European sales of premium midsize model cars are on the way to top sales of mass-market rivals this year for the first time. Buyers increasingly chose Mercedes, Audi or BMW cars over mass-market brands.
According to Autonews, sales jumped by eight percent to 652,000 through November while the sales of mainstream midsize cars rose by only one percent to 582,000, said JATO Dynamic market researchers. This trend is likely to continue in December, which will give the premium brands a greater share of European midsize new-car sales.
German premium brands have also expanded their midsize lineups beyond traditional sedans and station wagons with cars like the BMW 3 series GT fastback and the Audi A5 range. For BMW, the BMW 4 series coupe has been a success. Also, cheaper entry-level models and new luxury midsize cars such as the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia have also boosted sales.
The following is the JATO Dynamics list of the European car brands with midsize car sales through November with the corresponding percent change. Six of the top 10-selling midsize cars are premium models:
1. VW Passat - 189,091 (-8)
2. Mercedes C class - 162,546 (+1)
3. Audo A4 - 152,029 (+30)
4. BMW 3 Series - 132,495 (+1)
5. Skoda Superb - 79,533 (+79)
6. Opel Insignia - 68,495 (-17)
7. Ford Mondeo - 66,979 (-9)
8. BMW 4 Series - 63,686 (-6)
9. Volvo S60/V60 - 47,429 (-1)
10. Audi A5 - 40,193 (-3)
According to Best selling cars blog, the new European new car market (29 countries, Turkey and Russia excluded) remains dynamic in November at +5% to 1,184,140 registrations, with year-to-date sales increase by 6.8% to 13,937,339, the largest YTD gain since 2007. The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Sales Rate (SAAR) hits 15.1 million in November and all Top 5 markets are up, with Spain (+13%) and France (+8%) leading, followed by Italy (+5%), the UK (+3), and Germany (+1). 26 out of 29 markets increased sales and only the Netherlands (-21%), Ireland (-20%), and Switzerland (-0.4%) declined.
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