Global car sales February 2011: Audi, BMW, MB

[KokkenTor]

Audi: 91.450 (+20.6%) … YTD: 186.850 (+21,6%)

BMW: 95.423 (+21,9%) ... YTD: 186.279 (+25,8%)
MINI: 16.045 (+19,3%) ... YTD: 30.170 (+17,6%)
Rolls-Royce: 252 (+276,1%) ... YTD: 462 (+200,0%)
BMW Group: 111.720 (+21,7%) ... YTD: 216.911 (+24,7%)


MB: 79,500 (+10.3%) ... YTD 162,200 (+16.6%)
Smart: 7,000 (+6.6%) ... YTD: 13,700 (+12.9%)
MB Cars: 86,500 (+10.0%)... YTD: 175,900 (+16.3%)

 

[Merc1]

We may see history (AUDI) this year at the current pace.


M

 

[EnI]

We may see history (AUDI) this year at the current pace. M

Audi has a tradition of great (even exceptional) start. Their 1Q sales are usually outperforming the other Qs.

They'll get the boost by A6 sales, especially the Avant when introduced in Europe. But that's it. A1 seems not to sell as well as planned - due to too high price. New A8 sales are also not that significant since due to relatively low-volume nature of the car. The all-new Q3 is coming too late. A3 even next year.

While BMW will get the boost of 5er Touring sales (missing last year till 4Q) - at least in Europe. X1 is coming to US later this year - where is expected to be selling like hot cakes to young(er) females especially. New 1er hatch is coming to Europe markets in the Fall. The new X3 just started the exceptional sales globally.

But with new A3, Q3 etc Audi will become a formidable competitor for the top place. 2012 will be "fatal" for BMw in this respect - since the new 3er is coming, and 3er model changeover will definitely cause some significant drop in sales (when E90/1) production is stopped. Except BMW will be smart enough to pile the E90/1 inventories, and sell them with bargain.

MB? It seems they've lost the sales figure game already. Perhaps C-class LCI will give them some boost. Perhaps the new B as well. New A & BLK are coming too late. And new ML is late too. although the current one is still selling very well.

 

[Zafiro]

Lets not forget the new SLK and SLS (altough not a massive sales like E-class naturally).

 

[Human]

Audi has a tradition of great (even exceptional) start. Their 1Q sales are usually outperforming the other Qs.

They'll get the boost by A6 sales, especially the Avant when introduced in Europe. But that's it. A1 seems not to sell as well as planned - due to too high price. New A8 sales are also not that significant since due to relatively low-volume nature of the car. The all-new Q3 is coming too late. A3 even next year.

While BMW will get the boost of 5er Touring sales (missing last year till 4Q) - at least in Europe. X1 is coming to US later this year - where is expected to be selling like hot cakes to young(er) females especially. New 1er hatch is coming to Europe markets in the Fall. The new X3 just started the exceptional sales globally.

But with new A3, Q3 etc Audi will become a formidable competitor for the top place. 2012 will be "fatal" for BMw in this respect - since the new 3er is coming, and 3er model changeover will definitely cause some significant drop in sales (when E90/1) production is stopped. Except BMW will be smart enough to pile the E90/1 inventories, and sell them with bargain.

MB? It seems they've lost the sales figure game already. Perhaps C-class LCI will give them some boost. Perhaps the new B as well. New A & BLK are coming too late. And new ML is late too. although the current one is still selling very well.

I was told (when I visited BMW Plant Rosslyn) that the new 3er sedan build here in SA for L/H + R/H drive markets will roll from the assembly line as from August 2011....

 

[Bartek S.]

In Europe, the German group’s biggest region, sales grew 16.8 percent to 57,381 units, while Asia accounted for 25,722 units and climbed 49.3%, and sales in the Americas were up 14.7% to 24,640 vehicles in February.

The company posted double-digit growth in its three largest single markets in February as new registrations in Germany climbed 20.8 percent to 18,883 vehicles. In the U.S. the group sold 19,919 vehicles (+10.8%) and in China, 16,511 vehicles (+72%) in February.

The automaker posted strong gains in other regions as well, with sales in South Korea rising 54.9% to 1,797 units, in India, +68% to 620 units and in Brazil, +101% to 938 cars.

 

[Human]

We may see history (AUDI) this year at the current pace.


M

Deja vu! We hear those words every year about Audi

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Benz has got to do better than that.

Even though I hate for them to go smaller and cheaper a smaller sedan under the C-class would be great. That A & B class simply look like mini buses. Maybe that's why they haven't started selling them over here. Even something to rival the X1 (That actually looks good unlike the GLK) would be great too).

Secondly they need to do something with smart. More options (cars), better designs and improved engineering/quality would be a great start.

Third, Maybach either needs to be killed or redesigned ASAP. Of course it still won't give MB any Big numbers, but it will help.

 

[EnI]

Chinese market February 2011 sales:

Audi: 18,926
BMW: approx. 15,500 (16,511 incl MINI & Rolls-Royce: approx 1,000 units)
MB: 12,200

Interesting. Audi usually sold twice as much cars as BMW & MB did in Chinese market. Now it seems Audi advantage in Chinese market is melting. Now Audi is selling "only" around 30% more cars than BMW, and about 60% more than MB (BMW approx. 25% more than MB). BMW & MB are caching up - both planning to increase domestic production to come even closer to Audi market share.

 

[Wolfgang]

Benz has got to do better than that.

Recent comment from Daimler.




Daimler’s Dieter Zetsche: Sales Are Not Our No. 1 Priority

Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG, doesn’t much care about car sales. At least, that’s what he told a group of reporters at a round-table interview recently.

“BMW are the winners last year yes of course because they sold two units more,” the silver-mustachioed German said with a laugh. “I said in October where we were considerably ahead of BMW, ‘We will not sell more than BMW this year because I know they will do everything to make that happen. And I want to have margins so I don’t give a shit who does’” [have more].

Zetsche went on to say that “from a pure business standpoint this whole industry would be much better off with less ego trips.”

Daimler’s Dieter Zetsche: Sales Are Not Our No. 1 Priority - Hannah Elliott - De Luxe - Forbes

 

[Zafiro]

LoL@Dieter.

 

[EnI]

I was told (when I visited BMW Plant Rosslyn) that the new 3er sedan build here in SA for L/H + R/H drive markets will roll from the assembly line as from August 2011....

 

[footie]

Whether Audi overtake BMW will greatly depend on how well both the A6 and A7 are received. So far the press are giving very promising reviews for both cars, something that hasn't be forthcoming on the last A6 yet it still sold like hot cakes so this added bonus should help them achieve or at the very least get closer to their goal of being the biggest of these three.

 

[ACE]

Deja vu! We hear those words every year about Audi

Audi aims to become the number one luxury carmaker by 2015. So you can't really say Audi have failed until 2015. They are definitely closing in on BMW although the rate slowed in 2010.

 

[EnI]

^

#1 premium carmaker? Definitely not. BMW Group will remain on top. Since they already sell about 1.5 million cars per year (1.46 million in 2010).

#1 premuim brand by sales? Perhaps.

Yes, but Audi CEO Stadler said not necessarily as #1 in sales but #1 in image & perceived quality etc.

Just like Audi, BMW also has a target to reach sales of 1.5 million BMW (BMW brand only) units by 2015. Daimler (MB + smart!) target by 2015 is also 1.5 million units sold.

In 2010 BMW sold 1.224 million BMWs, Audi sold 1.1 million Audis, and Daimler sold 1.167 million MBs.

And all three brands coming up with further model line-up expansion - especially the smaller high-volume models: Audi Q3, Q1, A3 new variants etc.; BMW sub-1er models, new 1er & 3er variants; MB BLK, new A variants etc.

But ... Just like in the economy segments VAG can also start price war in premium segments as well: selling eg. Audi cars for quite less money compared to comparable BMW & MB models - which can hurt low-end variants of specific models within specific series / class in some (eg. European) markets. That - if BMW & MB won't follow - can boost Audi sales a lot! And Audi can do that since they make huge profits, even now - and will be even more when synergy integration within VAG will be 100% in place.

It's for sure Audi / VAG will set the tempo in the future. That's inevitable. And @ certain point Audi will become #1 selling premium brand, and VAG (with potential Porsche expansion & potential Alfa Romeo acquisition) becoming a #1 premium carmaker. A bit ironic People's car (Volkswagen) becoming a premium carmaker in the world, don't you think?

 

[braaf]

Whether Audi overtake BMW will greatly depend on how well both the A6 and A7 are received. So far the press are giving very promising reviews for both cars, something that hasn't be forthcoming on the last A6 yet it still sold like hot cakes so this added bonus should help them achieve or at the very least get closer to their goal of being the biggest of these three.

Don't think so, they are not volume sellers so wont make that big a difference.

 

[footie]

Don't think so, they are not volume sellers so wont make that big a difference.

They only need a relatively small increase to overtake BMW so it's doable in my opinion.

 

[Zafiro]

They only need a relatively small increase to overtake BMW so it's doable in my opinion.

If Audi doesnt make it in US , its going to take many years before Audi become no 1 imo

 

[dalab]

They only need a relatively small increase to overtake BMW so it's doable in my opinion.

In 2010 BMW sold 1.224 million BMWs, Audi sold 1.1 million Audis, and Daimler sold 1.167 million MBs.

You think is small increase?..............the diference is 124.000 cars, for example last year all ALFA ROMEO brand sold 110.000 cars.
is very difficult to increase sales in these figures
Can be achieved, but on the other hand, bmw is far from lying still.

 

[Merc1]

Recent comment from Daimler.




Daimler’s Dieter Zetsche: Sales Are Not Our No. 1 Priority

Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG, doesn’t much care about car sales. At least, that’s what he told a group of reporters at a round-table interview recently.

“BMW are the winners last year yes of course because they sold two units more,” the silver-mustachioed German said with a laugh. “I said in October where we were considerably ahead of BMW, ‘We will not sell more than BMW this year because I know they will do everything to make that happen. And I want to have margins so I don’t give a shit who does’” [have more].

Zetsche went on to say that “from a pure business standpoint this whole industry would be much better off with less ego trips.”

Daimler’s Dieter Zetsche: Sales Are Not Our No. 1 Priority - Hannah Elliott - De Luxe - Forbes

And I agree, I've always said that Mercedes shouldn't be in a sales race. considering their prices. All Mercedes needs to do is make the best car, be profitable and innovate. What how all of sudden unimportant sales will become for a certain group of folks here when Audi takes the #1 spot.


M