Belgium Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First taking the BAM brands out of the equation, how are things shaping up in Belgium? From 2010 to 2016, premium sales were up only 25%. Now individually: Infiniti +263%  JLR +171% (LR +168 % Jag +176%) Lexus +162% Porsche +133% Volvo +9%. Alfa Romeo was -67% and Cadillac down too. If you

Year	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Total	35,490	31,360	27,339	25,049	26,828	31,453	28,462
Volvo	18,611	17,677	15,822	15,145	15,345	19,559	17,042
JLR	8,893	6,397	5,309	4,893	4,735	2,842	3,285
Land Rover	5,902	4,994	4,389	4,057	3,942	2,235	2,201
Jaguar	2,991	1,403	920	836	793	607	1,084
Porsche	3,075	2,951	2,126	1,387	1,591	1,565	1,322
Alfa Romeo	2,005	2,054	2,228	2,472	3,778	6,205	6,010
Lexus	1,723	1,346	1,271	970	1,292	1,122	657
Tesla	859	820	521	148	33	19	14
Infiniti	316	106	48	19	46	123	87
Cadillac	8	9	14	15	8	18	45

Summary: If you have been following the series, patterns are quite striking. Infiniti, Land Rover, Jaguar and Porsche grew the most as they have been doing elsewhere. Volvo was again fairly static and Alfa Romeo did its usual slump.

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Now adding the other brands to the BAM marques, how do things stack up? Total sales growth goes to 32%, due to the BAM brands increasing 35%. The 'Others' took 25% in 2010, slipped to 22% in 2013 before recovering to 24% in 2016. The BAM marques took 76% of all premium sales in 2016.

Year	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Total	150,025	135,979	119,384	115,374	115,335	119,662	113,475
BMW Group	47,724	43,166	37,021	36,621	35,889	36,271	35,251
BMW	40,244	37,256	32,024	31,607	30,446	29,513	28,967
Mini	7,480	5,910	4,997	5,014	5,443	6,758	6,284
Others	35,490	31,351	27,325	25,034	26,820	31,435	28,417
Mercedes	33,586	29,097	25,099	24,414	21,296	20,268	20,333
Audi	33,225	32,365	29,939	29,305	31,330	31,688	29,474

Summary: The BAM trio are solid here. Mercedes passed Audi into second place in 2016. The three biggest in 2016 were 1) BMW & Mini, 2) Mercedes, 3) Audi.

Data Source: FEBIAC.
Text source: RayCee.