Summary: mainstream premium car brands’ China sales in February

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) reported that China's premium car sales in February declined 2.9% from a year ago. Gasgoo summaries the sales data released by automaker and the CPCA and found out that such premium car brands as Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac and Volvo who long maintained a stable year-on-year (YoY) growth faced sales downturn last month.

Currently, mainstream premium car brands including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, Lincoln, Audi and Infiniti have already decided to cut suggested retail prices on models sold in China in response to the government's VAT drop policy for manufacturing industry. However, it isn’t immediately clear whether the price cut will boost sales performance in the future.

BMW

After being outnumbered by Mercedes-Benz and Audi for 5 straight months, BMW successfully gained the championship in February with a monthly sales volume of 44,582 units (including the sales of Mini cars).

Last month, the sales of the BMW 5 Series, whose mid-cycle refresh was just completed at the end of 2018, and the BMW X3 reached 8,178 units and 6,757 units respectively. Another hotter-selling model, the BMW 3 Series, had a sales volume exceeding 10,000 units thanks to a substantial discount, closely following the Audi A4.

The all-new BMW 3 Series is going to hit the market in 2019 and is expected to further boost the overall sales.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz posts a YoY drop of 5.4% in Feb. sales, while its YTD sales still represented a tiny increase.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class, C-Class and E-class made up over 50% of total car sales in February. Especially, the A-Class specifically launched for China's market got a sales volume of nearly 5,000 units.

In 2019, the automaker is ready to roll out 15 all-new and refreshed models in China, including the long-wheelbase GLC SUV and the all-new C-Class. 

Audi

Last month, Audi’s global sales declined 8.5% year on year and the negative performance also fell on most major regional markets, including the U.S., Europe and Mexico. However, China became the only one that still maintained a positive growth.

The Feb. sales of the Audi A4L jumped 16.7% over the year-ago period to 10,888 units and the deliveries of the Audi Q2L were 1,337 units. 

Cadillac

SAIC-GM saw its sales in February tumble 38.9% from the previous year to 11,007 units, while it still was the champion among the so-called second-tier luxury car brands, according to the sales data released by the CPCA.

Except the Cadillac XT4, other models all faced YoY decrease in Feb. sales. The sales of the Cadillac XT5, XTS, ATS-L and CT6 amounted to 3,383 units, 2,990 units, 1,496 units and 498 units, plunging 44.82%, 43.58%, 72.19% and 58.64% respectively from a year ago.Lexus

Due to the Spring Festival Holiday, Lexus’s sales in February were evidently decreased over a month ago. However, it still gained a 4.4% YoY growth compared with the same period a year ago. The sales of the Lexus Hybrids reached 3,523 units, accounting for 33.9% of total Feb. sales.

In 2019, the carmaker plans to roll out 10 new models, among which 6 models will enter China’s market, including the new Lexus IS, the new RC F and the new LX570 (mid-cycle refresh).

Volvo

In February, Volvo's global sales climbed 5.5% from the year-ago period to 43,184 units, but in China, it faced a 0.2% YoY decline.

In global market, the new XC60 was still the best-seller with its sales jumping 22.5% to 12,630 units. The premium SUV model was also very popular among Chinese consumers.

Regarding the new product roll-out plan, the Volvo XC40 is about to go on sale in May and the all-new V60 and refreshed XC90 will be unveiled in August. Moreover, Volvo will start to accept the orders of the high-profile all-new S60 in November.

Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover said its global sales in February fell 4.1% year on year to 38,288 units. Sales in North American and UK markets substantially rose 25.4% and 11.3% respectively, nevertheless, sales in Chinese market slumped 47.6%. Based on the sales for February, 2018, it can be calculated that around 4,100 vehicles were sold in this country last month.

In February, the sales of the Jaguar XFL nosedived 74.9% to only 345 units and the sales of the Land Rover Discovery SUV plummeted 54.9% to 1,095 units, according to the CPCA. 

Infiniti

The CPCA's data showed that Dongfeng Infiniti's sales in February plunge 35.8%, while its Jan.-Feb. sales surged 56.1% from a year earlier.

According to relevant reports, Infiniti is ready to pull out of Western Europe by 2020 as part of a restructuring plan that focuses on development in China and North America. To strengthen presence in China, it will introduce five new models in the world’s largest market over the next five years.