rominl

iTrader: (4)

totally what did bmw do with the 5, that's amazing sales number

the 3 and 5 continues to be super strong!

Gojirra99

Nobody mentioned the true desirability of the S-class when it was #3 just last month in spite of the lease deals

Having said that, I really like what they do with the facelift for the 2010 MY inside and out, that version of the S-class is quite a bit more desirable than the current one. If I were in the market for such a car now, I would definitely wait for the 2010 version. I would beat myself on the head if I haven't seen the pics of the facelift and bought one now.

Gojirra99

I won't say the same for the 3-series, the 3-series used to average 10K per month in the good times- the 5-series about 5k/month, so 5-series is holding up significantly better for some reason.
The E-class decline is understandable, since the new one is coming out in about 3 months ...

LexFather

Agreed the refresh looks great inside and out.
True. Maybe the 5 segment is not as competitive as we think compared to the 3 segment. Isn't the 3 series the newer model as well? The 5 has been out what 5 years now? You could total all the Japanese models and they are barely 1,000 units.


Bread and butter baby! C&D would be proud.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

still, i am looking at the %, they are doing very good

xioix

Im surprised the Rav4 is the one with the lowest % drop from Toyota, not counting the RX as it is brand new (but had the same % drop)

RON430

Maybe desirability wasn't the right word but the current gen LS and S are interesting to watch. And I can make an argument that it isn't exactly a fair comparison. I have shopped both and the S is considerably more expensive than the LS. But the only area that I have concerns is reliability, there isn't any other category that the S doesn't beat the LS other than maybe fuel mileage. My opinion only. We are talking about LS sales of 765 and S class sales of 1159 for the month. I sincerely doubt that was due to the 1.9% financing. The S just has a customer that finds the vehicle desirable for a longer time than the LS. And maybe that isn't the best way to put it either.

The S 400 is in the running for my next car and I won't be leasing or financing. As for the 7, I have to agree, the market isn't exactly voting for it. I don't know if the supply is limited or what but maybe the redo is too close to the outgoing for most people to appreciate (OK, so maybe that isn't the right word either) the new model. The 7h is also on my upcoming list when it gets here. If the 7 sales stay this way, probably can get a deal much quicker after introduction than you should.

PS. Once again, thanks for the data. Maybe I don't have a life but I look forward to the first of the month to come here and take a look at the numbers.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Agree. I posted a topic on this a year or so ago but with the onslaught of new German products - the 1 series, X1, X6, 5 series GT, B Class, GLK, A/S5, Q5, etc. Lexus will simply no longer be able to hold the sales crown IMO. The RX has always been the sales leader for Lexus with the ES somewhat behind that, while the IS and GS have never been as successful as the 3, 5, or E which are the bread and butter for the German brands and always sell strongly.

Outside of the RX, ES, and IS, Lexus' product volume is too low to hold off the onslaught coming from the Germans. LS, LX, GS, SC and GX all sell less than 1,000 units a month. Cars like the 1 series are making it far easier for more people to own a premium brand, all while the 3, C, 5, and E outsell the IS and GS by double, triple or more. RX and ES cannot do it alone.

At the end of the day, I have no problem with accepting the imminent. Lexus had a good stint at the top of the sales charts and the rapid growth that they experienced in the late 90s and early 2000s gave way to some great products. Additionally (as has been discussed here time and time again), Lexus needs to make sure that the next generation GS is a slam dunk, home run, fire in the hole. No questions asked. It should be every bit as successful as it's German rivals and it has not been for a variety of reasons. Additionally, Lexus needs to make the 3IS more user friendly in terms of interior space. The 3 series, G, and C all have usable back seats and more open cabins. Some of you may like the tight "coupe" feeling of the current IS but I have seen it's lack of space cost the car many a sale. Just a few extra inches here or there would be extremely significant for consumers. Much of the same could be said for the GS as well. I also think that adding coupe variants of both the IS and GS would help to bolster sales in the future, and I don't say that just as an enthusiast. Coupes make the product line more exciting and more aspirational...Lexus has NONE. Not one coupe.

LexFather

^^ Mike I said back in 2006, Lexus should KEEP the GS 300 as a value leader, entry level model. BMW sells 1500 525s/528s every month. These people don't care about speed at all or sport. They just want a nice 5 series. I am sure Lexus could easily sell 500-1000 GS 300s a month at around 42k.

Lexus needs to continue to expand engines and variations of cars.

On the other hand I think the success of the ES and RX is a gift and curse for them. I mean they are bread and butter and sell in quantities that are amazing every month.

Seems the HS goal is 30k a month. That will help. The new GX is coming as is a LS refresh.

Seems Lexus/BMW/Benz will sell around 15k a month in this downturn. In comparison, I don't see how Infinit, Volvo, Saab, are viable with sales under 5k a month. That is beyond pitiful. Audi is big worldwide so sales low here are not that big of a deal.

RX300-BV

Ok, how exactly is the MKS a sub entry level non lux sedan and the smaller MKZ a mid level luxury?

I'm sure you meant that the MKS is mid level luxury. But I would not degrade the MKZ to sub luxury. I would put the MKZ amongst the other entry luxury sedans.

LexFather

Audi Expects April U.S. Imported Luxury Market Share to Hit 9.2%

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayRe...5017683&EDATE=





-- Audi A5 increases 40% in sales over April 2008


-- Audi Q5 tops 1,200 sales in second full month, despite market


-- Audi predicts increase in share of import luxury segment


HERNDON, Va., May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Audi today announced sales for the month of April totaling 7,010 units sold. Audi predicts the April numbers will represent the brand's largest market share of 2009 within the U.S. luxury vehicle market when monthly industry sales are compared to year-earlier results.


Bolstered by continuing strong sales of the Audi A5 and Q5, the U.S. imported luxury vehicle market share for Audi models reached a record of 9.2 percent in April. That compares to 6.6 percent in April 2008. This continues a consistent gain in the Audi U.S. market presence in recent months. Through the first four months of 2009, the Audi imported luxury market share stood at 7.8 percent compared to 6.4 percent over the first four months a year ago.


One of the bright sports for Audi sales in April was strong demand for the new Audi Q5 luxury crossover vehicle. In just its second full month of sales, the Audi Q5 again surpassed 1,000 sales with a reported 1,212 units sold in April.


The Audi A5 maintained its solid sales regardless of the challenging market, surpassing April sales from last year by 40.5 percent, due to 680 units sold this April. The A5 has recorded 2,434 total units sold in 2009, an increase of 45.4 percent over the same time last year.


"Audi has been building momentum as clearly demonstrated in the increase of our market share so far this year," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "We have invested in our dealerships and we have invested in innovative new vehicles. Those investments are building the Audi brand both in our market and in the minds of consumers."


The pioneering Audi TDI clean diesel technology made its way into U.S. markets in a limited release this past month. For the month of April, 253 of the 672 Audi Q7 units sold featured advanced TDI technology.


Audi recorded 2,604 Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) units sold in April, and has now reached 10,519 CPO sales in 2009.


ABOUT AUDI

Audi of America Inc. and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi lineup is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales growth. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.




AUDI NOTES:


A4 includes Audi A4 sedan, Avant, and RS models.
A5 includes Audi A5 coupe' and S5 coupe' models.
A6 includes Audi A6 sedan, S6 sedan and A6 Avant models.
A8 includes Audi A8 sedan, A8L sedan, and S8 sedan models.
TT includes Audi TT coupe' and TT roadster models.

LexFather

Caddy sales are up 2%. I can't find the graph though lol
Shows awful marketing by Lincoln. I'm a car nut and I don't know the difference and I honestly almost could care less. Having the meaningless Acura MDX as well doesn't help. MKZ, MKS, MDX, MKX, I mean wtf??? I switched them out.
Edit.
Okay MKZ is entry level, prices start at 34k, I did not know that. The MKS is only 4k higher, it starts at 38k. Lincoln has lost their rabbit *** minds again.

Yall remember years ago I said Audi would pass Infiniti. Well its happening right now. Acura is next.....

RON430

Lordy, Lordy, 388 A6s? Is this running down the existing one before the new one or is something else going on? I am not even sure if the new A6 is out or is that still yet to come? Then again, 468 GS sales, I guess the A6 is right in there with the also rans.

LexFather

April sales: Chevrolet, Ford outsell Toyota

http://www.leftlanenews.com/april-20...s-figures.html
05/01/2009, 2:03 PM
By Andrew Ganz
For the first time all year, not one but two Detroit brands outsold Toyota. Chevrolet and Ford both posted brand sales that exceeded Toyota’s figures, proving that there are some silver linings, at least in Detroit, in the continuously cloudy new car market in the United States.

We’ll continue to update this space as more automakers release their sales figures. Remember that these figures are to be compared against April, 2008, sales. If you’re curious about market trends, you’ll want to compare to January, February and March figures.

The good
Honda sales were down “just” 24.5 percent, the least of any large brand so far.

Both Chevrolet and Ford outsold Toyota for the first time in 2009. Toyota’s 112,345 cars and trucks couldn’t match Chevrolet’s 115,265 or Ford’s 116,263.

Chevy’s Traverse crossover sold a reasonable 8,2004 units, its best month this year, while HHR, Tahoe and Express passenger van sales were all up, as well. Overall GM sales were down 33.7 percent to 173,007 units.

Ford’s Fusion, including the 2009 and redesigned 2010, which recently hit dealers, had its best-ever April with 18,321 units sold.

The bad
Mitsubishi’s sales were down 55.9 percent to 3,919 - which works out to an average of just over nine cars sold per dealer.
Though sales across the board at GM weren’t too bad, all things considered, three of the four brands it will jettison or close posted greater than 50 percent drops. Hummer sales were down 61.6 percent, Saturn down 56.4 percent and Pontiac down 54.9 percent. Given GM has announced the closure of Pontiac, we’d expect May sales to be much lower than April for the brand.

Sales of the Smart fortwo were down an incredible 49.9 percent compared to the same time last year, when the Smart was still a fresh and new vehicle. Smart sales are still up 2 percent for the year, but is this the beginning of the cooling-off many predicted for the brand?

Toyota Prius sales were down 61.5 percent, reflecting lower inventories ahead of the all-new Prius’ launch in May, as well as reduced demand for hybrid cars as gas prices hover under $2.00 per gallon.

Lincoln sales were down 42.2 percent, a 9 percent drop-off compared to March’s 33 percent slide.

The ugly
Acura, down 32.3 percent to 8,813
Buick, down 29.5 percent to 8,928
Cadillac, down 41.9 percent to 8,337
Chevrolet, down 26.7 percent to 115,265
Ford, down 30 percent to 116,263
GMC, down 35.7 percent to 20,467
Honda, down 24.5 percent to 92,216
Hummer, down 61.6 percent to 913
Infiniti, down 48.3 percent to 4,932
Lexus, down 39.2 percent to 14,195
Lincoln, down 42.2 percent to 5,973
Mercedes-Benz, down 28.1 percent to 14,565
Mercury, down 40.7 percent to 7,662
Mitsubishi, down 55.9 percent to 3,919
Nissan, down 36.3 percent to 42,258
Pontiac, down 54.9 percent to 10,838
Saab, down 43.5 percent to 892
Saturn, down 56.4 percent to 7,367
Smart, down 49.9 percent to 1,345
Toyota, down 42.2 percent to 112,345
Volvo, down 36.9 percent to 4,503

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Agree 100% with your points. At the end of the day...it doesn't bother me that Lexus will sell less cars. If Lexus stays away from anything sub-IS and sub-RX their cars will be more exclusive as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi models and variations proliferate the streets.

That might seem taken to an extreme but if Audi revamps and introduces the A3 and then a Q3, Mercedes introduces the A and/or B class, and BMW introduces smaller SUVS (X1) and roadsters (Z2) then there will simply be a BMW, Mercedes, or Audi at every single stop light. Right now, Lexus vehicles are far from exclusive but if the Germans add so many cheap models to their lineups then seeing a Lexus will be a bit more rare than a BMW, Mercedes, or Audi. Similar to was Jaguar has done with stating that they will not go below the XF.

This post sounds kind of like I am saying, "OH YES! LEXUS WILL BE MORE EXCLUSIVE AND WAY BETTER THAN MB, BMW, and AUDI BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO CHEAP OUT WITH <$30K MODELS!" but that is really not my point. Lexus can see strength in maintaining and not diluting their product range and brand image, but they will pay the price in sheer sales volume.