Audi, BMW, MB sales surge / WSJ

[RoninLB]

Luxury-Car Sales Keep Humming - WSJ.com

WSJ; Oct 11, 2011

Luxury-Car Sales Defy Crisis

By CHRISTOPH RAUWALD

FRANKFURT—Luxury-car sales continued to surge in September despite Europe's deepening debt crisis and slowing economic growth in several major markets, making it likely that BMW AG, Daimler AG and Volkswagen AG's Audi brand will report solid third-quarter earnings growth.

"We made solid gains right across the globe and once again achieved record sales for September, which contributed to a record third quarter," BMW sales chief Ian Robertson said Monday in a statement.

The Munich-based firm expects to hit its 2011 sales target of more than 1.6 million combined for its BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, he said, which would represent a sales record for the group. BMW expects to remain the world's best-selling premium auto maker, ahead of its German rivals Audi and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz this year.

Mr. Robertson said the new generation of BMW's compact 1-Series and a new coupe at its Mini brand are expected to drive sales momentum in coming months.

Sales for the company's core BMW brand rose 9.3% in September to 128,446 cars. Demand was particularly strong for the compact sports-utility-vehicles X3 and X1. In the first nine months of the year, the brand's sales were up 15% from a year earlier at 1.02 million cars.

BMW's sales figures were mirrored by Volkswagen's Audi.

Audi said Monday that global sales rose 17% from a year earlier in September to 120,200 cars, with strong growth in China, where sales rose 33% to 29,476 cars. Sales in the first nine months of the year were up 17% at 973,200. Sales also grew in some of the countries facing tough austerity measures such U.K. and Spain.

Last week, Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand posted 120,982 car sales for September, up 2% year-to-year. The brand's sales in the first nine months of the year rose 7.6% to 919,288 cars.

"We will continue to grow in the fourth quarter as well, so we are on track to make 2011 the most successful year in our company's history," Mercedes-Benz sales chief Joachim Schmidt said.

Shares of auto makers and their suppliers got battered during the recent stock market rout as fears about the future of the euro zone, sovereign-debt concerns in the U.S. and potentially slowing growth in China's auto market fueled concerns that the strong sales growth seen in recent months could deflate.

Memories of the last market slump in late 2008 and 2009 are still fresh among investors, when credit markets dried up and car sales contracted sharply in many major markets across the globe amid recession. So far, however, the companies have dismissed the likelihood of another sharp decline in demand, as both sales and orders have been robust.

[Stutzdriver]

As an Audi Product Specialist, I have to say we are on top of our game and offering the best products of the 3!

Stop by an drive a new AUDI today!

[89911]

Originally Posted by Stutzdriver

As an Audi Product Specialist, I have to say we are on top of our game and offering the best products of the 3!

Stop by an drive a new AUDI today!

I have been a long time BMW advocate, but the new A6 is interesting. I am waiting to see what the new 3 series brings and I'm not interested in the new 5 series. I think it is just a smaller 7 series and keeps getting heavier. I own a 550i that I would be moving out of. Give me some reasons to consider the A6. I know there are plenty of Audi haters here from previous cars gone bad. And, yes, that is a major reason I have not considered them before.

[krichard]

damn 1%ers rubbing it in the face of the 99%ers!

[cairns]

The A6 has a spare tire.
The A6 has a nicer interior.
Your local Audi dealer might be better than your local BMW dealer.

The current Roundel had a face off between the 7 and A8. Pretty much equal in every respect yet the tester felt he would choose the A8- it had nicer steering and a spare.

A previous Roundel had a face off between a 5 and the comparable Nissan (Infinity I think- don't recall). The Infinity was judged the nicer car- better handling, more tossable, and it, of course, had a spare tire. And a dipstick. I recall seeing another test v. the E class with similar conclusions.

While I love the new 5 and left Audi (after owning a 4000, 5000 and long ago A6) because of the numerous problems and the terrible service at my local dealer I could be lured back.

But it would be hard. The advantages the 5 has, IMO, are a manual transmission, rear wheel drive, and in my case, far superior local service. And I've never, ever had the kind of problems with the BMW that I had with the Audi. Our last 5 (e39) went over a hundred thousand with regular maintenance and new water and power steering pumps. Our last Audi ate power window motors at an alarming rate and had a transmission that went kaput at just over 50K- and Audi refused to cover it. That's hard to forget.

[89911]

Thanks for the input. The biggest issue I have is the dealerships in my area. The closest Audi one is run by an old school dealership that hasn't made that connection to treating its customers they way Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, and to a degree Acura and Infinity does. And I'm not talking pampering, just making things easy with loaners and convenient service times. My current BMW needs nothing and even if it does, its on a full maintenance program. While not close, the salesman drops off a loaner when he picks up my car, even for inspections. It just sounds like having an Audi is an invitation to getting close with the dealership. One that I don't like to begin with. Heres hoping the 3 Series is in my sweet spot for size, performance, and price.

[Ronbo]

I was afraid of Audis too, but my wife fell in love with the S4 so that was that. We've had it for a year now and it's only been back for the scheduled oil changes. It's been a great car, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the future.

[jdlowery]

I'm also waiting to hear the specs of the new 3-series. I'm on the fence over the M3 or 335i.