Global sales through August 2012: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

[Wolfgang]

Audi ... 961,000
BMW .. 963,100
MB ..... 841,567

http://www.cnbc.com/id/48967662

 

[Zafiro]

Both Audi and BMW sold more than 100.000 cars than Mercedes.

 

[Tumbo]

Audi is o a roll! And this is even before the new A3 is getting out there. Interesting!

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Both Audi and BMW sold more than 100.000 cars than Mercedes.

Both BMW and Audi have far more 'cheaper' and 'smaller' vehicles. MB will close the gap with the new generation of small vehicles.

 

[Tumbo]

The battle between Audi and BMW is heating up.​

The gap last month between BMW and Audi in terms of luxury car sales was reduced to just 2,110 units so chances are that in the near future Audi could end BMW’s seven-year reign in premium auto deliveries. In the first eight months of the year, Audi increased its sales by 13 percent to 961,000 units, while BMW rose only by 7.8 percent to 963,110 cars, judging by the monthly sales reports published by both companies. Compared to 2011, the gap has diminished considerably as in August 2011 BMW had a lead of 40,513 units.
One of the reasons why Audi is doing so well is because since 2002 VW Group has invested no less than $25.6 billion (20 billion Euros) in its premium brand. Audi has now 12 model lines, as opposed to 2003 when they had only 6. Audi managed to overtake Mercedes-Benz last year and wants to take the lead from BMW by 2020.
A Commerzbank analyst by the name of Daniel Schwarz said that Audi will probably overtake BMW in the years to come unless “there are surprising shifts in market share which I don’t expect.” As a reminder, last month we reported (via The Wall Street Journal) that BMW might have faked its July sales to be the best-selling luxury brand in the United States, overtaking Mercedes-Benz.
More about the Audi-BMW comparison in the related link below.
​

Source: europe.autonews.com​

 

[far2000]

Mercedes has realy made some terrible decisions lately, especialy having the GLK available in LHD only, they missed out big timeon sales there, and the A class should have been golf hunting from the 1st gen not that POS.Lets hope new A will launch Merc sales offensive.BMW got x1,x3, audi got the q3,q5, and merc goes and makes the GLK LHD only. I dont see Merc winning the sales crown in the next coming years.

 

[Merc1]

And they shouldn't what they need to concentrate on is profit per vehicle and quality. Sales will take care of themselves. Audi may be number 1 in a few years, but their quality is at the bottom of the German 3 luxury makes, at least in the U.S.


M

 

[Tumbo]

Audi may be number 1 in a few years, but their quality is at the bottom of the German 3 luxury makes, at least in the U.S.
M

Is that so? US is for sure not their strongest market. But when you say "quality", what do you mean then? Curious, cause when it comes to quality in Europe, and the other strongest markets as China for example, Audi quality is at its best.

 

[donkeykong]

Not to mention the A4,A8 was just rated highest quality in class. I myself don't really know what to make of merc's comments.

 

[Wolfgang]

A) GLK available in LHD only
B) new A will launch Merc sales offensive

A) New GLK including RHD version is to launch in 2015.
B) New A sales start this weekend (w/ 50000 preorders).

 

[speed_kills]

How long till someone says "Audi's are everywhere" and how that's bad for the brand etc, etc.

 

[Merc1]

Is that so? US is for sure not their strongest market. But when you say "quality", what do you mean then? Curious, cause when it comes to quality in Europe, and the other strongest markets as China for example, Audi quality is at its best.

Reliability wise. Audi usually ranks behind BMW and far behind Mercedes.


M

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Not to mention the A4,A8 was just rated highest quality in class. I myself don't really know what to make of merc's comments.

Where was this?

Marcus is referring to the last few years of JD surveys where MB has improved massively and now battles with Lexus and Porsche for 1st place whereas BMW and AUDI have remained behind the 'industry average'. This relates to their initial quality studies (90 days of ownership) as well as their dependability surveys (3 years).

 

[donkeykong]

The A8 took the top over all spot in the JD power appeal study.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

The different studies conducted by JD measure different aspects of the vehicle ownership from initial appeal through to long term reliability.

APPEAL:
http://autos.jdpower.com/ratings/performance-press-release.htm

INITIAL QUALITY:
http://autos.jdpower.com/ratings/quality-press-release.htm

LONG TERM RELIABILITY:
http://www.jdpower.com/content/press-release-auto/Q5wPftR/2012-u-s-vehicle-dependability-study.htm

 

[Merc1]

If it isn't the 3-year dependability study, it doesn't matter. What car can't hold itself together for 90 days? APPEAL study means how much someone likes the car, i.e. design and what not reliability. Big difference.


M

 

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

FRANKFURT (Bloomberg) -- Audi cut BMW's lead in 2012 luxury-car sales to just 2,110 vehicles in August, threatening BMW's seven-year hold on the top position in premium auto deliveries.
The Volkswagen Group's luxury brand boosted eight-month sales 13 percent to 961,000 vehicles, compared with the BMW brand's 7.8 percent increase to 963,110 autos, according to the two companies' monthly sales reports. BMW, the world's largest-maker of luxury cars, led by 40,513 vehicles through August of last year.
VW is reaping the benefits from pouring 20 billion euros ($25.6 billion) into research and development at Audi since 2002. The luxury brand now sells 12 model lines, twice what it had in 2003, including three SUVs, the A1 compact and the R8 sports car. Audi, which ranks second in premium-vehicle deliveries since overtaking the Mercedes-Benz brand in 2011, has a goal of beating BMW by 2020.
Audi is likely to overtake BMW several years ahead of that target unless "there are surprising shifts in market share which I don't expect, especially in China," said Daniel Schwarz, a Frankfurt-based Commerzbank analyst. "They are the strongest growing luxury brand, and they just launched the A3, which is close to being their best-selling car in a peak year."
The updated A3 hatchback went on sale in Germany in August, three weeks ahead of Mercedes' updated A class. Mercedes plans to expand its lineup of compacts from two to at least five in the coming years, and has opened a new plant in Hungary dedicated to building smaller models. The A3, which made up 14 percent of Audi's 2011 deliveries, starts at 21,600 euros, undercutting the A-class's base price of 23,978 euros.
Audi momentum
"There will be more A-class derivatives over the coming years," said Commerzbank's Schwarz. "But the A3 is established in the market and will take the lead among the three brands, helping Audi to keep its sales momentum."
The 102,730 vehicles BMW sold in August fell short of the 108,100 sold by Audi, which also passed the BMW brand in deliveries in April and July. The VW unit's delivery growth was led by jumps so far this year of 33 percent in China and 18 percent in the United States, the world's two biggest auto markets.
"Every month the figures are surprisingly good," said Frankfurt-based Silvia Quandt analyst Albrecht Denninghoff. "Audi's growth is overwhelmingly because of China, with the United States also playing a role."
Chinese growth
BMW has been slower to capitalize on growth in the Chinese market than Audi, which has built cars in Changchun as part of a joint venture with First Automobile Works since 1996. BMW is now quadrupling its Chinese production capacity, having started manufacturing with partner Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. in 2003.
Surging China sales have helped Audi double deliveries in the last 10 years, and the luxury brand now accounts for 47 percent of group operating profit. Mercedes-Benz and BMW are both considering following Audi in setting up production in Mexico for the U.S. market, Carlos Guzman, head of ProMexico, said in an interview last month. Mercedes and BMW, unlike Audi, already have U.S. factories.
Audi will invest $1.3 billion in a plant in the state of Puebla to produce the Q5 SUV. The plant is scheduled to open in 2016 with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles. "The new factory will help Audi in the U.S.," Denninghoff said. "The 150,000 cars that will come there can certainly compensate for slowing growth in China."
BMW is expecting to regain some sales momentum with the arrival of the wagon version of its 3-series model in showrooms this month. The derivative usually accounts for two-thirds of 3-series registrations in Germany, the carmaker said last week.
BMW has held the luxury-car sales lead since 2005, when it passed Mercedes to grab the top spot.
Last year, BMW brand sold 1.38 million cars and SUVs. Audi sold 1.3 million units, while the Mercedes brand sold 1.26 million vehicles.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20120911/ANE/309119993#ixzz26MW8tq9I

 

[Deckhook]

It's was always a case of when rather than if it would happen.

 

[EnI]

As said many times: the new 3er Sedan is still completely missing from Chinese market! BMW's largest single market! A huge reserve for BMW sales there!

Local Chinese production & sales of LWB 3er Sedan version starts in late September (along with LCI X1). And do mind 3er (locally produced E90 was sold in standard wheelbase version only) was best selling model in Chinese market! While the new locally produced 3er will be exclusively produced & sold as LWB version, to be more competitive - to directly rival Audi A4L, by far best selling Audi model in China - tho model contributing most to Audi success story in China lately ... beside locally produced Q5.

Then there is X1 LCI - boosting already high sales in Europe, and do mind X1 is just debuting in China & USA for the first time!

Then E91 3er Touring was just launched in late July - the model extremely popular in Europe.

And there is F21 3dr 1er debuting in September.

xDrive 1er & xDrive 3er Sedan + Touring are debuting in September. Fleet-attractive 320d EfiicentDynamics & 116d ED are also being launched. And entry models like 316i, 114i, 114d, X3 sDrive18d.

And 1er hatch, 3er sedan, 3er Touring, X1 SAV are (beside X3 & X5) BMW's most important volume models!

Some additional sales will also come from 7er LCI, , 6er GC, and the M5 & M6 models, entry 520d GT etc

Q4 2012 will provide a significant boost to BMW total sales!


Audi ... A3 3dr (best-selling A3 Sportback still missing!) & Q5 LCI are launched in September, while Audi is already capitalizing on sales of A4 LCI, A5 LCI, new A6 Avant, Q3, A1 Sportback. Mind Audi launched 2 volume models lately: brand new Q3 & A1. The latest brand new volume model from BMW was X1. The next one will be 1er mini-van, than sub-1er etc.

I'm sure this year BMW will be able to hold the crown. But next years will be interesting: Audi launching A2, A3 sedan, A4 Super Avant, Q4, Q6, R5/Audi Coupe Quattro; sub-1er hatch, 1er SportsTourer (mini-van), 2er ActiveTourer, X4, 3er GT, 4er GC, i3 etc coming.

MB is coming with GLA, CLA, 7-seater B-class, MLC etc

Sales growth comes from new models being launched. And launches are limited by production capacities.

Demand for BMW, Audi & MB cars is not an issue ... nor are the R&D resources, but the production capacities are. And dealer network size as well.

So, the company with faster expansion of production capacities (China, NAFTA, Russia, India, Europe) & dealer network will be the winner in this battle for best selling premium car brand in the world. And right now Audi plans are the most aggressive. IMO next two years will be very interesting. And IMO in this & next decade we will see many changes in #1 place ... times of 5+ years long "best selling premium car brand" reign are over. BMW, AUDI & MB are just to tied to be able to hold #1 place for more than 2 years after seizing it.

 

[Hofmeister]

Also considerable is how the A1 is included in Audi sales figures yet the MINI isn't in BMW's, and in 2011 they sold 137155 (hatch only). Take this into account and BMW's lead is even bigger.