Germans out-muscle opposition

THE world could not get enough of German muscle machines in 2017, with Mercedes-AMG, BMW M Division and Audi Sport all reporting record global sales growth.

AMG turned out 131,970 enhanced vehicles for global customers in the 12 months to December, up a handy 33 per cent on its 2016 record tally and eclipsing the 100,000 mark for the first time.

That places the three-pointed star’s go-fast operation well ahead of rival BMW’s M Division with its 80,000 units for the year, despite the latter’s 19.1 per cent growth.

Audi Sport brought up the rear with 20,000 sales of its R and RS cars and SUVs – an 18 per cent rise year on year.

Porsche reported modest 4.0 per cent growth, notching a record 246,357 vehicles, with much of the gain coming from the new Panamera sports sedan that achieved 28,000 sales, up 83 per cent. One in three of Porsche’s sales was a Macan.

For AMG, its three main markets – Germany, North America and China – all recorded sales growth above 40 per cent.

In Australia, AMG sales charged to a record 7420 units, not only placing Australia in the top five markets in the world for volume but accounting for 5.6 per cent of global AMG sales.

One in five Mercedes sales in Australia was an AMG – a record AMG penetration for any market.

AMG sales were given a boost by the arrival of the E63 and more GT variants, plus a full year of C43 and GLC43 sales alongside perennial winners, the C63 S, A45 and CLA45.

In world prestige marque sales, Mercedes-Benz retained its crown by delivering 2.29 million Mercedes-branded vehicles to bring its record-breaking stretch to seven years. On top of that, its Smart city car brand clocked up about 135,000 sales, for a total of 2.42 million units.

BMW sold 2.09 million BMW-branded cars – up 4.2 per cent on the 2016 tally – but if its Mini (371,881 vehicles) and Rolls-Royce (3362) subsidiaries are taken into account, BMW came out just on top with 2.46 million.

BMW’s X-rated SUVs again shouldered much of the load, with sales of these family friendly vehicles up 9.6 per cent.

Audi sold 1.87 million vehicles, up 0.6 per cent for a new global record – its eighth in a row. Most of that gain came in December in Audi’s biggest market, China, where Audi made a last-gasp lunge to the sales finish line, delivering a record 69,160 vehicles – up 34.3 per cent on the same month in 2016.

Audi China clocked up 591,554 sales for the year, up 1.1 per cent on 2016.

Audi’s Q SUVs accounted for one in three of its sales around the world, led by the new Q5 with 281,850 units.