Audi delivered more cars than BMW in the first two months of 2014, claiming the title of the world’s best-selling luxury-auto nameplate. Audi sold 242,400 vehicles through February 2014, 383 more than the BMW brand. At the same time last year, Audi trailed BMW by 429 units.
Audi’s 242,400 deliveries accounted for a 9.3 percent increase, while BMW’s 242,017 sales were up 8.9 percent compared to the same period last year. Audi’s sales were boosted in February by a 43 percent increase in demand for the A3 compact (especially for the sedan) and a surprising 32 percent jump in deliveries of the Q7 SUV.
Audi will introduce 17 new or refreshed models in 2014, including the TT sports car, in an attempt to hold the lead. The launches are part of a plan to invest €22 billion ($30.4 billion) over five years to become No. 1 in annual luxury-car sales for the first time. At the same time, BMW hopes to retain the No. 1 spot at the end of this year thanks to new models including the 2-Series Active Tourer and 4-Series Gran Coupe.
Audi’s narrow lead over BMW is an indicator of the tightening race among the world’s top three luxury car manufacturers for the No. 1 spot. According to IHS Automotive, BMW is expected to sell 1.77 million cars this year, surpassing Audi’s 1.66 million and Mercedes’ 1.56 million deliveries. Both Audi and Mercedes-Benz have vowed to overtake BMW by the end of the decade.
By Dan Mihalascu
Story References: Audi, BMW via Bloomberg
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