Think you can name the top ten best selling luxury cars in 2005? We think you can't.

You can read the hype all year long but when the dust settles, the only thing that REALLY matters are the final sales numbers.

That's where the rubber meets the road and why all the companies play the game.

So let's see if you named all ten BEFORE you read the list...I only guessed 6 of the ten.

Here's the list of the best selling luxury cars in 2005 (Source: Forbes)

1. Lexus RX

Base Price: $37,065
2005 American Sales: 97,001
Year-Over-Year Increase: 3%

2. BMW 3 Series

Base Price: $30,900
2005 American Sales: 96,358
Year-Over-Year Increase: less than 1%

3. Acura TL

Base Price: $33,940
2005 American Sales: 70,943
Year-Over-Year Increase: less than 1%

4. Infiniti G35

Base Price: $31,700
2005 American Sales: 62,507
Year-Over-Year Decline: -4%

5. Lexus ES 330

Base Price: $32,995
2005 American Sales: 60,807
Year-Over-Year Decline: -10%

6. Cadillac DeVille/DTS

Base Price: $41,990 (DTS)
2005 American Sales: 56,458
Year-Over-Year Decline: -9%

7. Cadillac CTS

Base Price: $31,235
2005 American Sales: 53,959
Year-Over-Year Increase: 6%

8. Acura MDX

Base Price: $37,740
2005 American Sales: 52,426
Year-Over-Year Decline: -2%

9. Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Base Price: $29,975
2005 American Sales: 50,852
Year-Over-Year Decline: -16%

10. Cadillac Escalade

Base Price: $54,185
2005 American Sales: 46,813
Year-Over-Year Decline: -15%

So tell us the truth...how did you do?

Did anybody think 3 of the 10 would be from Cadillac?

I can't wait to read the blog comments!

rack - 12/12/2005 9:15:51 AM

+1 Boost

I think the deville is so high because of rental car sales.

These sales figures do not represent the market I live in at all.

rack - 12/12/2005 8:13:59 PM

+1 Boost

Are all of these cars on the east coast??? I see 10 3XX for every cts I see. I see many more is300's than cts's and they are not even on this list.

I would say for the 3 and the g35 that it is coupe/sedan combined.

TagMan - 12/13/2005 11:50:31 PM

+1 Boost

Many of these cars are merely nicely appointed cars, NOT luxury cars. Mercedes C-Class?...Entry model. Lexus RX?...It's no LS. Acura MDX? ... Nicely equipped Honda Pilot. BMW 3-series?...Entry level SPORT sedan.

Sorry, but these are NOT Luxury cars! Those people at Forbes know better, too. Plenty of them drive S-Class's, 7-Series, and Jag's. THOSE are luxury cars!

janos2769 - 12/17/2005 1:12:38 PM

+1 Boost

...total profit rather than number of cars sold. As any GM person could tell you, more numbers don't mean better car and more importantly even, more sales don't mean more profits. If you can't get an answer from any GM official, just ask any Toyota official, they'll gladly share that info with you.

As an example, why did the new 7-Series keep selling after the dog ugly model came out? it gave away $7000 in incentives in many dealerships. Anyone can make a crappy car, slap a low price (loose money while doing it) and sell volumes!