Audi outsells Mercedes-Benz globally for first time in Q1 2010 | CarAdvice

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Audi outsells Mercedes-Benz globally for first time in Q1 2010

MERCEDES-BENZ GL
By Matt Brogan |
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For the first time in history, Audi has outsold its closest German-based luxury rival, Mercedes-Benz.

The numbers are convincing too, with Audi selling 264,100 vehicles worldwide in the first-quarter of 2010 against Mercedes-Benz’s 248,500 units in the same period.

Audi has said for some time now that it aims to become the world’s leading luxury car manufacturer by 2015. To achieve this goal, it must first surpass German rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as well as Toyota’s luxury-arm, Japanese-based Lexus. Today’s news indicates it is now at least a quarter of the way there.

According to a recent report published by Autocar, the main contributor in Audi’s successful overtaking of Mercedes-Benz lies with strong sales in the Chinese market. Audi sells 20 per cent of all cars it produces to China, the figure more than double that of Mercedes-Benz. And, as the Chinese market continues to grow, Audi’s sales dominance looks likely to continue.

BMW has yet to release its final first-quarter sales figures.

  • Baddass

    I suppose Audi’s mentality of making as many niche vehicles as possible will pay off in the future. This will be the reason they overtake Mercedes and maybe even BMW, who are, now that I think about it are doing the same thing, just not to the same extent.

  • Spectator

    Audi sells a lot of relatively small and cheap cars. Quantity is not all. If you compare the turnover, Mercedes is still way ahead of Audi. Audi sells only about 1.500 per year of the R8 (see picture).

    • Tom

      Got anything to back that up? From the respective companies quarterly profits, I’d say its more likely Audi are selling more expensive, higher end cars that MB.

  • Shak

    This is what happens when you make products that people want. BMW should take a leaf out of their book and stop niche-ing their line up. Look at Audi, they stuck to most traditional segments and entered a few quirky ones. Not like BMW who have a niche vehicle created from the niche of another vehicle.

    • The Realist

      At least I know when I drive my BMW it doesn’t have the same chassis or engine as the VW at the lights next to me…

      • Shak

        Why would you care? You know that the Chassis is good enough for BMW, then it should be damned good as we know from experience.

      • Bigunit

        My Audi A4 Sedan has a chasis, motor & transmission that is not available on any current VW. I think you’ll find your line of thinking is well & truly out of date.

        • Shak

          True, but the base engine in you A4 is avialable in a Skoda Octavia, and the DSG the range uses is also available throughout the VW empire.

  • ABMPSV

    Audi is selling more cars in Germany. I got data for 2002,5,7,and 8.
    Audi 242206, 248756, 249305, 251393
    Mercedes 388545, 343895, 327742, 327965
    as you can see it Audi since 2002 sold 4% more Mercedes down nearly 16%.

    • Shak

      You figures show that MB Consistently sold more cars….

      • ABMPSV

        Yes but the trend is down!!

      • ABMPSV

        Sorry I wanted to say in 2009.

        2009 new car sales in Germany
        AUDI A4, S4 75,341
        AUDI A3, S3 72,238
        AUDI A6, S6 32,887
        AUDI Q5 22,716
        AUDI A5 18,031
        Total for Audi 221,213

        MERCEDES C-KLASSE 77,394
        MERCEDES A-KLASSE 54,622
        MERCEDES E-KLASSE 48,221
        MERCEDES B-KLASSE 40,791
        Total for Mercedes 221,028

        • Shak

          Thought so…

  • mmmmmmmm

    Isn’t the point of a luxury that it is exclusive?
    it the $20k polo or $30k golf or skoda or seat sitting beside you at the lights has the same motors or gearbox or other bits of tech, your audi is hardly exclusive.
    same for lexus and their toyota bits.
    I know bmw shares motors but only for minis and base model 1 series.
    Mercedes and BMW are the true luxury cars, audi and lexus are on the second tier.

    • Shak

      Did you read the article about Daimler and Mercedes-Benz sharing engines and other bits with Renault and Nissan. I guess you exclusive marque’s just got a bit more common.

    • Tentacles

      The same could be said about a Gallardo driver sitting next to an RS6… Your logic here is completely flawed, an engine and gearbox do not define a luxury car, the fit and finish are more relevant, and no competitors beat Audi on this front.

      • mmmmmmmm

        There’s nothing flawed about my logic it is simply different to yours.
        If I pay a premium price for a car I would only do so for technology that is advanced from the mainstream.
        If all you car about is how well a car is out together, then go for a VW, a honda or a Mazda, their fit and finish can often match the premium germans.
        I don’t dislike audis (or lexus) but for my money they are not the class of a BMW or Merc

        • rob

          based on your logic you better not get a merc.. because merc had a technology sharing arrangement with chrysler.. the 300c was built on the old E class platform, the nasty chrysler sebring was also based on old mercedes tech… and not to mention the first generation of a ML was sourced from Ssangyong. Hardly exclusive if you ask me…. Ssangyong.. thats nasty. your logic is stupid ignorant and shows a complete of lack of understanding of the car industry. you are a deadset fool. go buy your mercedes and bmw you clown

  • D’ oooh

    Don’t forget, my friend, that Audi can also pull parts from Bugatti, Bentley, Lamborgini. This makes them unique, Who is in the luxury market now??

  • GoHyundai

    mercedes just has this 50yo 60yo’s-car-look’n'feel to their designs…
    bmw and merc’s designs are going down hill…from 2010

    audi’s designs are getting hotter

    • Septem

      They may look attractive but the whole brand looks too similar. You can hardly distinguish an A6, an A4 or an A8 from the front!

      • Shak

        true, but very soon ,it will become much the same as MB, and BMW. I mean look at the revised C- and S-classes. While they arent exactly the same, they do look darned similar.

  • T.W

    AUdi interior look far better that MB and BMW… in all model especially the new audi. i think this one of the main reason why audi sales overtaking MB..

  • ABMPSV

    Audi selling more cars one reason could be motor racing. Audi won Le Mans since 2000 8 times. Won the German Touring car championship. Audi name is there. I can not see Japanese companies winning races and people like to see that “my Audi” won the Le Mans. Toyota and Honda left F1, Subaru left WRC. You must go motor racing to prove it you are the best. If you can not beat the opposition in sale at least beat them on the racing circuit.

    • Andrew

      That because the Japanese manufacturers race in (surprise, surprise) the Japanese championships. And surprise, surprise, they are the dominant cars there.

      • ABMPSV

        If you want to sell your car in every continent you go out and race in World Championship. Do anybody cares who won last years ATCC? No, but if Ford Falcon wins a World Championship that will improve sales. Win Sunday sell Monday.

  • ABMPSV

    German luxury auto maker Audi AG said Thursday that March global sales soared 22% from a year earlier, fueled by strong demand for its A5, Q5 and A4 models, notably in China.
    MAIN FACTS:

    - Audi global sales rise 39% on the year in January to 77,800 cars.

    - Audi’s new A5 Sportback and Audi Q5 driving demand.

    - Audi China sales at 16,798 cars in January after 7,816 last year.

    - Audi’s sales in Germany came in at 11,657 cars, up 9.3%.

    - In U.K., Audi’s sales grew by 43% on year to 9,004 vehicles.

  • Jonty

    Talking luxury motoring at it finest, I have to say if I were to buy at 4 door luxury family sedan (and money was not object) I would get the RS6…prefer it over the offerings from BMW and MB. Audi are doing lots of good stuff these days.