BMW Closing The Gap On Mercedes With A 10.3% Jump In April Sales - Mini Up 1%

they didn't really "close the gap" considering MB still sold slightly more. They just prevented the gap from getting bigger.

mercedes and bmw are an insignificant 3,000 cars apart year-to-date. how is that not 'closing the gap?'

And the BMW spin is out at full force. Lets see. If I were leading my competitor last month by lets say 10 units. And I happen to outsell my competitor the following month, it seems to me that mercedes would be narrowly widening the gap, as opposed to BMW closing the gap while selling less cars. Hmm but that could just be my own personal logic. Im sure that reasoning doesn't add up right agent?

@enthusiastx11, really? you need it explained to you?

I think you need to learn the difference between "closes" and "close" and "closing". English can be tricky, I can explain. There is another merc post somewhere for you to comment on.

Firewombat, are you talking to me? if so, you are trying to give an English lesson to the wrong person.

Of course I'm talking to you it's in reply to your comment? Are you ok?

BMW Brand YTD April 2013 = 88,127 units

Mercedes-Benz Brand YTD April 2013 = 92,822 units

The gap obviously HAS NOT been closed. Mercedes-Benz is ahead of BMW through April 2013 YTD by 4,695 units.

@GermanNut ooohhh, look who's suddenly interested in the facts :)

@GermanNut, he's talking about the MONTHLY sales gap, which has decreased, not the YTD sales. The gap referred to is the sales race to be no.1 at the end of the year, not comparing YTD figures.

Firewombat, are you? So, English might be your first language, but clearly math and calculations are not your ideal skillset. Maybe a remedial class might help you. I can outline it for you in 5th-grade math terms if you'd like, but then again, that might be too advanced for you.

And, Germannut, you need to include the gap through March sales, as compared to April sales to show that there was no "closing" occurring. This is for Firewombat, and pretend I'm doing this in babytalk: the gap between BMW and Mercedes after March 2013 sales was 4,285. the gap after April 2013 sales is 4,695. Therefore (sorry if that is too many syllables, firewombat), the gap didn't "close". It actually "widened", despite BMW's 10% improvement over April 2012, since MB still sold more cars in April. If you got that firewombat, I'll give you a GOLD STAR and maybe even a lollipop.

I was only talking about your English, don't change the subject. You were wrong to try and school someone in your first comment and I corrected you. End of story.

The only person who needs to be corrected here, again, is you. The gap is for the sales race, comparing this month's sales to last month's sales. Not YTD figures, and you say I need arithmetic lessons? I think you need to go back to school or stay in one, either way.

If you look at both articles on this site for merc and BMW sales you'll see in April, Merc was at 23635 and BMW 23225. That is a much smaller gap than last month.

Autospies is not the only site reporting the closing of this gap, google it.

Schooled. Again.

If the March figure is correct, the cidflekken is right in that the gap is widening. But what did you expect from 009's title wording anyway? On a related note, the key segments for BMW is the 3, 5 and their X3 and X5. The 5 and X5 are doing well but with the high-volume 3 selling less on a mthly basis AND a YTD basis, the 3's poor performance will be a big momentum killer and blunt any positive effect of the 5 and the X5.

BMW has been claiming a supply issue for months. It's bull. Maybe the reason the 5 series is selling better is the rock bottom leases they are offering and the fact that the 3 series has gotten really expensive. In Texas the difference in lease payments is $100 a month for a 328 vs a 528.
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The gap is for the sales race, comparing this month's sales to last month's sales.

If you look at both articles on this site for merc and BMW sales you'll see in April, Merc was at 23635 and BMW 23225. That is a much smaller gap than last month.

Having said all of the above, JRobUSC will probably tell us that the reduction in sales is intentional/anticipated in that there was a supply constraint issue (especially with how well cars are selling in Europe, nyuck nyuck :-) But kidding aside, BMW and MB are not going to enjoy 2013 given how poorly Europe market is doing.

You sure bring me up a lot in conversations I'm not involved in. Does someone have a man crush? I'm flattered, but not interested.

BMW didn't close any gap with Mercedes last month. Good month though.

LOL. and your correction was incorrect. THAT is the end of the story.

You're really sad, you keep coming back for more.

Oh, wombat, it's just so fun playing with dolts like you.

Just not fun losing hey. Especially 2nd time round.

Keep telling yourself that. One day you'll believe it. I've already rounded once for my victory lap. Shall I do it again so you can see it this time?

A victory lap without any argument, very smart, next time @Cid

So now the title has been changed, appropriately.

Who knows their German cars better and more currently than the Europeans, especially Germans?

In Europe, Audi sold more cars than BMW and Mercedes in March and Q1 2013, despite the slumping car market (see link for new passenger car registrations by manufacturer).
http://europe.autonews.com/assets/PDF/CA88017417.PDF

In Germany, Audi and BMW are tied, Mercedes slightly ahead:
Germany’s vehicle registrations in March and Q1 2013
http://tinyurl.com/d5n5taa

In the rest of the larger world outside USA, Audi sold more cars than BMW or Mercedes. Too bad that Americans are stuck 5 years in the past – and behind most of the world – in their perceptions and purchases of the luxury car brands. I expect that, within the next one to three years, more Americans will wake up out of their blind ties to the BMW and Mercedes brands, and that's when Audi's sales growth in the USA will probably surge even more than it is already doing today.

‘And Audi, while No. 1 in sales volume in Europe and China, has the tall task of trying to catch the other two in sales volume in the U.S., where BMW and Mercedes are way ahead.
"Audi in the States has immense momentum," Max Warburton, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, told Automotive News. "They are behind in some states but are flying in the Northeast, the Snow Belt and California."
At the same time, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler continually says that Audi isn't just after global sales-volume leadership per se but a more vaguely defined overall leadership of the segment. "To be No. 1 requires a lot more than just selling more cars than your competitors," he told Automotive News Europe. "It also means offering better quality, outstanding service and more. These so-called soft factors have the same importance to us as volume... If we wanted to buy market share [via pricing and incentives], we could do it tomorrow. That's easy, but that's not our strategy." ‘
http://tinyurl.com/ctd938l

Uncommon perspective errr I mean satriani1, audi have essentially undercut BMW and Mercedes by going down market and selling the sub premium Audi a1. Basically a fancy polo that will cost you less than a Mini Cooper. A1 sales account for over 120k units a year for Audi, roughly the gap Audi has over Mercedes. Now that Audi has offered a cheap small car in the name of easy volume, it will presumibly force Mercedes and BMW to do the same, but once the do you can expect Mercedes to close up to Audi very fast, and BMW will extend its lead even more. But as it stands currently ( globally) Mercedes and BMW are still at the top in terms of high end luxury cars.


All the Audi and Mercedes fanboys seem so interested in bmw's sales figures... I guess that's a good thing.

bmwm6: Your perspectives are consistent – you consistently use flawed perspectives to try to argue my perspectives which are based on facts. While I have showed facts and data on what has actually happened, you respond with speculations about things that have not happened (that if BMW and Mercedes offer a small car product it will definitely lead to increased sales relative to Audi). What makes this even more amusing is that you omit to use your own logic to speculate on Audi’s own potential increased sales from offering news models as well as competing in segments where BMW/Mercedes currently has products but Audi does not, lol.

German Nut’s post below shows that, in the U.S., BMW has the benefit of 7 models and sub-models without Audi offerings compared to two Audi models without BMW offerings.

In Germany (KBA is Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority), Audi has 11 models in 7 vehicle segments (e.g., Audi’s A8/S8 is one model in the upper class segment -- while BMW’s 6-series, 7 series and possibly Alpina B7 are three models in the upper class segment). Compare this with Mercedes's 23 models in 13 vehicle segments (e.g., S Class, CL Class, CLS are 3 models in the upper class segment)!
http://tinyurl.com/d6vmymx

Audi isn’t whining about Mercedes having far more total models in more segments, yet you are whining about Audi A1’s in the ‘small car’ segment where BMW does not offer a product in this “small car” segment (kleinwagen), for fear it will take sales away from its Mini Cooper and BMW 1 series. Nothing is stopping BMW and Mercedes from competing in any segment and using any model they want.

bmwm6: “But as it stands currently (globally) Mercedes and BMW are still at the top in terms of high end luxury cars.”
I know some Bimmer fanboys believe that high-end luxury cars are defined by the BMW 3 series, but ‘high-end luxury cars’ are really defined by the ‘upper class’ segment (oberklasse): what’s more relevant is that in Germany, it’s practically tied between the Audi A8 (853) and BMW 7 series (860), with Mercedes S Class lagging behind (689) probably because a new S Class is coming next year. German car buyers have a better understanding of the differences between German cars in the high end luxury car market. I haven’t checked global sales figures for this segment. This shows the rich German’s attitudes to high-end luxury cars. [Even in the upper middle class segment (obere mittelklasse), Audi A6/A7 line (9,163) is close to the BMW 5 Series (10,922), with Mercedes E Class (6,394) lagging behind in Q1 2013].]

Bmwm6: “Basically (the Audi A1 is) a fancy polo that will cost you less than a Mini Cooper.”
Hmmm, given the many comparison tests between the A1 and Mini Cooper, you must think the Mini is a fancy Polo as well. Too bad that BMW
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-reviews/14314/audi-a1-vs-mini-cooper

bmwm6, Mercedes-Benz has already launched two new "sub-premium" models with the A-class and CLA-class to try and keep up with Audi.

You are forgetting a big reason why Audi trails BMW. It's because BMW currently offers many more models than Audi, but that will soon change.

Audi will launch the A3 sedan in the U.S. market in early 2014. The A3 sedan will go a long way in increasing Audi's sales volume in the U.S. Also, in the growing SUV market, Audi will bring its smaller Q3 to the U.S. to take on BMW's X1.

Perhaps most importantly, Audi will add 4 all-new, coupe-like, sporty SUVs to its lineup with the Q2, Q4, Q6 and range-topping Q8 SUVs. With
the SUV market expected to grow 26% by 2018, it is these 4 models that should give Audi the global sales lead.

With Audi building a plant in Mexico, which will be used to build the Q5 and perhaps one or more of the upcoming coup-like SUVs, Audi will greatly increase its sales capacity in the Americas, currently the only major global market where it trails BMW and Mercedes-Benz in sales considering Audi outsells its competitors in both Europe and China.

Cla and A class compete with the Audi A3, not the A1.

BMW offers many more models than Audi?

How so? I would say Audi offer more actually, Audi doesn't have a 6 series or a X6 competitor but BMW doesn't have an A5 sportback, yet, or an R8 or an A1, mini isn't counted under BMW brand sales figures, only BMW Group.

Like I said before, you're psychosis is worrying.

Psychosis? Firewombat, let me make the comparison easier for you since you clearly have difficulty understanding how each brand's models lineup against each other.

Audi A3 Sportback = BMW 1-series (5-door)
Audi A4 = BMW 3-series sedan
Audi A5 coupe & convertible = BMW 3-series coupe/upcoming BMW 4-series & convertible
Audi A5 Sportback = BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo
Audi A6 = BMW 5-series
Audi A8 = BMW 7-series

Audi TT = BMW Z4

Audi A7 = BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe

Audi Q3 = BMW X1 **Note: Audi Q3 is NOT currently sold in the U.S.
Audi Q5 = BMW X3
Audi Q7 = BMW X5

Audi A1 = No BMW Competitor
Audi R8 = No BMW Competitor

BMW X6 = No Audi competitor
BMW 6-Series Coupe & Convertible = No Audi competitor
BMW 3-series Gran Turismo = No Audi competitor
BMW 1-series (3-door) = No Audi competitor
BMW 3/5/7 Hybrid = No Audi competitors
BMW 3/5/7 diesel = No Audi competitors

Firewombat, you are clearly delusional.

You think the 5GT is a competitor for the A5 sportback and you call me delusional?

The 3GT is not on sale yet so it doesn't count. An A3 3-door is available in most other markets outside the US, shows how much you know.

The 3/5/7 hybrids are not different models, just different engine choices and do not sell in huge numbers.

You also forgot the A4 Allroad, no BMW competitor.

A4/A6/A7 diesels are available in most markets outside the US, shows how much you know, again, get back on the meds sport.

Point proven, again, same number of models offered, you really should research things better before "trying" to argue.

In case your forgot, Firewombat the U.S. is the largest market globally for premium brands in terms of sales (although China will soon surpass the U.S. by 2016).

The 5-Series GT is a competitor for the A5 Sportback. Are you blind? Just look at the two models in terms of pricing.

By not having an A3 3-door available in the U.S. and the lack of diesels in the puts Audi at a HUGE disadvantage in an extremely important global market. Oh yeah, Audi doesn't have a proper 1-series competitor yet.

By not matching BMW in terms of models in the U.S. Audi has a significant disadvantage. With Audi's sales already soaring in the U.S., once Audi plugs in the model gaps BMW will be in second place worldwide.

@ GermanNut, have you checked those prices for the A5, a premium on the A4 whereas the 5GT is a premium on the 5 series, an A6 competitor. They are also not the same design, the A5 will compete with the upcoming 4 series GC.

Audi doesn't have a proper 1-series competitor? Like the A3? Are you joking? I'm not really sure whether to respond anymore because you really do sound crazy.

You don't even understand the difference between a 3-door, hatchback, and a coupe, 2-door and a trunk?

Or a 4-door coupe, like the A5 and 5-door hatchback based on a sedan, like the 5GT. What's the point? Are you 13 y/o?

And you were not talking models in the US, why would you say 5 or 7 series diesel if you were talking about the US?

Buddy, just give up, you're not giving anyone a lesson here, it's only you being schooled, your original points were shot down and now you're just being defensive. Like I said, schooled.

I meant to say, Audi does not have a proper competitor to the 1-series coupe in the U.S.

Oh, because that's making a HUGE difference in global sales. Wow.

Firewombat let me teach you another lesson. Just because Audi offers a Q3 to compete with the BMW X1 in other global markets, does not make it an even comparison. BMW has an advantage by offering the X1 in the U.S. market.

The same can be said for the A4/A6/A7 diesels that are offered in other markets but NOT the U.S.

You'll see later this year and early next year when Audi's global sales numbers skyrocket and the gap continues to shrink thanks in no small part to the U.S. market.

The only diesel BMW you can buy in the US BMW dealership right now is a X5, and I believe the Q7 offer a diesel too. Do three minutes of research 3 diesels are months away and 5 and 7 have yet to be annouced.

Again, no 5 series or 7 series diesel models in the US, so your argument is the sales from the 335d in the US are a huge reason BMW is ahead in sales. Go. Back. To. Bed.

That is true scenicbyway, but it still doesn't explain the Audi Q3 vs. BMW X1 or 1-series coupe vs. A3 sportback for the U.S. market mismatch and the advantage BMW has over Audi because of it.

I'll give you the X1 (which an augument could be made as an All Roads competitor), that's Audi NA fault be pokey to the market. the 1er and A3 match at price point and dismal sales, so I'm calling that a match. Don't forget Audi Avant's R8.

No, the advantage is because people prefer the 3 series over the A4, or the 5 series over the A6.

An X1 vs an A4 Allroad comparison shows exactly why you've been embarrassed on this blog and why you have no argument passed your biased opinion. Go back to Insideline.

Firewombat you really are a moron. The A4 Allroad is a BMW 3-series wagon competitor. The BMW X1 is an Audi Q3 competitor. You obviously love to make up faulty comparisons to support your terrible argument.

The A6 outsells the 5-series globally in case you wanted to ignore that hugely important fact to feed your bias. Once again, you are proven wrong when you say people prefer the 5-series over the A6.

Just save yourself the embarrassment and get off these forums.

BMW has sold nearly 7,000 X1s in the U.S. YTD. Once Audi brings the Q3 to the U.S. the X1 will face major competition. Just like the Q5 outsells the BMW X3 so far in the U.S. for 2013 YTD.

If the A6 outsells the 5-series globally then why complain about all the 5 series diesels and hybrids when trying to explain why Audi isn't no.1?

You have no argument, bias is a very difficult thing to control, try to do that though, it might get easier for you to make sense.

Shame Gnut, again, if the Q5 is such a big seller, then why aren't Audi doing as well as Merc? You've just proven all your previous posts irrelevant because all of a sudden, every Audi model is a best-seller, so why are they so behind.

Go.Back.To Bed.

The Audi Q5 is crushing the BMW X3 in U.S. sales and you can't take it, Firewombat. In defense you throw the Mercedes-Benz GLK into the conversation for no reason. Oh, the Audi Q5 is outselling the GLK, too. Nice try but you failed.

I never said every Audi was a best-seller. You resort to saying I said things which I clearly never said.

You fail to look at sub-model lines in your comparison like a fool. Just because you offer an equal sedan model does not mean the comparison is apples to apples. It also depends on how many sub-models you have within that model line.

Get off these boards. If you choose to stick around, I will continue to attack your lame arguments.

Shame Gnut, you haven't responded at any stage where your argument was proven wrong, the sales figures, the fact that Audi has more model lines etc, so it's just easier to attack me personally.

Just like the previous post, where everyone could see you were wrong?

I'd be careful about threatening people, I'm sure Autospies don't condone that but wow, I'm very afraid of you fanboy, shaking in my boots.

Go ahead, my posts are based on logic, unlike yours, which are based on biased and throwing tantrums when people prove you wrong.

No JRob, no mancrush, just pointing out the ultimate fanboy syndrome exhibited by you in defending BMW at any/all cost. Glad I made my point but highly doubt that will change the fanboy tendendies.

Hello, Kettle? This is Pot calling. You're black.

I stopped bothering. Scroll up and you'll see why. You're going to have to find a new man crush.

I love it when German nut complains about someone else lame arguement. Let me know when you come up with a good one....

Gnut can't because he only cares about one brand and anything in opposition to that gets met with confused knowledge, tantrums, and threats, it's the same way he acted on Insideline when he trolled around there. Can't make a decent argument so he starts attacking personally. Sad but we have to put up with people like this on sites like these sometimes.

Fire wombat you're really a douchebag!
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Any particular reason or just a general vibe?

Very true, notice how he conveniently ignores JRob stating "BMW didn't close any gap with Mercedes last month", yet goes on and on and on against non-Bimmer fans not knowing the difference?

"Sad but we have to put up with people like this on sites like these sometimes."

Irony defined.

I'd say more of a general vibe. You seem to have a problem with everyone else's opinions and a need to have the last word ...right, wrong or otherwise. I hate to attack your character based on 20+ posts on a blog, but in this case there is some evidence to back it up. Have a nice afternoon.
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If the world was run on general vibes we'd be in trouble.

You're entitled to your opinion. I suppose if you had some sort of argument to counter any of those posts you would have posted them, instead you simply posted an insult and left it at that.

I agree with many opinions on this site, if I see an opinion I feel is not factual or wrong then I have a right to say so.

Problem is, if I do that on a merc post I am suddenly a merc fanboy, same thing with a BMW post, so when people respond, not to my statement but simply because they don't like what I'm saying because of bias etc then it turns into a flame war.

Honestly, if you can find a post from me where I start attacking and insulting people from the start of a thread then I would agree with you. But you can't. So I don't.

I'm having a great afternoon :)

I did have an argument and I did post it. I did post an insult and I did back it up. I'm no fanboy at all. But basically the numbers do not support your argument. It's not that you don't have a right to an opinion it's the fact that you basically shoved your opinion down everyone's throat.
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@Tauron Only after I responded to your insult did you back it up, beside that you had nothing else to say. And you didn't respond to any of my posts with your argument. And that was my point.

This is exactly what I'm speaking about because we're not talking about the article or post but instead discussing each other. If the numbers didn't support my argument then you should of just said so. I disagree but it's your right to say so.

Looking at most of your posts I would assume you are quite a fanboy but if you say you aren't then fine. Fact is most of these flame wars start when fanboys start insulting other posts on threads for related to their competitors.

If by "shove" you mean correct people then that's your perception, only because you wish the conversation had gone a different way, more in a direction where the competitor of a brand you support a lot is knocked down.

Which is why I think you were here in the first place. But hey, that's just my opinion.

If you read the posts above then you'll see I became defensive when I was attacked. You can't blame me for that.

Yeah @PAcer, what I mean includes people like you, you can't comment on the article, just on other people's posts. Sad.

The irony is someone like you would actually post that.

Firewombat, you're the biggest joke on Autospies always trying to get the last word in with your pro-BMW rants.