BMW remain top premium brand after 1Q
MUNICH -- BMW outsold German rival Audi in the first quarter to hang on to its ranking as the world's top-selling premium brand.
Audi, a luxury unit of Volkswagen AG, was aided by a 35 percent advance in U.S. sales as it overtook Mercedes-Benz to finish second, just 1,709 units behind BMW.
Global sales for the BMW brand increased 14 percent to 265,809 in the quarter, compared with 264,100 for Audi. BMW was helped by strong demand for the recently launched X1 small crossover and a 54 percent increase in sales for the 7-series sedan. Its U.S. sales rose 8 percent in a market that advanced 16 percent.
"We are back on our growth track in nearly all the automobile markets,” BMW sales boss Ian Robertson said in a statement. “We intend to continue improving on last year's figures throughout the second quarter.”
Robertson is counting on the new 5-series sedan and revised versions of the 3-series coupe and convertible to lead the way. The 5 series was launched last month in Europe and goes on sales in the United States in June. The 5 series accounts for just over half of BMW's profits.
Updated versions of the BMW 3-series models have been available to customers since late March. That and other new models are expected to help BMW Group, which includes the BMW, Mini Cooper and Rolls-Royce brands, achieve “healthy growth in the single-digit percent range to reach more than 1.3 million vehicles" for the full year, Robertson said.
Audi milestone
Last week, Audi for the first time passed Mercedes-Benz brand in global quarterly new-car sales.
Audi's stated goal is to become the "most successful luxury automaker in the world by 2015," at which point it aims to sell 1.5 million cars a year.
Audi finished 2009 in third place in global premium-brand new-car sales. BMW was No. 1 and Mercedes ranked second.
Mercedes posted a 26 percent gain in first-quarter U.S. sales to become the leading luxury brand in the United States, ahead of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus.
Q1 premium-brand global sales leaders; % change from Q1 2009
BMW 265,809 +13.8
Audi 264,100 +25.9
Mercedes 248,500 +15.0
Source: [ Automotive News ]
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