After a year-long battle for the top position on the U.S. luxury sales podium, BMW takes back the crown Mercedes-Benz won in 2013.
Reuters reports the Bavarians moved over 9,000 more units by the end of 2014 over the wonder boys back in Stuttgart, coming out to a total of 339,738 for BMW, 330,391 for Mercedes. Both automakers also experienced growth in U.S. sales during the last year, though BMW’s 9.8 percent boost over 2013’s numbers raced past Mercedes’ 5.7 percent increase.
Taking third on the podium was Lexus with 311,389 units sold in 2014, though its rate of growth bested the top two finishers at 13.7 percent over 2013.
Rounding out the rest of the U.S. mainstream luxury pack, Audi took fourth from Cadillac, the latter to be the only make to see a decline in growth in 2014, falling 6.5 percent to 170,750 units; Audi sold 182,011 over the same period, 15.2 percent more than it did in 2013.
Acura and Infiniti took sixth and seventh respectively, with 167,843 to 117,300 units moved. Both also experienced the lowest rates of growth in sales in the outgoing year: 1.5 percent in Acura’s favor, 0.8 percent for Infiniti.
Lincoln finished dead last with 94,474 units sold, but had the biggest rate of growth out of its fellow competitors compared to 2013 at 15.6 percent.
Anyone who tests drives a GLA will understand how BMW has taken the sales lead.
“Taking third on the podium was Lexus with 311,389 units sold in 2014, though its rate of growth bested the top two finishers at 13.7 percent over 2013.”
I guess the “beluga whale” look is working for them?
“Lincoln finished dead last with 94,474 units sold, but had the biggest rate of growth out of its fellow competitors compared to 2013 at 15.6 percent.”
Either having Mr. “Alright Alright Alright” as a hype man has paid dividends or there is some truth in having to go no where but up.
This just in: BMW wins the sales crown on the backs of subsidized leases.
I gotta wonder what that does for the bottom line? Someone has to be taking the hit for giving away more 320 and 328’s
BMW has always been known for great leases. Certianly isn’t anything new for this past year.
This just in – the new Benzes are Fugly. Bangle is a long forgotten memory.
I have been noticing a BMW here lately because of some aggressive good looks, and bright headlamps.
And that BMW is the 3-Series Coupe. Or 425ixDrive.
It looks serious and luxurious, and hefty.
The car above is the 4 series gran coupe. Note the side vents that are only on the 4 series.
It is a shame America is not competing with the rest of the world. We don’t even have a manned space program anymore.
What a disgrace!!
Apart from chest-thumping, what exactly would a manned space program accomplish that can’t be done at far lower cost with unmanned vehicles?
Put humans in space. Duh.
Now that you mention it, I can think of a number of people I’d like to put into space…
But actually, for exploration beyond the Moon, unmanned craft are doing as good a job as humans could do, at far less cost.
The ISS has some laudable objectives, but beyond this its hard to identify any space “mission” that manned craft could do significantly better than unmanned vehicles.
I agree that the US should have an ambitious space program, I just don’t think it should be based on manned vehicles at this point.
I the first to admit that I have been in love with BMW ever since the 635Csi and the e30 M3. My wife currently drives a BMW and it has been a rock solid car. One of my early BMWs was an M car, and it forever runied me on my expectations for the cars I wanted to drive. But, most recently (in my opinion), there is a reason BMW numbers have increased and that is because BMW is selling it’s soul. Like so many makers these days, BMW is engineering out what once made it a fantastic driver’s car.
This is a tired old chestnut. I can assure you that Mom’s ’83 528e with 3spd slushbox was in no way an “Ultimate Driving Machine”, though it was still a nice car for the day. BMW has always made super fine driver’s cars, and boring sedans right along side them. For every 635i and M3, there were about a hundred 528es sold.
I suggest you take a 2-series for a spin. If BMW ONLY made cars like the 2-series, they would be out of business, just like Porsche would be if they had to rely on the 911. Volume is an unfortunate necessity in the modern world.