Mercedes’s supremacy in the premium segment was never so clear. The Stuttgart based luxury carmaker sold more than 100,000 respectively 200,000 cars than BMW and Audi in the first six months of 2017.
We were really shocked when we saw these figures. Never in the history of luxury the domination of one brand is so clear.
In the first six months of 2017, Mercedes succeed to sell 106,244 more cars than BMW and 235,324 more cars than Audi. Never a luxury brand has a such big advantage. Mercedes is No.1 in every region of the world.
It si complicate to make a direct comparison because BMW does not announce the separate figures for Mini and BMW by the region.
But anyway, in Asia-Pacific region, with 438,710 cars, Mercedes sell more cars in the first six months than BMW and Mini together in the same period (415,262 units).
In the NAFTA region, Mercedes sold 193,399 cars while BMW and Mini sold 216,993 units. From all these units, only 178,048 were BMWs.
In Europe, Mercedes increase its sales to 484,120 units (+8.9%) while BMW Group sales rose to 554,846 units (+2.20%). But sales of BMW alone are around 460,000 units.
The main advantages of Mercedes are the radical and fresh design created in the era of Gorden Wagener and the expansion of SUV portfolio.
The compact range is also very successful even the traditional hatch A-Class is not a hit if we compare with the VW Golf. But B-Class, GLA and CLA obtained very good results. Mercedes will renew the whole compact range from 2018 on and plan at least other two versions including a sedan (CLA four door coupe will remain in the program) and a bigger SUV with 7 seats, placed above the future GLA.
BMW is working to a new SUV family. The X3 will be released in one month, the X2 SUV coupe based on X1 will follow next year together with the top class X7.
And Audi? The Dieselgate and the strategic alignment of Audi’s China business has a negative impact on sales. Audi was never so far from Mercedes. But the Ingolstadt based carmaker bet on the new Audi A8 which is more than a new model. The new A8 represents start of a new era for Audi with semiautonomous driving and a lot of innovations including the new operating system and the 48V network.
| Brand | Jun-17 | Change from June 2016 | January-June 2017 | Change from 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes | 209,309 | 11.10% | 1,144,274 | 13.70% |
| Europe | 90,391 | 13.70% | 484,120 | 8.90% |
| thereof Germany | 29,206 | 7.40% | 151,790 | 6.30% |
| NAFTA | 34,894 | 2.40% | 193,399 | 2.10% |
| thereof USA | 28,994 | 1.50% | 161,960 | -0.50% |
| Asia-Pacific | 78,712 | 16.40% | 438,710 | 26.70% |
| thereof China | 50,090 | 21.40% | 292,679 | 34.50% |
| Audi | 170,650 | 1.00% | 908,950 | -4.70% |
| Europe | 80,300 | 2.10% | 458,900 | 0.80% |
| thereof Germany | 28,323 | 1.10% | 167,620 | 0.90% |
| USA | 19,416 | 5.30% | 102,971 | 6.20% |
| China | 51,900 | 1.70% | 254,785 | -12.20% |
| BMW | 192,873 | 2.00% | 1,038,030 | 5.20% |
| Europe * | 108,785 | -1.40% | 554,846 | 2.20% |
| there of Germany* | 27,480 | -16.50% | 156,104 | -1.40% |
| NAFTA* | 42,420 | 0.00% | 216,993 | -2.50% |
| Thereof USA* | 33,372 | -1.20% | 171,291 | -4.10% |
| Asia-Pacific* | 75,388 | 11.30% | 415,262 | 15.10% |
| * BMW communicate by region cumulative sales with Mini and not separately for the brand BMW. Therefore, we cannot a direct comparison by region between BMW, Audi and Mercedes. |
