BMW versus Audi in Oz

UNDER new boss Guenther Seemann, BMW Australia might not regard Audi as a competitor, but its compatriot car-maker is hard to ignore when it reports a first-half sales increase in Australia of 43 per cent over the same period in 2006.

According to VFACTS statistics released last week, Audi recorded 3819 sales for the first half, compared to BMW’s luxury market-leading 8112 (a 6.6% rise).

Arch-rival Mercedes-Benz has incurred a slight decline, with 7197 passenger car sales YTD (down 0.6%), while Toyota’s Lexus brand – another of BMW’s true rivals, according to Mr Seemann – remains in a strong position on 4070 units (up 16.6% YTD).

And across the globe

NOW consider how the German brands are faring worldwide. With sales records in 41 different markets, Audi listed a record 509,000 global sales for the first half – up 9.8 per cent over last year – and remains on target to sell one million for the full year.

By comparison, BMW’s global first-half sales rose 4.2 per cent to 622,415 units. For the entire BMW Group (which includes Mini and Rolls-Royce), the Munich-headquartered manufacturer plans to increase sales for the full year by close to 10 per cent, to more than 1.4 million sales.

At DaimlerChrysler, Mercedes recorded a 1.8 per cent increase in global sales for the first half, with 575,700 units.

Overall, though, the Mercedes Car Group (which includes Maybach and Smart) had a fall in sales of 1.5 per cent, to 617,700 units.

Read more:

Germans at war

Audi no threat

Audi Q-car on cue