In the first half of the European premium mid-size segment showed almost double-digit growth due to new models from Audi, Jaguar and BMW. According to forecasts, the next few years, the sector will remain “hot”, according to LMC Automotive.
Net sales for the six months increased by 9 percent, reaching 302,798 machines, according to market researchers JATO Dynamics, as the Audi A4, Jaguar XE and BMW 4-series Gran Coupe has spurred demand. A strong first quarter allowed the LMC to make a prediction that sales for the full year reached 729,000 machines, with growth of 11 percent, and further increased to 750,000 cars in 2017, providing such models as the Audi A4 and BMW 3 series 4.6 percent share of the entire European market. Further, to 2020, sales reached 760,000 cars, but then become relatively stable with minimal growth, according to the LMC.
The new leader
For the first six months of 2016, the new A4 came to the place of No. 1 in the segment, making from the same period last year, a jump from third place and beating from Mercedes-Benz C class and BMW 3 series. Sales of the A4, over the same period rose 29 percent. Demand for s-grade dropped by 12 percent compared to the first half of 2015, falling from first place in the segment to third. , dropping it to third from No. 1 in the segment. BMW 3 series remains the place No. 2 in the segment with a 2.4 percent increase, while first and third place castled over his head.
In its first full year of sales, the Jaguar XE has risen to sixth place in the European mid-size premium segment.
Other hot models in the segment in the first half, was the new Jaguar XE and BMW 4-series Gran Coupe. Together, the premium model at $ 46 procento of the total sales of the midsize segment in Europe, winning the first half of 2015 to 1 percent, according to JATO. This growth has added pressure on the basic mid-size models such as the Volkswagen Passat, Ford Mondeo, Opel/Vauxhall Insignia and Skoda Superb. In the first half of the volume of mid-size segment grew by 5.5 percent, to 347,841 machines, JATO figures show. This in turn means a General increase in purchasing power and the improvement in market situation.
Despite pressure from newcomers such as Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Infiniti and DS, the premium brand of PSA Group, in a mid-size premium segment continues to be dominated by representatives of the German trio: Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Audi A4 was the top sales model, but BMW remains No. 1 in the whole segment, if you add the sales of the entire family, the 4-series, two – and four-door coupe and two-door convertible. For the first half of the year, BMW sold more 37,463 copies of the derived 4-series. These models have helped in General to compensate for the comparative weakness of the 3 series, which after last year’s record sales 75,434 machines (for six months), due to the advent of the facelift model, have shown relatively weak growth of 2 per cent.
Alfa entered the top 10 European mid-size premium segment.
