Automotive News Europe - March 2013 - 26

DATA

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

LARGE PREMIUM

UPPER PREMIUM

The BMW 5 series remained No. 1 in the
large-premium segment, but the new Audi
A6 is narrowing the gap. The 5 series’ lead
over the A6 shrunk to 18,063, while in 2011
the 5 series had a comfortable 43,268-units
lead over its then closest competitor, the Mercedes E
class. Overall, large-premium sales declined 8% to 472,750.
2012
2011

The upper-premium segment fell 23% to less than
50,000 in 2012. The top-5 model that declined
the most was the segment-leading Audi A7, down
37%. The refreshed BMW 7 series rose to second,
pushing the soon-to-be-replaced Mercedes S
class to No. 3.

1. BMW 5 series
2. Audi A6/S6/RS6
3. Mercedes E class
4. Volvo V70/XC70
5. Volvo V60
Segment total

116,466
98,403
75,337
45,176
43,880
472,750

138,278
81,398
95,010
49,471
45,340
511,982

2012

-16
+21
-21
-9
-3
-8

1. Audi A7/S7
2. BMW 7 series
3. Porsche Panamera
4. Mercedes S class
5. Audi A8/S8
Segment total

2011

% change

11,301
8,158
7,531
7,275
6,776
46,369

% change

18,079
9,167
7,342
9,600
8,966
60,605

-37
-11
+3
-24
-24
-23

PREMIUM COUPE

PREMIUM CONVERTIBLE & ROADSTER

In its first full year on sale, the new Mercedes
C-class coupe took a comfortable lead in the
premium-coupe segment with 22,822 units
sold. Despite strong demand for the C class,
which was up by 58%, the segment shrunk
13% as the other four cars in the niche had
double- digit sales declines.

The Mercedes SLK extended its lead in the premium
convertible and roadster segment against another
Mercedes model, the larger E class, which slipped
21% to 11,351. When it comes to open-air cars,
Europeans favor more expensive models as sales
in the premium niche were 99,572 compared with
81,174 in the volume niche.

2012

1. Mercedes C class
2. Audi A5/S5/RS5
3. Mercedes E class
4. BMW 3 series
5. Audi TT
Segment total

2011

% change

22,822
15,230
10,898
10,288
9,796
97,257

14,481
17,612
16,498
16,999
12,341
111,741

+58
-14
-34
-39
-21
-13

Sales in the premium-medium SUV segment
rose 24% because of strong demand for the
Audi Q3. In its first full year on the market,
Audi sold 71,356 units Q3s. That pushed the
Q3 past the BMW X3 to the top of the segment. Another top performer was the Range Rover Evoque.
2012
2011

71,356
70,116
64,124
53,425
50,668
407,512

7,565
59,566
82,048
64,279
11,494
329,420

0
-21
-9
-23
-24
-13

% change

+843
+18
-22
-17
+341
+24

2011

% change

19,475
26,445
17,678
23,632
16,756
198,507

+78
-20
+14
-15
-6
0

2012

1. Mercedes M class
2. BMW X5
3. Porsche Cayenne
4. Volkswagen Touareg
5. Range Rover Sport
Segment total

34,596
21,171
20,240
20,185
15,708
198,383

ELECTRIC
The Nissan Leaf was the best-selling electric car in
Europe with a volume of 5,192 and a 29% share of
the segment. Overall, the electric car niche was Europe’s fastest growing, up 64% to 17,790, but it still
represented just 0.14% of total vehicle sales in 2012.

The Bentley Continental GT/GTC prevailed
over the Ferrari 458 Italia in the tightest race
among the 24 segments tracked by Automotive News Europe. Bentley sold 1,809 units of
the Continental GT/GTC, just 348 more than
the Ferrari 458.
2012

2011

1. Bentley Continental GT/GTC 1,809
2. Ferrari 458
1,461
3. Audi R8
1,044
4. Aston Martin V8/V12 Vantage 735
5. Ferrari California
549
Segment total
9,198

1,285
1,330
1,267
836
856
9,157

www.autonewseurope.com

% change

With sales up 78% to 34,596, the new Mercedes
M class easily topped the former leader of the
premium-large SUV segment, the BMW X5,
which slipped 20% to 21,171. BMW will launch
the third-generation X5 this year, which should
result in a tight race in 2013.

EXOTICS

26

2011

17,630
14,384
11,557
13,182
12,475
114,949

PREMIUM LARGE SUV

PREMIUM MEDIUM SUV

1. Audi Q3
2. BMW X3
3. BMW X1
4. Audi Q5
5. Range Rover Evoque
Segment total

2012

17,604
11,351
10,507
10,093
9,440
99,572

1. Mercedes SLK
2. Mercedes E class
3. Audi A5/S5/RS5
4. BMW 1 series
5. BMW 3 series
Segment total

% change

+41
+10
-18
-12
-36
0

2012

1. Nissan Leaf
2. Citroen C-Zero
3. Peugeot iOn
4. Mitsubishi i-MiEV
5. Bollore Bluecar
Segment total

2011

5,192
3,140
3,078
1,634
1,543
17,790

1,727
1,818
1,912
2,608
399
10,838

% change

+201
+73
+61
-37
+287
+64

MARCH 2013
http://www.autonewseurope.com
Automotive News Europe - March 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News Europe - March 2013
