal," he said. "Now, we're not."

Cadillac sets sights on No. 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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