Global Sales March 2007: Audi, BMW, MB.

[Yperion]

Audi Vehicle Sales Rise 10 Pct in March

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen-owned premium carmaker Audi AG broke the mark of 100,000 units sold in a month after it delivered 10 percent more vehicles to customers in March, the company said on Wednesday.

Some 103,000 Audis were driven off dealer lots last month, bringing the first-quarter total to more than 248,000 vehicles -- a rise of 9.4 percent.

Audi's head of marketing and sales, Ralph Weyler, said breaching the 100,000 mark last month was a sign of the brand's strength and the company's model range.

"It has also put us a step closer to our goal of exceeding the record-breaking figures achieved last year," he said in a statement.

Audi is racking up sales on the back of its popular Q7 sport utility vehicle, first launched on March 10 2006, and the revamped TT Roadster.

Deliveries rose 20 percent both in China and the UK, two key foreign markets, as well as 15 percent in the United States, while managing to stay flat in Germany despite a weaker domestic car market.

Source: http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news...066_RTRIDST_0_SP_PAGE_023-L04325066-OISBI.XML

 

[Yperion]

BMW repeats 2007 car sales to rise after drop in March

FRANKFURT, April 10 (Reuters) - BMW , the world's largest premium carmaker, reiterated on Tuesday it expects new models to boost sales in coming months, after sales dropped in March.

New models, including a convertible and more versions of its Mini brand, will help the German carmaker increase car sales by a "higher" one-digit percentage amount this year, BMW said in a statement, repeating its previous target.

In March, sales at its three brands, BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce, slipped 1.9 percent from a year earlier to 141,568 cars.

Rolls-Royce was the only brand to post an increase in unit sales, of 6.4 percent, while BMW reported a 2 percent decline and Mini a 1.5 percent fall. Sales of motorbikes rose 28.2 percent.

Source: UPDATE 1-BMW repeats 2007 car sales to rise after drop in March | Transportation | Reuters

 

[Yperion]

Mercedes Car Group Delivers 286,800 Vehicles Globally in First Quarter 2007

Stuttgart, April 04, 2007 -- The Mercedes Car Group delivered 286,800 vehicles to customers around the world in the first quarter 2007, compared with 295,000 in the same month last year. In March 2007, sales of Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart brand vehicles totaled 127,000 units (same month last year: 138,400). Deliveries of Mercedes-Benz for the first quarter increased three percent to the record level of 274,400 passenger vehicles (Q1 2006: 266,000 units). Following sales in March 2006 that were well above average (125,500), Mercedes-Benz sold 122,900 passenger cars in March 2007. This result makes this year’s March the second best sales month ever.

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class got off to an excellent start at the end of March. For the presentation of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class on March 31, 2007, German retailers registered the highest number of visitors ever with a total of 470,000 customers in their showrooms. At the time of its market launch, 80,000 orders had already been received for the sedan. Test drives are also very much in demand. In addition to about 7,000 test drives conducted on the weekend of the launch, appointments have been made for 10,000 additional drives within the next few days.

The new-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class also performed extremely well during the first quarter of 2007. Mercedes-Benz sold 60,200 units of the upper-range automobile worldwide (plus 15 percent). The Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class also recorded a very positive first milestone in March: More than 100,000 units of the four-door coupe have been delivered to customers around the world since the vehicle was launched in October 2004.

In the United States, sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles from January to March were up nine percent from the same period last year, reaching a record total of 56,000 units. A new sales record was set in the Asia/Pacific region as well, with sales there increasing four percent to 34,200 units. During the first quarter as a whole, Mercedes-Benz delivered 159,900 vehicles to customers in Western Europe (Q1 2006: 159,600).

The new smart fortwo made its market debut on the last weekend in March, at which time 50,000 customers had already ordered one of the new two-seaters. Global sales of smart amounted to 4,100 units in March, and were therefore in line with expectations.

Source: Mercedes Car Group

 

[wltsm]

Audi is doing very well, and they have the A5 and R8 to look forward to!

 

[Yperion]

Mercedes sales added.

March 2007 (core brands only):

Audi: 103,000 (+10%) ... YTD 248,000 vehicles (+9.4%)

Mercedes: 122,900 (-2.0%) ... YTD 274,400 vehicles (+3.0%)

BMW: 120,077 (-2.0%) ... YTD 286,175 vehicles (+1.0%)

 

[Yperion]

Where are the BMW figures? Why it is taking them so long?

 

[LaArtist]

^they sold so much..so it takes a while to add it up..

 

[far2000]

^they sold so much..so it takes a while to add it up..

nice 1..haha

 

[Yperion]

they sold so much..so it takes a while to add it up..

Lol...you are a bad boy...

 

[EnI]

BMW figures added.

March 2007 (core brands only):

Audi: 103,000 (+10%) ... YTD 248,000 vehicles (+9.4%)

Mercedes: 122,900 (-2.0%) ... YTD 274,400 vehicles (+3.0%)

BMW: 120,077 (-2.0%) ... YTD 286,175 vehicles (+1.0%)

Mind that new W204 MB C-class (most important MB model sales wise) has just started sales in late March.

Also: facelifted 5er & 1er (2nd & 3rd most important BMW models sales wise) went on sales in the end of March, and E70 X5 (4th most important model sales wise) was launched in Europe & RoW in late March / early April.

While Audi has launched A5/S5 coupe in March.

 

[LaArtist]

hmm really??
the first deliveries where around the start of april..
maybe like some folks got theirs on the last 2 days of march..

do you think the new C class made such an impact allready??

i think we will see the result of the new C..in the coming months

PS
Glad to see that all germans are in the greens...and yay MB

 

[EnI]

hmm really??
the first deliveries where around the start of april..
maybe like some folks got theirs on the last 2 days of march..

do you think the new C class made such an impact allready??

i think we will see the result of the new C..in the coming months

PS
Glad to see that all germans are in the greens...and yay MB

My point was MB & BMW sales were low due severe model changing (C by MB; 5er, 1er & X5 by BMW), and that we could expect much better monthly sales / increases by BMW & MB in the following months.

Also: Audi's growth index is still riding on Q7 introduction (late march 2006), and this contribution will fade away in the next months. So, A5 will have to kick in a lot to drive such sales increase on. But I doubt that since Q7 is much bigger volume player than A5. So, Audi growth will depend on China & UK markets - if they still grow so rapidly as in 1stQ.

 

[Yperion]

Audi numbers are great so far. One step closer to the other two at a time.

We must take into account that the key model of the lineup (the A4) is old and sales are significantly down this year. Imagine what will happen when both the A4 and Q5 enter the market by the end of year.

 

[LaArtist]

My point was MB & BMW sales were low due severe model changing (C by MB; 5er, 1er & X5 by BMW), and that we could expect much better monthly sales / increases by BMW & MB in the following months.

Also: Audi's growth index is still riding on Q7 introduction (late march 2006), and this contribution will fade away in the next months. So, A5 will have to kick in a lot to drive such sales increase on. But I doubt that since Q7 is much bigger volume player than A5. So, Audi growth will depend on China & UK markets - if they still grow so rapidly as in 1stQ.

ohh okay gotcha

 

[EnI]

Audi numbers are great so far. One step closer to the other two at a time.

We must take into account that the key model of the lineup (the A4) is old and sales are significantly down this year. Imagine what will happen when both the A4 and Q5 enter the market by the end of year.

Yep, new A4 & Q5 in 2007/08, & A1 in 2009 are still a big sales boosters to come for Audi. And A3 cabrio, and A6 facelift.

Also new C-class, and GLK next year are also going to boost MB sales quite a lot. And new CLK & E coming. Plus many facelifts (SL, SLK, CLS, A, B, R).

While BMW will increase sales with X6, F5, 1er 3dr hatch, 1er coupe & cabrio, 3er facelift & new Z4.


The fight will be interesting. Especially I'm eager to see what will happen in China. MB started production there recently, BMW expanded production capabilities there, and both signed fresh contracts with Chinese government. It will be interesting to see how much they will be able to catch Audi there.


******

I'm also eager to see the UK market development. Audi is going crazy there with 20% increase (due Q7, new TT, A4 cabrio???). Will they be able to retain such a crazy pace?