2014 Year End U.S. Auto Sales by Brand, Corporations, etc..

[King T]

U.S. Midsize Car Sales In 2014

As the U.S. auto industry collectively reported a 6% year-over-year increase in sales volume in calendar year 2014, midsize car sales increased, as well.

Barely.

Growth in America’s midsize car market was slow in 2014, the second consecutive year in which the overall auto industry moved forward at an impressive rate while midsize car growth was unimpressive.

Yet in 2014, the most dominant midsize cars did in fact expand their sales at a healthy clip. The best-selling Toyota Camry was up 5% to 428,606 units, the Camry's highest total since 2008. America's second-best-selling car, the Honda Accord, posted a 6% improvement compared with 2013, to its highest total since 2007. Sales of the third-ranked Nissan Altima, America’s fourth-best-selling car overall, climbed 5% to a record-high 335,644 units. Nissan set an Altima U.S. sales record in 2014.

The fourth-best-selling midsize car, Ford’s Fusion, also ascended to record highs with a 4% year-over-year increase. The fifth-ranked Hyundai Sonata, after starting slowly with the seventh-generation car in the latter portion of the year, ended 2014 up 7% compared with the 2013 calendar year.

Combined, those five top sellers were up 5% to 1,676,420 units in 2014, increasing their share of the midsize market to 69% from 66% in 2013.

The impressive improvements from those five top sellers resulted in a collective 5% YOY increase, equal to nearly 82,000 extra sales. Yet the midsize segment as shown here improved by fewer than 30,000 units as the five big players stole market share from many of the group’s smaller members.

In 2013, the five top sellers – the same five cars ranked in the exact same order – owned 67% of the category. In 2014, that figure grew by three percentage points to 70%.

How did it happen? Take it from the top, or rather, near the top. The Chevrolet Malibu slid 6%, ending the year with a 12% loss in the fourth-quarter. Chrysler’s launch of the new 200 brought about higher sales totals at the end of the year, but the 2014 calendar year saw total sales of the 200 (old and new) and Avenger (now defunct) fall 22%, a loss of some 47,000 sales.

After following up 2012’s record-setting performance with a 6% loss in 2013, U.S. sales of the Volkswagen Passat fell 12% in 2014. The Mazda 6 and Subaru Legacy both posted large percentage increases, but their respective 22% and 24% gains, combined, generated fewer than 20,000 extra sales. (Camry volume increased by slightly more than 20,000 extra units in 2014.) The disappearance of the Suzuki Kizashi and Mitsubishi Galant resulted in 2921 lost sales in 2014, as well.

Thus, while it’s true that midsize car sales were flat in the United States in 2014, don’t confuse that overarching statement with an across-the-board assumption that all midsize nameplates were similarly affected. The rich got richer.

[King T]

U.S. Large Car Sales - 2014 Year End

U.S. sales of large cars from volume brands decreased 8% in 2014, a loss of nearly 51,000 units compared with 2013.

The Chevrolet Impala, still a popular nameplate, suffered a 10.5% year-over-year decrease to 140,280 units. Combined, the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 – 147,481 sales between the pair - were down 5.5%. The Ford Taurus took a 22% dive. Hyundai Azera volume tumbled 36%. The Nissan Maxima, approaching replacement, slid 6.5%. Toyota Avalon sales slid 5% following 2013 sales which increased to a six-year high.

With the American market, even the global market, turning toward more practical and similarly fuel-efficient utility vehicles, this will simply not be a growth segment in the near (or likely even distant) future.

Chevrolet Impala
2014-140,280
2013-156,797
% Change: -10.5%


Dodge Charger
2014-94,009
2013-98,336
% Change: -4.5%


Toyota Avalon
2014-67,183
2013-70,990
% Change: -5.4%


Ford Taurus
2014-62,629
2013-79,960
% Change: -21.7%


Chrysler 300
2014-53,382
2013-57,724
% Change: -7.5%


Buick LaCrosse
2014-51,468
2013-48,798
% Change: 5.5%


Nissan Maxima
2014-50,401
2013-53,896
% Change: -6.5%


Hyundai Genesis
2014-29,992
2013-32,330
% Change: -7.2%


Kia Cadenza
2014-9,267
2013-8,626
% Change: 7.4%


Hyundai Azera
2014-7,232
2013-11,221
% Change: -35.5%


Chevrolet SS
2014-2,479
2013-418
% Change: 493%

[King T]

U.S. Sporty & Premium Sporty Car Sales in 2014

2014 was the year of the Corvette. 34,839 copies of Chevrolet's iconic sports car were sold to Americans last year, the highest total since 2006, more than the number of 4Cs, TTs, Z4s, F-Types, SLKs, Boxsters, Caymans, R8s, ELRs, GT-Rs, 911s, and Vipers combined.

The Camaro was America's 26th-best-selling car in calendar year 2014; the Mustang 29th; the Challenger 45th. In December, the Mustang ranked 21st; the Camaro 31st; the Challenger 42nd.

For every 11 Camaros, Mustangs, and Challengers sold in America in 2014, consumers also picked up one 4C, TT, Z4, F-Type, SLK, Boxster, or Cayman. This group of European sports cars combined for a marginal 0.2% improvement in 2014 thanks almost completely to the F-Type. Sales of the soon-to-be-replaced TT slid 44%, the Z4 was down 13%, the SLK slid slightly, and the Boxster/Cayman duo fell 8%.

Subaru's Impreza-based WRX/STi lineup outsold Subaru's BRZ and its twin, the Scion FR-S, by 3926 units. Lexus sold their first 1,922 RCs in the final two months of 2014. Volkswagen's Golf-based GTI shot up 30%, year-over-year. BMW reported 555 i8 sales. Viper volume rose to the highest level in six years, yet it wasn't high enough.

[King T]

(SUV/Crossovers)


U.S. Small SUV Sales - 2014 Year End

What do the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, Chevrolet Equinox, Nissan Rogue, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, Subaru Forester, GMC Terrain, Mazda CX-5, Dodge Journey, Nissan Juke, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, and Mini Countryman all have in common?

They each sold more often in the United States in 2014 than in any prior year. Record-setting performances were so common as to be easily ignored in manufacturer press releases.

The Honda CR-V, for example, didn't just lead all SUVs and crossovers in November, it outsold all passenger cars, as well. There were more CR-Vs sold in America in 2014 than in 2005 and 2006 combined. There were twice as many RAV4s sold in America in 2014 as there were in 2011. Nearly one out of every five non-F-Series Fords sold in America in 2014 was an Escape.

This trend toward smaller SUVs and crossovers can't be traced back to a lowering of gas prices. CR-V-class SUVs/crossovers posted 19% gains in 2013, when fuel prices weren't plunging. This is an evolution in the market. Americans are buying wagons again. They just don't look like the wagons of yore.

[King T]

U.S. Midsize SUV Sales - 2014 Year End

In 2014, the Explorer was America's fifth-best-selling utility vehicle even though Explorer sales were 17% higher last year than they were in 2006. Smaller utility vehicles - the Honda CR-V, Ford's own Escape, the Toyota RAV4, and Chevrolet's Equinox - have long since taken over as America's top sellers.

Yet the Explorer, now entering the fifth model year of this fifth-generation, is increasingly popular. Police Interceptor excluded, Explorer sales jumped 6% in 2014, a gain of more than 11,000 units. No three-row vehicle sells more often in America than the Explorer, though the Chrysler/Dodge minivan duo combines for more sales.

Among midsize SUVs and crossovers, the GM Lambda platform trio is the Explorer's main challenge. The Enclave, Traverse, and Acadia sold 260,215 copies in 2014.

[King T]

U.S. Large SUV Sales in 2014

No surprise here: with four new SUVs from the category's dominant automaker, full-size volume brand sport-utility vehicles enjoyed especially strong growth in the United States in 2014.

As America's overall auto industry rose 5.9% and SUV/crossover sales increased at an 11.9% clip, sales of these vehicles jumped 12.4% despite losses from the segment's three slowest sellers, including one of those new GM nameplates.

Nevertheless, with the GM quartet - Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Yukon XL - rising 15.3% to 224,056 units in 2014, a 29,734-unit year-over-year improvement, and a 16% increase in the number of Ford Expeditions sold compared with 2013, full-size SUVs were up as a whole.

Chevrolet Tahoe
2014-97,726
2013-83,502
% Change: 17%



Chevrolet Suburban
2014-55,009
2013-51,260
% Change: 7.3%


Ford Expedition
2014-44,632
2013-38,350
% Change: 16.4%


GMC Yukon
2014-41,569
2013-28,302
% Change: 46.9%



GMC Yukon XL
2014-29,752
2013-31,258
% Change: -4.8%


Nissan Armada
2014-12,593
2013-14,383
% Change: -12.4%


Toyota Sequoia
2014-11,806
2013-13,811
% Change: -14.5%

[King T]

[King T]

Audi, BMW And Mercedes-Benz All Achieve Record U.S. Sales In 2014

Germany’s three major luxury automotive brands experienced record sales in the U.S. in 2014, with BMW ending the year as the most successful. In 2014, BMW sold a staggering 339,738 vehicles here, up 9.8 percent on the record 309,280 it sold in 2013. The most popular model was the 3-Series/4-Series duo, whose sales totaled 142,232 units.

Mercedes-Benz was a close second with 330,391 sales in 2014, a rise of 5.7 percent on the 312,534 vehicles sold the previous year. And if you add the figures for Mercedes’ Sprinter van you get a total of 366,589 sales. Both totals are new records for the Three-Pointed Star. The top-seller was the C-Class, with 75,065 units getting sold.

Audi still lagged its rivals by a considerable margin, managing 182,011 vehicle sales. However, the result is still a substantial 15.2 percent rise on the 158,061 vehicles Audi sold in the U.S. in 2013. Here, the most popular model was the Q5 which experienced 42,420 unit sales over the period.

The gains are mostly attributed to the arrival of new compact models, particularly in the case of Mercedes, which entered the segment for the first time only in 2013 with the launch of its CLA-Class. In 2014 we saw Mercedes introduce the GLA-Class, while Audi launched its new A3 and BMW its new 2-Series. Also helping to boost sales have been low interest rates and attractive lease plans.

Global tallies for the three automakers should be announced later this month. BMW is expected to be the top-selling brand, though competition this year has been close.

Focusing back on the U.S. market, Lexus sales rose 14 percent to 311,389 units; Acura sales rose 1.5 percent to 167,843 units; Infiniti sales rose 0.8 percent to 117,300 units; and Lincoln sales rose 16 percent to 94,474 units.

Luxury brands that saw sales decline included Cadillac and Volvo. Cadillac’s sales dropped 6.5 percent to 170,750 units, while Volvo sales dropped 8 percent to just 56,366 units. It should be noted that both Cadillac and Volvo should see a bounce back to positive territory soon thanks to the arrival of some important new models this year like the replacement for the aging SRX at Cadillac and Volvo's new XC90.

[King T]

BMW Wins 2014 US Luxury Car Sales Race, sells more cars than Mercedes

The December 2014 sales are in and BMW has once again outpaced Mercedes-Benz to retain its title as the U.S. top premium brand.

BMW ended with a lead last year of more than 9,000 vehicles over Mercedes-Benz, which in 2013 seized a title BMW had held for the previous two years.

BMW USA sold 339,738 vehicles in 2014, a 9.8 percent jump from 2013. Mercedes-Benz brand showed an increase of 5.7 percent to 330,391 vehicles.

Last year, Mercedes-Benz outsold BMW by about 3,000 vehicles.

The U.S. luxury crown is hotly contested. In 2012, BMW’s title was measured by reported sales. Mercedes topped BMW in 2012 by vehicle registrations. Registration numbers aren’t available until a few months after a vehicle is sold.

The discrepancy between registrations and sales is because cars can be reported as sold when delivered to dealerships instead of only to consumers.

The strong demand for vehicles like the 3 Series, 4 Series and X5, helped secure the crown last year.

Third place was attributed to Lexus with 311,389 vehicles sold in 2014, up 13.7 from 2013.

Audi finished fourth, ahead of Cadillac. Audi’s sales of 182,011 were up 15.2 percent while Cadillac sales fell 6.5 percent to 170,750 vehicles.

[King T]

BMW Group U.S. Reports Record December and 2014 Sales

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Jan. 5, 2015 -- The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 48,141 vehicles, an increase of 9.5% percent from the 43,981 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. At year end, the BMW Group (BMW and MINI combined) is up 5.3 percent on sales of 395,850 compared to 375,782 in 2013, a new record for the BMW Group U.S.

"The record result in 2014 for BMW proves that solid growth is still possible when you have the right products that provide good value for the customer," said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. "The increases across the BMW line make us optimistic about what's possible in 2015. I am also very glad to see that MINI set a new sales record in December and I have no doubt MINI will have a great year now that the new models are becoming available."


BMW Brand Sales
Sales of BMW brand vehicles in December totaled 41,526 compared to 37,389 vehicles sold in December, 2013. For the year, the BMW brand is up 9.8 percent in 2014 on sales of 339,738 compared to 309,280 sold in 2013. The new total smashes the previous sales record set in 2013 (309,280).

In December, best performing vehicles included the 3 and 4 Series, up 16.3 percent to 19,464 units. In the SAV category, the popular X5 was up 18.1 percent for the year to 47,031 units.

[King T]

Mercedes-Benz Delivers Record-Breaking 2014 Sales Volume Of 330,391, Up 5.7%

MONTVALE, NJ -- Jan. 5, 2015: Mercedes-Benz today reported record-breaking 2014 sales of 330,391, up 5.7% from the 312,534 units sold in 2013. Annual Sprinter sales increased 18% to 25,745, combining with 10,453 units at smart, up 12.8%, for a best-ever year-to-date grand total of 366,589 for Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA).

"The past year brought key milestones for Mercedes-Benz on both the product and customer service fronts," said Stephen Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA. "Capped by another round of record sales, we're more aligned than ever in pairing a 'best or nothing' model lineup with the best ownership experience in the business."

Sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, ranging from the entry-level CLA four-door coupe to the brand's S-Class flagship, increased to 212,086 from the 206,221 vehicles sold in 2013. On the light truck side, retail volumes hit 118,305, up 11.3% from 106,315 units last year.

Annual volume leaders included the C-, E- and M-Class model lines. The C-Class, which received a full redesign for the 2015 model year, took the top spot with 75,065 units, followed by the E-Class at 66,400. The best-selling Mercedes-Benz SUV, the M-Class, rounded out the top three at 46,726, up 13.1% from the 41,326 vehicles sold the previous year. At the high end, the S-Class saw yearly sales increase 90% to 25,276 from 13,303 in 2013.

A best-ever December for Mercedes-Benz delivered monthly sales of 34,009, compared to 33,007 in December 2013. The C-Class remained the volume leader with 8,224 units, up 13.8% from 7,229 the same month last year. The M-Class came second at 5,625—an increase of 25.4%—followed close behind by the E-Class at 5,119.

December sales for Sprinter Vans hit a record 3,288, climbing 16.3% from the 2,828 units sold the same month last year. Adding 973 units for smart, up 13.8% from 855 in December 2013, MBUSA posted a monthly grand total of 38,270.

Mercedes-Benz AMG high-performance models closed out 2014 with an annual volume of 11,303, jumping 44.9% from 7,802 units the previous year. For the month, AMG sales totaled 1,122, compared to 1,109 in December 2013. Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel models delivered a total of 14,544 vehicles in 2014, with December sales reaching 1,183.

[King T]

Lexus reloads for a shot at luxury title

DETROIT -- Lexus, quickly narrowing the U.S. sales gap with BMW and Mercedes-Benz, will have its busiest product year since the brand's inception, with as many as nine new or tweaked models, including a key redesign, three midcycle refreshes, new turbocharged options and a special edition in 2015.

The blitz comes as Lexus targets a 9 percent sales jump to a record 340,000 vehicles and a shot at regaining the U.S. luxury crown it relinquished four years ago. The rollout is crucial to keeping the brand fresh and winning coveted younger customers, said Jeff Bracken, general manager for Toyota Motor Corp.'s luxury marque.

Most Lexus executives, publicly at least, disavow any intention of playing the numbers game against the German giants. That has been a no-no since the 2010 Toyota recall crisis, when President Akio Toyoda blamed the company's quality problems partly on unbridled growth.

But Bracken, a little brasher and bolder, concedes that being No. 1 is still part of his mission in the U.S., Lexus' biggest market, where it reigned as the top-selling luxury brand for 11 years before the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan broadsided production and sales.

"If I did not want to resecure that luxury leadership position, then my boss probably put the wrong person in this job," Bracken said at last month's Detroit auto show.

"It's important. No question about it," he said.

Momentum on its side

Bracken says Lexus sales should climb to a record 340,000 vehicles this calendar year. That would surpass the peak of 329,177 that Lexus hit in 2007, before the economic crisis and Japanese disasters knocked it off stride.

Last year, Lexus finished behind No. 1 BMW and No. 2 Mercedes-Benz, but the Japanese brand has momentum on its side. Its sales of 311,389 units represented a 14 percent advance, outpacing the overall luxury market's 6 percent gain. BMW logged a slower 10 percent increase to 339,738 vehicles in 2014, while Mercedes-Benz advanced 6 percent to 330,391 vehicles. For December alone, Lexus leapfrogged Mercedes-Benz to take the No. 2 position behind BMW. (Surging Audi and struggling Cadillac both sold fewer than 200,000 vehicles.)

For its next big leap, Lexus will do as the Germans do: Expand the lineup with more iterations of existing nameplates, including hybrids, sporty trims and high-performance variants.

This year, as many as nine updates will debut, including the GS F performance edition of the GS sedan, unveiled at the Detroit auto show. That will be followed by a redesign of the brand's No. 1 nameplate, the RX crossover, and midcycle changes for the GS and ES sedans and LX SUV.

Lexus also will deploy its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine to other nameplates beyond the NX compact crossover, which last year was the first Lexus to get a turbo powerplant.

"That is the greatest introduction of fresh product in our 26-year history. That's a lot," Bracken said. "We were able to make up tremendous ground. ... The risk is how we keep ourselves fresh and competitive in such a new-product-oriented industry in the luxury segment."

The benefits of F

The F Sport line and the F-series high-performance models are a critical component of Lexus' growth plan. The benefits are twofold: F Sport and F editions are higher-priced, and they help attract younger buyers. And that addresses two critical weaknesses for the Lexus brand: an older customer base and weak average transaction prices relative to its competitors.

Bracken said F Sport owners are five to 12 years younger than non-F Sport counterparts. "We're hoping this strategy brings us younger buyers," he said. "That's the endgame."

Indeed, half of all IS sales are F Sports. And last year, one in four Lexus buyers chose the F Sport package on models where it was available, Bracken said.

Lexus would need a lot more of those sales to move the age needle significantly. The average age of a Lexus buyer is still 60, Bracken notes. And analysts caution that Lexus' F line is going up against some well-established competition in Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW's M line.

"The F franchise is still relatively new," said Matt DeLorenzo, managing editor for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "It will take time for Lexus to build a following."

But that's OK with Bracken's boss, Mark Templin, executive vice president of Lexus International -- especially if the expansion comes in high-margin vehicles.

Templin reiterated that the CT hatchback, which starts at about $33,000 with shipping, is as downmarket as the Lexus brand will go. It doesn't need to parry German offerings such as the Mercedes GLA or BMW 1 series with sub-$30,000 alternatives, he said, because it has a feeder brand in Toyota that its German rivals lack.

Moreover, Lexus is compelled to hold the line partly because its average transaction price still trails its competitors'.

In December, Lexus' average transaction price rose 2.4 percent from a year earlier to $47,719, according to Kelley Blue Book. BMW's average stood nearly unchanged at $51,916, while Mercedes-Benz boasted a 5.1 percent increase to $58,477.

"We have no plans to go downmarket," Templin said. "Nice, slow, methodical growth -- that's way better for us. Sales, share and profit should be the result of doing the right things, not the goal."

[King T]

Audi achieves fifth straight year of U.S. record sales with 182,011 vehicles in 2014

-December 2014 marks the 48th consecutive month of record sales for Audi in the U.S.
-The most recent month stands as the best-ever U.S. sales month and the first time monthly sales have topped 19,000 vehicles
-All-time record sales year for Audi Certified pre-owned vehicles
-Audi reported that its U.S. sales in 2014 increased 15.2% from the previous annual record in 2013 to 182,011 vehicles sold. December 2014 sales increased 13.1% to 19,238 vehicles.

December 2014 represented the best-ever December sales results in Audi history, as well as the 48th consecutive month of record sales for Audi in the U.S. The previous December record was set in 2013 with sales of 17,013 vehicles.

“These record-breaking sales results are a direct reflection of the commitment and dedication of our dealer partners,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “Their recent investments into the Audi franchise total nearly $1 billion, and alongside the heavy investments in new products and technologies made by AUDI AG, the future is bright for Audi in the U.S.”

Sales of Audi SUV models remained robust through the end of the sales year. The Audi Q5 posted a year-over-year gain of 5.1% with 42,420 vehicles delivered in 2014. Year-to-date sales for the Audi Q7 increased 15.9% to a total of 18,517 vehicles. Sales of the all-new Audi Q3 also closed out strong with 3,654 vehicles sold in 2014.

The top end of the Audi lineup (A6, A7, A8, Q7) continued to perform as well, with the most exclusive Audi models representing approximately one-third of overall Audi sales. In particular, the Audi A6 sales increased 9.6% for the month and 6.7% for the year.

December sales of the Audi A3 family maintained its steady pace, with 2,690 vehicles sold. 2014 resulted in a total of 22,250 vehicles from the A3 model line delivered to Audi customers.

Audi Certified pre-owned vehicles also increased to record levels for the month of December and for the full year. December 2014 marks the 17th consecutive month of record CPO sales, and it resulted in an increase of 8.1% and a total of 4,349 CPO vehicles sold. CPO sales in 2014 increased 17% to 47,023 vehicles.

Highlights:

-The 2015 Audi A3 models, including new sedan and Cabriolet variants, have generated total sales of 22,250 units since the first of the family line models reached the U.S. in the spring.

-Sales of Audi premium category vehicles (Audi A6, Audi A7, Audi A8, and Audi Q7) increased 6% year-to-date, representing 31% of total Audi sales year-to-date and 14% of the Audi year-to-date sales gain.

-Sales mix for Audi S performance variants finished the month at 13.9% for the S3 sedan; 15.6% for the S4 sedan; 36.3% for the S5/ RS 5; 2.1% for the S6; 30.2% for the S7 / RS 7; 9% for the S8; 91.7% for the TTS Coupe and TTS Roadster, and 5.8% for the SQ5 crossover.

-Audi holds the longest running monthly record sales streak in the premium car market according to a competitive sales report from MotorIntelligence.com.

[King T]

Acura Brand up 1.5% in 2014, Best Year Since 2007

Acura

The Acura Division reported total vehicle sales of 167,843 units in 2014, up 1.5 percent — the brand’s best year since 2007 – and third consecutive year of increased sales. Acura finished the year strongly with 17,809 new cars and truck sold in December for a total gain of 13.1 percent month-over-month.

The Acura MDX and RDX combined for new all-time annual and all-time monthly sales records on combined year-to-date sales of 110,546 units, up 12.6 percent, and December sales of 11,919, up 10.7 percent.

-MDX rode a wave of popularity en route to best-ever sales of 65,603 units for 2014, up 23.7 percent versus 2013. December sales were up 3.4 percent on sales of 6,761 vehicles for a new all-time sales record for any month.

-RDX also set annual and monthly records, with total 2014 sales of 44,865, up 0.3 percent, and December sales of 5,156, up 22.3 percent for the month.

Total 2014 TLX sales reached 19,127 since its mid-August market debut, with December sales limited only by tight supplies of key models.

-ILX posted a strong December, with sales rising 10 percent on delivery of 1,730 units.

“The Acura MDX and RDX declared loud and clear why we call them the best 1-2 punch in the luxury SUV game, with record sales in the history of the Acura brand,” said Mike Accavitti, Acura division senior vice president and general manager. “With our passenger car lineup now strengthened by the successful launch of the all-new TLX, the upcoming introduction of the redesigned ILX, and the highly anticipated NSX supercar set for its global debut in Detroit, the Acura brand is poised for great things in 2015.”