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Customer LoginsLexus, Mercedes-Benz and BMW continue to dominate luxury market
Three premium makes - Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and BMW - together have captured almost half of all premium new vehicle registrations through the first nine months of 2010. This is the case for both total and retail registrations. Lexus has been the number one premium make every year since the turn of the century, but its margin over the runner-up recently has diminished, dipping to just .6 percentage points (from 2.7 points) in the total category and .8 points (from 2.9 points) in retail registrations.
BMW had been the second-place premium brand both last year and the year before, but so far in 2010 it has trailed both Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz has moved past its German arch rival in part because of the success of the redesigned E-Class. This model, long one of Mercedes-Benz's core entries, has enjoyed a 65% surge in retail registrations when compared to a year ago, and it has become the brand's most popular model, surpassing the C-Class; one reason for the jump in E-Class registrations is the introduction of the E-Class coupe and convertible as replacements for the corresponding CLK models, but this accounts for less than half of the E-Class volume increase. The C-Class has not disappeared - its registrations have increased 14%.
Audi has gained the most ground in both the total and retail categories, due primarily to the success of the A5/S5 (up more than 100%), Q5 (up 80%), and A3 (up by two thirds). Audi's retail share of the premium sector has jumped 2.4 percentage points, substantially more than that of any other make, and it is on the verge of replacing Infiniti as the number six premium make.
At the other end of the luxury market, BMW, Lincoln, Volvo and Saab have ceded the most market share during the past two years. A redesigned BMW 5-Series has just been launched, but during its production and distribution ramp-up the 5 Series lost ground to the already-launched E-Class. Lincoln has suffered from an abbreviated product portfolio and a 20% drop in deliveries of its core MKS midsize sedan. Volvo is just now launching a radically new S60 (with radical advertising as well), but this model has suffered a major sales decline during the changeover process. Saab went through a near-death experience during GM's woes, and is just now beginning to get back on its feet after being purchased in February by Spyker NV, a Dutch car company.
Posted by Tom Libby, PolkInsight Advisor, Polk (11/12/2010)