Even though the year is drawing close to the end, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are still separated by only a few hundred cars in their on-going luxury sales war. Mercedes-Benz USA posted disappointing results last month, allowing BMW to creep closer in this unofficial race, as the Bavarians posted a small but important increase in sales compared to September 2017. While Mercedes dropped by nearly 10 percent, BMW grew by 1.3 percent.
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On a year-to-date basis, Mercedes-Benz and BMW are now separated by just 319 cars, making this one of the most heated ‘sales wars’ in history for the two German arch-rivals. BMW sold 25,908 cars last month while Mercedes-Benz sold 26,169 units. Lexus came in third with 24,597 units which marks a shrinkage of 6.1 percent compared to the same month of last year for the Japanese manufacturer.
The luxury segment overall isn’t doing so great in the US. Sales have shrunk by 0.2 percent overall on a year-to-date basis, adding up to 1.47 million units at the end of September. Acura, for example showed an overall drop of 4.4 percent even though its SUV sales have gone up by 14 percent throughout September. Audi sales went up just 0.2 percent last month, which translates into selling 42 units more than last year. At the same time, Porsche recorded an increase of 0.9 percent. The Macan was the brand’s best-selling model, 44 percent of all cars sold by the German brand in September being Macans.
Crossovers and SUVs are really dominating the market right now. For BMW, more than half of the cars sold last month were SUVs, with the X3 being the most popular choice. Over at Mercedes-Benz it’s the same situation with the best selling model being the GLC-Class followed by the C-Class and E-Class. Even so, the appetite US customers have for electrified cars doesn’t seem to slow down. BMW recorded a 6.7 percent increase in demand for such models in September, while on a year-to-date basis that figure grew by 4.3 percent, nearly double compared to conventional models.
While they keep fighting for a crown, their turf is becoming a tinier and tinier sandbox. Sales are declining badly, esp for BMW. I do not believe Tesla to be the main factor, not even close. with the 2016 LCI, BMW upped 3 series by 3%. the new G20 goes up 3.9% in North America. Let us recall that BMWs were HALF the EU price when converting euros to USD, and some 30-40% from Canadian. As BMW sales oeaked in 2015, they must have thought “hey, we can just upp the price”. BUT they are NOT apple delivering a single demand ecosystem. Right now 3 series are -40% is sales. So people buy more SUVs today (80%) but not BMW SUVs. With close to 8% increase in 2 years, BMW is loosing grip on reality, as does its ugly G20 exterior redesign (asymmetric concave door handles under a trim line, ugly front intake etc). Does not look well for either.
Does not look well for you that “record global volume” & “new factories” are beyond your reading comprehension.
What is within my comprehension is your absent critical thinking. Can you actually formulate a coherent P1+P2+P3 = Cogent thought Conclusions using some form of deduction? Record global volume are you referring to the 2015 peak and decline since? Shareholder meeting asking sales questions just last week? Capisce reality is not as you say or the CEO would never be summoned to explain declining sales? Since am a fan of several brands, including the Bavarians, I tend to look at reality as is and not as one may wish it to be,
My thinking is critical enough to know you’re not in reality.
No it is not. here are two freebie lessons. When your narcissism kicks in to attack others with paltry attempts at belittling, in order to establish an undocumented superiority rooted in inferiority and whatever freudian childhood things, answering to any argument with a personal attack is called an ad hominem fallacy. Critical thinking -1. Second lesson, read link. Critical thinking -2. https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/20/us-bmw-3-series-sales-have-collapsed/
One freebie lesson – as you remove rear seats from your BMW (wtf?!), stop letting them land on your head, you can’t afford it. Disqus for the block, pl. Or will you just come back under the same name on a different acct? Again.
Never too late to self educate https://cleantechnica.com/2018/09/20/us-bmw-3-series-sales-have-collapsed/
For you it never started.
Where is Tesla?
Production hell. Or delivery hell. Hard to keep up. Literally. Or want to.
it’s like barcelona and real madrid in a tight top laliga race lol
How much of Mercedes’ volume has been down market 4 cyl. fwd. compacts, for years now? Until BMW bring the new 1 Series to North America (if & when) isn’t the “Luxury Crown” apples vs. oranges? How many years have Lexus taken the title on Camry & RAV4 rebadges? How long until Porsche (or Audi) take it rebadging VAG?