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| Cadillac’s Next CTS Will Be A Major Player, But The ATS Accounts For 39% Of Cadillac Car Sales This Year |
Historically, GoodCarBadCar has listed the best-selling premium brand vehicles in America in this space. Premium brands, however, are increasingly participating in low-priced categories, while mainstream brands are equipping (and sometimes pricing) their vehicles in lofty fashion.
So we began showcasing only the vehicles with base prices above $45,000. There are inherent problems with picking a specific price point – it specifically excludes vehicles which would typically sell for more than $45K, for example.
This month, and going forward, we’re using both formats. First, check out the 15 best-selling vehicles which come from established premium brands… and Buick. Second, the $45,000+ vehicles are showcased near the bottom of this post.
The $39,660 Lexus RX was America’s top-selling premium brand vehicle in March 2013; the $32,550-$68,750 BMW 3-Series was America’s favourite premium brand car. 3-Series sales are down 16% this year. Consequently, the surging Mercedes-Benz C-Class (up 32% in March) leads the 3-Series by 2250 units through the first quarter of 2013. Buick’s $37,445 Enclave, which trails the Lexus RX by 5592 units so far this year, was up 55% in March. Its platform-sharing partners at Chevrolet and GMC were up 55% and 77%, respectively.
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| Click Market Share Chart For Larger View Beware: Chart Now Includes Buick! Eek! |
537 of the 3951 Audi A4s sold in March 2013 were Allroads; 1290 of the 9795 sold so far this year. In the second list you’ll see the Cadillac Escalade, sales of which jumped 8% last month. The regular-wheelbase Escalade was down 2% to 987 units in March; Escalade ESV sales jumped 14% to 746; the EXT shot up 55% to 211 units.
Overall, the Escalade family trailed the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class by 859 sales. The GL was one of the five German vehicles which controlled the list of the top third of the best-selling $45K+ vehicles list in March 2013. Only four of the 15 best-selling $45K+ vehicles in March didn’t come from Europe.
As always, you can find historical monthly and yearly sales figures for any of these vehicles by selecting a make and model at GCBC’s Sales Stats page. More than two dozen best-selling luxury vehicle lists can be clicked through here.
March 2014 – April 2013 – February 2013 – March 2012
|
Rank
|
Luxury Vehicle (Premium Brands)
|
March 2013
|
%
Change |
Year
To Date |
YTD % Change |
|
#1
|
Lexus RX
|
9072 | + 28.6% | 21,404 | + 19.7% |
|
#2
|
BMW 3-Series
|
8858 | – 10.5% | 20,662 | – 16.3% |
|
#3
|
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
|
8396 | + 32.4% | 22,912 | + 26.5% |
|
#4
|
Lexus ES
|
6798 | + 116% | 16,801 | + 96.5% |
|
#5
|
Buick Enclave
|
5676 | + 55.1% | 15,812 | + 44.4% |
|
#6
|
Infiniti G
|
5572 | – 7.1% | 12,916 | – 15.7% |
|
#7
|
BMW 5-Series
|
5306 | – 2.7% | 12,139 | – 4.5% |
|
#8
|
Cadillac SRX
|
4368 | + 5.4% | 12,856 | – 3.3% |
|
#9
|
Buick LaCrosse
|
4157 | – 1.9% | 11,372 | – 15.6% |
|
#10
|
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
|
4009 | – 28.0% | 13,689 | – 1.3% |
|
#11
|
Audi A4
|
3951 | + 20.1% | 9795 | + 12.8% |
|
#12
|
BMW X5
|
3876 | + 36.4% | 11,891 | + 37.1% |
|
#13
|
Acura RDX
|
3875 | + 285% | 9159 | + 216% |
|
#14
|
Cadillac ATS
|
3587 | —– | 9750 | —– |
|
#15
|
Buick Verano
|
3564 | + 42.7% | 11,395 | + 129% |
For the purposes of the above list, premium brands include Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volvo. Brands like Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Lotus don’t report specific monthly sales data. Bentley and Maserati only report brand totals.
|
Rank
|
Luxury Vehicle
(Min. Base Price $45K) |
March 2013
|
%
Change |
Year
To Date |
YTD % Change |
|
#1
|
BMW 5-Series
|
5306 | – 2.7% | 12,139 | – 4.5% |
|
#2
|
Mercedes-Benz
E-Class |
4009 | – 28.0% | 13,689 | – 1.3% |
|
#3
|
BMW X5
|
3876 | + 36.4% | 11,891 | + 37.1% |
|
#4
|
Mercedes-Benz
M-Class |
3501 | – 14.0% | 9162 | – 20.2% |
|
#5
|
Mercedes-Benz
GL-Class |
2803 | + 42.4% | 7618 | + 47.8% |
|
#6
|
Cadillac Escalade
|
1944 | + 7.9% | 5110 | – 3.2% |
|
#7
|
Lexus GS
|
1882 | – 26.4% | 4089 | – 19.0% |
|
#8
|
Audi A6
|
1746 | + 18.1% | 4375 | + 22.2% |
|
#9
|
Porsche Cayenne
|
1508 | + 20.2% | 4181 | + 43.9% |
|
#10
|
Land Rover
Range Rover Sport |
1386 | + 2.2% | 3898 | + 9.0% |
|
#11
|
Mercedes-Benz
S-Class |
1216 | + 24.0% | 3077 | + 20.2% |
|
#12
|
Infiniti QX56
|
1143 | – 14.3% | 3370 | – 4.2% |
|
#13
|
Audi Q7
|
1092 | + 52.5% | 2901 | + 48.4% |
|
#14
|
Chevrolet Corvette
|
1053 | – 23.5% | 2941 | + 0.3% |
|
#15
|
BMW 7-Series
|
1046 | – 18.3% | 2338 | – 30.8% |
Source: Manufacturers & ANDC
Red font indicates year-over-year declining sales
$45,000 USD (before delivery) is an arbitrary borderline, but if GCBC was to follow this system of designating only expensive vehicles as luxury vehicles, adding approximately $15,000 to the average new car transaction price seemed like a fitting place to begin. Plenty of less expensive vehicles with specific models feature prices above $45,000 – M, RS, and AMG models come to mind, specifically – but in the case of the second list, we know that none of the registrations were of cars priced at $32,550, as would be the case with the new BMW 320i, which costs less than a Honda Accord V6 Touring. The biggest problem with a $45,000 minimum price of entry? Cars like the Cadillac XTS, which starts at $44,075, and SUVs like the $44,655 GMC Yukon XL.
RECOMMENDED READING
Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – March 2014
Top 15, X2, Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – April 2013
Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – February 2013
Top 30 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – March 2012
U.S. Auto Sales Brand Rankings – March 2013
Top 30 Best-Selling Vehicles In America – March 2013