Ποια premium αυτοκινητοβιομηχανία πούλησε περισσότερο το 2016;

Audi, BMW, Mercedes. Οι τρεις γερμανικές premium αυτοκινητοβιομηχανίες είναι και εκείνες που πετυχαίνουν τις μεγαλύτερες πωλήσεις στη πολυτελή κατηγορία παγκοσμίως. Για αρκετά χρόνια η BMW βρισκόταν στην κορυφή, αλλά φέτος η Mercedes ανέβηκε στην πρώτη θέση σε ότι αφορά το πολυτελές brand με τις μεγαλύτερες πωλήσεις ανά έτος.

Συγκεκριμένα η Mercedes πούλησε 2.083.888 αυτοκίνητα, αύξηση της τάξεως του 11% σε σχέση με το 2015, με την BMW να ακολουθεί με 2.003.359 (+5,2%) και την Audi να βρίσκεται στην τρίτη θέση με 1.871.350 (+3,7%), με τις πωλήσεις των R και RS μοντέλων να ξεπερνούν τις 20.000 για πρώτη φορά.

Το BMW Group παρέμεινε ωστόσο πρώτο μιας και αν υπολογίσει κανείς τα 360.233 πωλήσεις των MINI (+6,4%) και των Rolls-Royce (4.011 πωλήσεις, αύξηση 6%), το BMW Group πούλησε συνολικά 2.367.603 πωλήσεις (+5,3%) με τα 62.000 από αυτά να είναι ηλεκτρικά και υβριδικά.

Η Daimler συνολικά πούλησε 2.228.367 αυτοκίνητα (+11,9%), με τα 2.083.888 να είναι μοντέλα της Mercedes (+11,3%) και τα 144.479 μοντέλα της Smart (+21%). Από τα 2.003.359 αυτοκίνητα που πούλησε μέσα στο περασμένο έτος η Mercedes, τα 425.000 περίπου ήταν C-Class, τα 635.000 A-Class, B-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake και GLA, ενώ τα 300.000 περίπου ήταν S-Class. Συνολικά, πάνω από 700.000 ήταν SUV και crossover, με τις πωλήσεις της Mercedes-AMG να αυξάνονται κατά 44,1% και να φτάνουν τις 99.235 μονάδες. Μάλιστα η Mercedes ανακοίνωσε πως μέχρι το 2020 θα βγάλει στην αγορά ακόμη 3 συμπαγή μοντέλα, με το ένα από αυτά να είναι η GLB και το άλλο η A-Class sedan.

Περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες μπορείς να βρεις στα δελτίο τύπου που ακολουθούν.

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BMW Group achieves sixth consecutive all-time sales high and remains world’s leading premium car company

• Worldwide 2,367,603 vehicles delivered, up 5.3%
• BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad all achieve new sales records
• BMW annual sales top 2 million for the first time, up 5.2%
• MINI sales top 360,000 vehicles for first time, up 6.4%
• Over 62,000 electrified vehicles sold in 2016
• More than 1 million vehicles delivered in Europe
• Over half a million vehicles sold in Mainland China

Detroit / Munich. The BMW Group achieved its best ever sales in 2016, the sixth year in a row the company has set a new sales record, maintaining its position as the world’s leading premium car company with its three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. Having recorded steady sales growth throughout the year, a total of 2,367,603 BMW Group vehicles were sold around the world in 2016, an increase of 5.3% compared with the previous year.

“As our model line-up has expanded, so have our sales, making 2016 our most successful year ever,” commented Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the BMW AG Board of Management with responsibility for Sales and Marketing BMW, speaking at the North America International Motor Show in Detroit. “Despite headwinds in some markets, our policy of balanced global sales has paid off, as we increased our worldwide sales month by month,” he continued. “The sales development of our electrified vehicles has been particularly positive, with more than 62,000 delivered in 2016. I am confident we can continue this momentum and build on our course of profitable, sustainable growth into 2017,” he added.

In 2016, the BMW brand achieved a new full-year sales record of more than two million vehicles. A total of 2,003,359 BMW brand vehicles were sold around the world, 5.2% more than in the previous year. The worldwide trend towards increasing SUV sales was reflected by the continuing success of the BMW X family, with one in three BMWs sold being an X vehicle. A total of 644,992 BMW X models was delivered in 2016, an increase of 22.3% compared with 2015. Other notable growth drivers for the brand include the BMW 2 Series (196,183 / +24.8%) and the brand’s flagship BMW 7 Series, which saw sales increase by 69.2% to total 61,514. The new BMW 5 Series, which will be launched in February, is expected to contribute significantly to sales growth in 2017.

Full-year sales of BMW electrified vehicles topped 62,000 in 2016, with the figures growing strongly through the year as more models were added to the line-up. The BMW Group now offers a total of seven electrified vehicles, the broadest range of any manufacturer. “The addition of new models has clearly driven our sales of these innovative vehicles and we were delighted to see the 100,000^th electrified BMW hit the road in November 2016,” commented Dr Ian Robertson. “2016 also underlined that electro-mobility grows fastest in markets which actively support the uptake of the technology by offering the right blend of both customer incentives and public charging infrastructure,” he added. With the addition of the BMW 5 Series and the MINI Countryman plug-in hybrids in the coming months, the BMW Group will have nine electrified vehicles in its portfolio and is targeting electrified sales of 100,000 units in 2017.

2016 was the first full year of MINI sales following the brand’s realignment in 2015, and MINI recorded its best-ever sales results with a total of 360,233 vehicles delivered to customers, an increase of 6.4%. “These record results show that MINI is on the right track, with our new Cabrio and Clubman models being the strongest growth drivers,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, BMW AG Board of Management member responsible for MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce. “Now in early 2017, we will be introducing the new MINI Countryman to market, one of the brand’s most important models, with the electrified version coming in the summer. That will complete the revision of the MINI line-up and I am confident we will see sales grow even further over the next 12 months,” Mr Schwarzenbauer added.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced the second highest annual sales in the marque’s 113-year history, against a backdrop of challenging market conditions. The Goodwood-based luxury house delivered 4,011 units (+6.0%) to customers globally during 2016. Strong sales were reported worldwide except in the Middle East, where significant headwinds impacted on the entire luxury sector. Sales growth was driven by the enduring success of Wraith and Ghost, complemented by the highly successful launch of Dawn and the introduction of Wraith Black Badge and Ghost Black Badge. The seventh generation Phantom retained its status as the most desirable luxury good in the world, enjoying exceptional demand in its final year of production, laying the foundation for its highly anticipated successor.

Annual sales of BMW and MINI in Europe topped the one million mark for the first time ever, with a total of 1,091,192 vehicles delivered to customers in 2016, an increase of 9.2%. Every market in the region contributed to that record figure, with many achieving double-digit growth. BMW and MINI sales in Italy grew by 17.7% (83,750) while Spain saw sales increase by 21.0% (55,096). Meanwhile more than a quarter of a million BMWs and MINIs were delivered to customers in the UK, where sales were up 9.2% compared with the previous year.

Sales of BMW and MINI vehicles in Asia also experienced strong growth in 2016 with a total of 745,784 vehicles delivered, up 9.0% compared with 2015. The region’s largest market, Mainland China, achieved an 11.3% increase, with a total of 516,355 vehicles sold. This is the first time more than half a million BMWs and MINIs were sold in China in a single year. Many other markets in the region also achieved strong growth in 2016: Japan (74,935 / +8.3%) and South Korea (58,500 / +7.2%) are just two examples.

Full-year sales of BMW and MINI vehicles in the Americas were 7.2% lower than the record high achieved in 2015, with a total of 458,982 units delivered to customers this year. While Canada achieved growth of 6.1% (44,621) and deliveries in Mexico rose 15.4% (34,670), the exceptionally competitive market conditions in the USA saw sales there down 9.7% (365,204).

2016 was also a record year for BMW Motorrad. Full-year sales were up 5.9% with a total of 145,032 motorcycles and maxi-scooters delivered to customers. BMW Motorrad will further grow its range as part of its new strategy, with a target of 200,000 sales in 2020.

BMW Group sales in / ytd December 2016 at a glance

Mercedes-Benz climbs to the top of the premium segment in 2016

Mercedes-Benz once again grew at a double-digit rate in 2016 and for the first time sold more than two million vehicles with the three-pointed star in one year worldwide (+11.3%). In 2016, Mercedes-Benz was the premium brand with the most new-car registrations in many countries, such as in Germany and in the USA. Mercedes-AMG set a new record last year with sales of approximately 100,000 vehicles (+44.1%). 2016, the smart brand sold more cars than ever before in one year (144,479 units, +21%).

Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz was more successful than ever in the year 2016: The Stuttgart-based premium brand with the three-pointed star increased its unit sales by 11.3% and delivered 2,083,888 vehicles to customers all over the world. This means not only that Mercedes-Benz grew worldwide faster than its German competitors, but also that it delivered the most cars in the premium segment.

Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “2016 was the most successful year for Mercedes-Benz in the history of the company, and the sixth record year in succession. With new cars with pioneering design that inspire our customers and with particularly strong growth, above all in China and Europe, we have climbed to the top of the premium segment. And we are accelerating further – with new technologies, products and services.”

The model portfolio of Mercedes-Benz with the sub-brands Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach is bigger and more diverse than ever before. And the plug-in-hybrid initiative is in full swing: with eight models, Mercedes-Benz offers the widest range in the premium segment.

“Our growth strategy is taking effect. Since 2013, Mercedes-Benz has grown every year at a double-digit rate. Mercedes-Benz is now the premium brand with the strongest unit sales; we have achieved our goal four years earlier than we aimed for. In 2016, Mercedes-Benz for the first time sold more than two million cars, an increase of over eleven percent,” stated Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, so far responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales and since January 1, 2017 responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.

The year 2016 ended for Mercedes-Benz with the highest-ever unit sales in a December, which was also the 46th consecutive record month (190,269 units, +6.8%), and with the best quarter of all time (545,967 units, +10.2%). In full-year 2016, Mercedes-Benz was the best-selling premium brand for example in Germany, Italy, Portugal, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan, the USA and Canada.

Best-ever sales and double-digit growth in Europe

Europe was the biggest sales region of Mercedes-Benz once again in 2016. With growth of 12.4%, primarily due to strong sales of the E-Class and the SUVs, best-ever volumes were achieved; nearly 900,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles were sold to customers in Europe in the past twelve months. In Germany, a total of 293,209 customers decided in favour of a new car with the three-pointed star, an increase of 7.2% compared with the previous year. Mercedes-Benz achieved strong double-digit growth in 2016 in the major markets of Great Britain (+16.6%), France (+16.7%), Italy (+16.6%), Spain (+18.2%) and Belgium (+17.5%).

Strongest growth in the Asia-Pacific region

Demand for Mercedes-Benz models in the Asia-Pacific region was higher than ever in the year 2016. 734,169 vehicles were delivered to their new owners, an increase of 19.3%. China was once again the biggest individual market for Mercedes-Benz, in terms of both absolute unit sales and growth: Full-year sales there increased by more than a quarter to the new record of 472,844 units (+26.6%). The Stuttgart-based company with the three-pointed star posted new best-ever unit sales last year also in Japan (+3.5%), South Korea (+25%), Australia (+14.8%), Taiwan (+17.4%) and Malaysia (+8.6%).

Best-ever unit sales in the NAFTA region

In the NAFTA region, nearly 400,000 Mercedes-Benz automobiles were sold last year (+0.6%). 340,237 vehicles were delivered to customers in the USA, where Mercedes-Benz was able to maintain the high sales level of 2015. More vehicles were sold than ever before in one year in Canada (+4%) and Mexico (+34.4%).

More than 635,000 compact cars delivered

Unit sales of the Mercedes-Benz compact cars surpassed the record set in the previous year by 9.3%. 636,903 customers took delivery of their new
A- or B-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake or GLA. Demand for the compact cars was particularly strong in China and Germany. Mercedes-Benz continues to invest in its compact cars. The revised versions of the CLA and CLA Shooting Brake came into the showrooms last year, both of which are produced for the world market exclusively in Kecskemét, Hungary. And the new GLA has now been presented at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

C-Class continues as best-selling model

The C-Class was once again the highest-volume Mercedes-Benz model in 2016, selling approximately 425,000 units of the Saloon and Estate. Its biggest market last year was China, where demand was strong and a new high was set for the long-wheelbase version of the C-Class Saloon, which is produced exclusively for that market. The enduring popularity of the C-Class can be seen from its sales figures since market launch: Nine million C-Class Saloons and Estates have been delivered since 1982.

Successful “Year of the E-Class”

More than a quarter of a million units of the E-Class Saloon and Estate were sold to customers last year (+7.9%). The world’s most intelligent business saloon has been available since April 2016. In September 2016, the estate version entered the showrooms and the long-wheelbase version of the saloon became available in China. Further sales stimulus is expected in this segment in 2017, primarily due to the full availability of the E-Class Saloon and Estate, but also because the new E-Class All-Terrain with styling elements with an off-road look will be in the showrooms as of this spring.

More than 300,000 S-Class Saloons of the current generation sold

Since the market launch of the current generation in 2013, more than 300,000 S-Class Saloons have already been sold. The Mercedes-Benz flagship maintained its position as the world’s best-selling luxury saloon also in 2016. Last year, demand for the long-wheelbase version of the S-Class was particularly strong among Chinese customers. 2016 was also the first year of full availability of the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class; more than ten percent of all automobiles sold in the S-Class segment were Maybach models.

The new S-Class Saloon is to be launched this year and should stimulate even stronger sales. With this model, the biggest engine offensive in the history of Mercedes-Benz will also start.

SUVs form strongest segment with more than 700,000 units sold

The model offensive with the Mercedes-Benz SUVs is paying off, with sales increasing to 706,170 units in 2016, a plus of 34.3%. Never before were so many units of the GLA, GLC, GLC Coupé, GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS and G-Class models delivered to customers. The GLC enjoyed especially strong growth last year. Thanks to strong growth rates 2016 the prime father of the SUVs, the G-Class, achieved a new sales record with nearly 20,000 units sold in one year.

“Year of the Dream Cars”: Double-digit growth due to new models

In the “Year of the Dream Cars” at Mercedes-Benz, about 140,000 roadsters, convertibles and coupés were sold worldwide (+10.5%). As well as the revised versions of the SL and SLC, the dream-car family saw further additions last year. The C-Class Cabriolet is the new entry model into the convertible world of Mercedes-Benz, and the S-Class Cabriolet is the first open luxury four-seater from Mercedes-Benz since 1971.

The first convertible from the Mercedes-Maybach brand offers even more luxury and exclusivity; it will appear in the showrooms in a limited edition in 2017. The new E-Class Coupé will also be launched this year, after its world premiere in Detroit.

V-Class: unit sales up by about 50%

Also in the second full year of sales, demand for the Mercedes-Benz V-Class continued at a high level. 46,695 units of the multipurpose vehicle were delivered to customers worldwide, an increase of 48.2% and a new high. Since spring 2016, the V-Class has also been successful in China. The eight-seater from Mercedes-Benz is produced locally for the Chinese market.

Record year for Mercedes-AMG: approximately 100,000 cars delivered and over 40% growth

Mercedes-AMG grew strongly once again in the year 2016 and significantly surpassed the record year of 2015 with 44.1% growth. With 99,235 cars delivered, the sports-car and high-performance brand from Mercedes-Benz, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017, continued along its successful path. This means that the Mercedes-AMG unit sales have more than tripled in the past three years. The biggest model offensive in the history of AMG took place in 2016: the product portfolio was expanded with more than ten new models. Customers worldwide were particularly attracted by the “43” models and the compact models. The strongest-selling markets for AMG automobiles were once again the USA, Germany and China in 2016.

With the Mercedes-AMG GT R and the two open versions AMG GT Roadster and AMG GT C Roadster, AMG expanded the GT model range that it developed in-house with especially dynamic automobiles in 2016. Orders have been taken for all three of these models since late 2016 and deliveries will start this spring.

smart achieves best-ever unit sales

The smart brand increased its sales by 21% to 144,479 units in the past twelve months. This means that more smart fortwo and forfour cars were sold than ever before in one year. Germany and Italy were once again the biggest markets for the urban microcar. In its third-largest market, China, unit sales of the smart models increased by 60% in 2016. Since March 2016, the new smart cabrio has been available as a supplement to the current smart generation. With the launch of the electric versions of the smart models this spring, smart will be the only car manufacturer to offer its model range with both combustion engines and with pure battery-electric drive.

In addition, smart had the beta launch of “ready to drop” last year. With this innovative service, the smart becomes a mobile delivery address for online orders. Further car-related services are being planned so that the smart can be developed into a centre for service providing in the future.

The smart is successful also with car2go, which is now the world’s biggest car-sharing company and the market leader in the segment of
station-independent car sharing. The fleet comprises more than 14,200 smart and Mercedes-Benz cars at 26 locations. Meanwhile, car2go has more than two million customers.

Digitization in sales: ordering a car with a mouse click

With the launch of the Germany-wide Mercedes-Benz online store in summer 2016, the premium brand has taken a further step towards the sales in the future. At www.online-store.mercedes-benz.de, customers all over Germany can select from a large number of preconfigured new Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The online platform offers all the functions required for a convenient and complete purchasing experience on the Internet. For the first time, customer legitimation is possible using video identification. This means that the sales process can be fully carried out online and on seven days of the week – from the comfort of one’s own home or while on the move.

The online store appeals in particular to young and media-related customers and is an integral component of the broad-based “Best Customer Experience” marketing and sales strategy at the Mercedes-Benz Cars division.

Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars

Audi sets new sales record: 1.871 million deliveries in 2016

• Global sales up 3.8 percent under difficult conditions in key markets
• Sales chief Dietmar Voggenreiter: “Robust growth thanks to strong demand for new A4 and Q7 models. A4 is the market leader in Europe, Q7 exceeds 100,000 deliveries mark.”
• Sales of the Audi Sport R and RS family top 20,000 units for the first time

AUDI AG increased its global sales to around 1,871,350 automobiles in 2016, 3.8 percent more than in the previous record-breaking year 2015. During the ongoing, wide-ranging renewal of the model range, sales increased in all core regions: in Europe (+7.6%), in North America (+5.3%) with further growth in the plateaued U.S. market (+4%) and in Asia-Pacific (+0.5%). In all five of its largest individual markets, the four rings sold more automobiles than ever before. Worldwide, demand increased for the seventh year in a row since 2009. Compared with 949,729 customers in 2009, the company almost doubled its market success over this period.

“2016 proved to be even more challenging for Audi than expected, with strong headwinds in many key markets. We managed to demonstrate the robust strength of our business with balanced growth around the globe,” says Dietmar Voggenreiter, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “The excellent feedback for our latest automobiles shows that our model and technology initiative is paying off. This year we will further drive forward the comprehensive renewal of the Audi portfolio and successively roll out new models in the markets.”

The new Audi A4 was also launched in the overseas markets in 2016; its global sales expanded year-on-year by 7.6 percent to around 337,550 units. In Europe, where the model was already available throughout the full year, the A4 took the number one spot in its premium segment, up 25.7 percent to around 164,600 units sold. The update of Audi’s mid-size class is set to continue this year in international markets with the new A5 Coupé, following on from its European market introduction at the end of 2016. Moreover, 2017 will see the global launch of the new A5 Sportback, with the model also going on sale in the United States for the very first time.

The second generation of the full-size Q7 SUV completed its global market introduction in 2016, with sales up 43.6 percent to around 102,200 customers. As such, the Q7 doubled the average annual sales of its predecessor, achieving more than 100,000 deliveries per year for the first time ever. The new Q2 extends the popular SUV family from the four rings to a compact city format. Its European premiere in late 2016 generated high demand at Audi dealerships; more markets will follow in 2017. With the new Q5, the generation changeover for Audi’s top-selling SUV is also set to initiate this year.

The renamed Audi Sport GmbH provided another growth engine for Audi in 2016. As its flagship model, the new R8 accelerated by 31.8 percent to about 2,890 sports cars sold. The entire R and RS family exceeded the 20,000 unit mark for the first time with strong gains of 18 percent to around 20,200 automobiles.

Worldwide, Audi acquired the most new customers in 2016 in Europe, particularly with the new A4. Despite numerous political and economic uncertainties in the region, Audi sales grew by 7.6 percent to around 860,600 automobiles. Compared with 762,949 deliveries in 2014, the brand extended annual sales on its home continent by just under 100,000 units within two years. Most recently, Audi achieved record-breaking figures across the board in its four largest European markets: In Germany (+8.6% to 293,307 cars), the United Kingdom (+6.4% to 177,565 cars), France (+8.5% to 65,362 cars) and Italy (+15.5% to 62,430 cars), more customers than ever before opted for the four rings in 2016. Up 16.4 percent to 51,879 units sold, Spain achieved the highest growth of all Audi’s global top markets. By contrast, the ongoing market downturn in Russia had a negative impact as local Audi sales fell for the third year, with 20,706 deliveries and a drop of 19.3 percent.

In the United States,Audi once again outperformed the clearly decelerating overall market, as it had done in previous years. Audi was the only major premium manufacturer to post substantial growth in 2016: up 4 percent to 210,213 units. The Q7 provided strong momentum for Audi of America: following the U.S. launch of its new generation in the spring, 2016 sales of the model increased in its largest market by 60.9 percent to 30,563 SUVs. Across all Q models, SUV sales soared by 18.9 percent to 100,161 units. Audi Canada (+14.2% to 30,544 cars) also capitalized on the SUV trend, moving up into the ten largest markets of the four rings for the first time. Volatile conditions in several South American markets proved much more difficult – sales in Brazil fell by 29.9 percent to 12,011 automobiles, following the strong growth for Audi seen in 2015.

In China, Audi increased its sales on a very high level by another 3.6 percent to 591,554 deliveries. With this new all-time high, the company continues to maintain its clear lead in the Chinese premium market. In 2016, the four rings saw demand surge in the premium compact segment in particular: up 29.7 percent to 89,213 Audi A3 models plus 89,779 Q3 models, 27.6 percent more than in 2015. Today, Audi is conquering especially young customers with these models, after back in 2013 the company pioneered local production in this then-nascent segment of the Chinese premium market. In the past year too, Audi laid important foundations in China for its ongoing success in the market: 2016 saw the launch of successors or redesigned versions of models that together account for over half of Audi’s total sales in China. The new long-wheelbase A4 L went on sale in dealerships in the fall. At the end of the year, the locally produced A6 L e-tron plug-in hybrid set an important milestone in the electrification of the brand’s Chinese model range. This year, the Q7 e-tron* is set to follow as an import model.

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