#IAA: Clouds Of Change Hang Over Frankfurt - Will There Be New Market Leaders In The Next Decade?

Audi has been bragging about their monthly record-breaking sales for some time now. I *speculate* their lead will slow and they'll eventually fall behind MB and BMW. My entirely biased speculation is based on me disliking their new straight lines and trapezoids styling direction, and suspecting that it won't be a hit. I might be dead wrong about it. BMW's Flame Surface era was a disaster, yet they continued to sell.

In the semi-premium category - which is where most of the cars that Audi actually sells- they really do not compete with BMW or Mercedes - their closest competitor is probably VW itself. Audi fails to sell much in the larger car categories - largely because they use essentially the same styling in all their cars - and from afar - an A8 looks like an A3.

However - I suspect that the title about Market Leaders - referred to Toyota - whose Prius sold well - but is less likely to sell well with low price oil. Those that depended on Hybrid and EV technology will have a hard time for at least the next two years. Since neither VW or GM has major Hybrid sales - they are less likely to get hurt. Unless there is consolidation among other manufacturers (I do not see gm/fca happening ever) - I cannot see how another manufacturer would be able to join the current big three in two years.

I dunno, six of the past twenty or so articles on AutoSpies are about EVs, not autonomous nor connected ones. What does that tell us? :)