News: German automakers top US luxury autosales for 2011 beaten out Lexus after 11-years.

[VWSpeed]

Neck and neck for BMW and MB, BMW hedging MB by just over 2500 vehicles. The battle to continue in 2012...

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120105/RETAIL/120109953/1286

BMW fended off a late-year surge by rival Mercedes-Benz to win its first title as best-selling luxury brand in the United States.

BMW said today that U.S. sales rose 15 percent to 26,834 in December, for an annual total of 247,907. Mercedes said its sales last month climbed 28 percent to 25,701, pushing its tally for the year to 245,192.

The results officially end Lexus' 11-year reign atop the U.S. luxury rankings. The Toyota Motor Corp. brand reeled after the March earthquake in Japan disrupted production, finishing the year down 13 percent at 198,552.

Mercedes won the title once, in 1999, before ceding the U.S. crown to Lexus.

U.S. sales at Lexus dropped 13 percent last year to 198,552 units -- the first time volume dropped below 200,000 units since 1999.

Behind Lexus was Cadillac with 2011 sales of 152,389; Acura, with volume of 123,299; Audi, with sales of 117,561; Infiniti, with sales of 98,461, and Lincoln, with U.S. deliveries of 85,643 last year.

The 2011 sales results still fall short of the all-time annual sales records for the top luxury brands. Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes posted U.S. sales records of 329,177, 293,795 and 253,277 units, respectively, in 2007.

http://www.caradisiac.com/Marche-Premium-USA-BMW-l-emporte-face-a-Mercedes-75293.htm

Les résultats tardaient à venir comme si le suspense hollywoodien devait aussi s'appliquer à l'économie et au marché automobile américain. Finalement, dans l'âpre bagarre du segment premium, c'est BMW qui décroche le pompon au nez et à la calandre de Mercedes.

2011 aura été une année faste pour BMW qui s'installe en maître des ventes du segment premium. Aux USA, marché toujours important pour ce secteur, Lexus a perdu la tête que Mercedes et BMW se disputaient. Au final, 2011 couronne BMW dont les ventes en décembre ont augmenté de 15% à 26.834 unités. Ce qui nous donne un volume annuel 2011 de 247.907 voitures.

 

[Lexus]

crazy difference compared to 2007, especially for Lexus.

The recession hit luxury makers (and the whole market) very hard.

Lexus really needs to expand their line up because it's very small compared to what BMW and M-B offer (engine choices, body styles, transmissions and drivetrain) and of course, revamp the IS (who is now in it's 6th year) where they are losing lots sales compared to the 3-series and C-class.

Anyway, congratz to BMW and M-B, good competition can only make the future products better!

 

[DannyITR]

Agreed. I don't know why manufacturers let their models run for so long (Lexus) without a revamp. Especially in the entry level luxury market where you are competing with some of the best cars in the world.

 

[VWSpeed]

Competition is great, makes for better products.

BMW is going on the offensive starting this weekend and going back to their roots of promoting "The Ultimate Driving Machine". Gone is the stupid "Joy" advertising, and welcome back to "The Ultimate Driving Machine".

A very good read on the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/b...-to-bmws-slogan.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss

The new spot features, in quick succession, a BMW M3 Coupe on a track, followed by a BMW X5 in sand, then a BMWi8 on a bridge, then a BMW 7 Series in a tunnel, before finishing with a montage of the BMW family of cars. The voice-over says, “We don’t make sports cars. We don’t make S.U.V.’s. We don’t make hybrids, and we don’t make luxury sedans. We only make one thing, the ultimate driving machine.”

All in preparation to the upcoming new 3 Series and the glorious M5 which reclaims the crown as the ultimate 4 door sports saloon.

 

[allroad]

^^^ It is about time they changed their advertising.

 

[G-Bus]

I can't believe it took all these years for dumb Americans to realize that Lexus sucks ass...

 

[Lexus]

I can't believe it took all these years for dumb Americans to realize that Lexus sucks ass...

lol, haterz gonna hate

Bmw and M-B were there way before Lexus came in the luxury car game in 89....it also took them 10 years to become #1....so yeah, no one realized anything all of a sudden in 2011.

 

[android25ua]

I am quite surprised by this. In truth I was never following the subject but I always thought Audi was topping off the German competitors.

 

[G-Bus]

lol, haterz gonna hate

Bmw and M-B were there way before Lexus came in the luxury car game in 89....it also took them 10 years to become #1....so yeah, no one realized anything all of a sudden in 2011.

Thats why everywhere else in the world no body gives a crap about Lexus. Just shows how stupid the Americans are...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[android25ua]

^Actually, the Lexus we have here are nothing like the Lexus you have in Europe and especially Japan. In Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan pretty much everybody rolls in LX570 or Toyota Prada as they are called there. And let me tell you, Germans are barely starting to put options on their cars like side-view cameras and whatnot, Lexus' luxury division has had that from at least 1995.

And this is coming from a Euro fanboy.

 

[android25ua]

COrrection: Toyota Prado. I have had an opportunity to be in one of those once and the amount of equipment is incredible. I was in a fully loaded one though.

Then again, here in Montreal I occasionally drive a 4.2 2009 Audi Q7 S-Line with the optional Lift suspension (so pretty much EVERY option there exists is on it)
And it is less equipped than the Lexus.

 

[VWSpeed]

Audi is catching up but still have a long ways to go. What is disappoiting about certain Audi models is that they are dressed up VW's which are not a true definition of a luxury brand.

One must respect Lexus, they build great luxury cars...quiet & smooth ride. They are competition to BMW & MB.

What I fail to understand is putting Acura as a luxury brand...they are just dressed up Honda's and in most other countries are sold simply as Honda's.

 

[22REpower]

COrrection: Toyota Prado. I have had an opportunity to be in one of those once and the amount of equipment is incredible. I was in a fully loaded one though.

Then again, here in Montreal I occasionally drive a 4.2 2009 Audi Q7 S-Line with the optional Lift suspension (so pretty much EVERY option there exists is on it)
And it is less equipped than the Lexus.

the Land cruiser prado is the Lexus GX460 here.

 

[Lexus]

I am quite surprised by this. In truth I was never following the subject but I always thought Audi was topping off the German competitors.

In Europe Audi is neck and neck with Bmw and M-B but in N-A they are still far behind, although they have gained a lot of ground in the last 3 years.

 

[Kacey]

I am quite surprised by this. In truth I was never following the subject but I always thought Audi was topping off the German competitors.

I think audi had the biggest gains..but not sales numbers.

 

[Nickmyo]

I can't believe it took all these years for dumb Americans to realize that Lexus sucks ass...

but it doesn't...

 

[Nickmyo]

^Actually, the Lexus we have here are nothing like the Lexus you have in Europe and especially Japan. In Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan pretty much everybody rolls in LX570 or Toyota Prada as they are called there. And let me tell you, Germans are barely starting to put options on their cars like side-view cameras and whatnot, Lexus' luxury division has had that from at least 1995.

And this is coming from a Euro fanboy.

this, finally someone that agrees with me

 

[track3000]

lets not forget the japan disasters..

as for german bargo comparison, im a bmw/audi/merc fan but there are definitely a few lexus models id choose over german
i never realized it until i actually got in and drove them

 

[Cyn_Ech]

wow.. makes me feel bad for Lexus... technically it might not have been their fault for the drop...