• U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model – November 2014 YTD
BMW also sold 16,317 other vehicles besides the 3-Series/4-Series in November. But while the 3er was up 12%, the BMW brand was down 2%, a loss of 733 units. In the race to end 2014 as America’s top-selling premium brand, BMW leads Mercedes-Benz 1830 units. Mercedes-Benz outsold BMW by 3559 units in November to close the gap.
For brands that once traded on their exclusivity, it’s odd to see them chasing volume with such fervency. But chase they do. Mercedes-Benz’s two entry-level cars, the C-Class and CLA, ranked third and 13th among premium brand automobiles in November. BMW generated 64% of the brand’s November volume with their two entry-level cars and two-entry level SAVs.
One out of every five Audis sold in November was either an A3 or Q3. The brand’s top seller continues to be the Q5, formerly Audi’s entry-level utility vehicle. The Q5 ranked 12th among premium brand vehicles last month.
November 2015 • December 2014 • October 2014 • November 2013
Rank
|
Premium Brand Vehicle
|
November 2014
|
November
2013 |
% Change
|
2014 YTD |
2013 YTD |
% Change |
#1
|
BMW 3-Series & 4-Series *
|
14,702 | 13,148 | 11.8% | 122,768 | 102,784 | 19.4% |
#2
|
Lexus RX
|
9592 | 9493 | 1.0% | 93,865 | 90,751 | 3.4% |
#3
|
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
|
9259 | 7878 | 17.5% | 66,841 | 81,022 | -17.5% |
#4
|
Lexus ES
|
5884 | 6295 | -6.5% | 64,726 | 64,368 | 0.6% |
#5
|
Acura MDX
|
5210 | 6091 | -14.5% | 58,842 | 46,502 | 26.5% |
#6
|
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
|
5190 | 4328 | 19.9% | 41,101 | 36,841 | 11.6% |
#7
|
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
|
4737 | 8614 | -45.0% | 61,281 | 61,076 | 0.3% |
#8
|
Lexus IS
|
4610 | 3973 | 16.0% | 45,419 | 29,603 | 53.4% |
#9
|
BMW X5
|
4557 | 2663 | 71.9% | 45,790 | 29,195 | 56.8% |
#10
|
Acura TLX
|
4233 | — | — | 15,293 | — | — |
#11
|
Infiniti Q50
|
4216 | 5891 | -28.4% | 33,044 | 13,248 | 149% |
#12
|
Audi Q5
|
4184 | 3582 | 16.8% | 37,869 | 35,561 | 6.5% |
#13
|
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
|
3898 | 3623 | 7.6% | 24,701 | 10,828 | 128% |
#14
|
Acura RDX
|
3436 | 3663 | -6.2% | 39,709 | 40,535 | -2.0% |
#15
|
Cadillac SRX
|
3331 | 4823 | -30.9% | 48,679 | 50,702 | -4.0% |
For the purposes of the above list, premium brands include Acura, Audi, BMW, 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. Buick has been excluded with a bunch of other automakers that don’t sell vehicles with base prices higher than $40K.
Rank
|
Vehicles With
Base Prices Above $45K |
November 2014
|
November
2013 |
% Change
|
2014 YTD |
2013 YTD |
% Change |
#1
|
Chevrolet Tahoe
|
8027 | 7272 | 10.4% | 86,467 | 74,856 | 15.5% |
#2
|
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
|
5190 | 4328 | 19.9% | 41,101 | 36,841 | 11.6% |
#3
|
Chevrolet Suburban
|
5045 | 5212 | -3.2% | 48,248 | 45,440 | 6.2% |
#4
|
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
|
4737 | 8614 | -45.0% | 61,281 | 61,076 | 0.3% |
#5
|
BMW X5
|
4557 | 2663 | 71.9% | 45,790 | 29,195 | 56.8% |
#6
|
Cadillac Escalade
|
3237 | 1846 | 75.4% | 26,782 | 20,203 | 32.6% |
|
Cadillac Escalade ^
|
2106 | 1100 | 91.5% | 17,201 | 11,122 | 54.7% |
|
Cadillac Escalade ESV ^
|
1128 | 651 | 73.3% | 9528 | 7175 | 32.8% |
|
Cadillac Escalade EXT ^
|
3 | 95 | -96.8% | 53 | 1906 | -97.2% |
#7
|
GMC Yukon
|
3179 | 2777 | 14.5% | 36,840 | 24,705 | 49.1% |
#8
|
BMW 5-Series
|
3105 | 5060 | -38.6% | 47,187 | 48,761 | -3.2% |
#9
|
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
|
3065 | 2926 | 4.8% | 23,203 | 27,673 | -16.2% |
#10
|
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
|
2863 | 1907 | 50.1% | 22,444 | 11,446 | 96.1% |
#11
|
GMC Yukon XL
|
2416 | 2665 | -9.3% | 26,492 | 28,100 | -5.7% |
#12
|
Chevrolet Corvette
|
2378 | 2527 | -5.9% | 31,287 | 14,286 | 119% |
#13
|
Lexus GX460
|
2043 | 1703 | 20.0% | 19,978 | 10,306 | 93.8% |
#14
|
Lexus GS
|
1836 | 1590 | 15.5% | 19,453 | 17,138 | 13.5% |
#15
|
Audi Q7
|
1746 | 1524 | 14.6% | 16,589 | 13,699 | 21.1% |
Source: Automakers & ANDC
$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 $32,750, 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 $44,600, and the Audi A6, which starts at $44,800.
^ Escalade breakdown by variant.
* BMW USA, not GoodCarBadCar, has chosen to combine sales of the 3-Series and 4-Series. GCBC combines sales of the Audi A4 and Audi A4 Allroad. None-Allroad sales were down 15% to 2699 in November.
Cadillac’s new CTS – 2446 November sales – starts at $45,100, but the lingering CTS Coupe is a sub-$40K car, and the wagon starts at $42,195. The estimates that Tesla sold 2200 copies of the Model S in November, enough to crack the top 15 of the second list, but estimates for Tesla have typically proven to be on the very high side.
RECOMMENDED READING
Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – November 2015
Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – December 2014
Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – October 2014
Top 15 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America – November 2013