BMW Has a 10 Percent Sales Increase For November 2019, Led by New 3 Series

by Eric Tsang 180

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BMW had a stellar November, up 10.2% compared to November 2018 pushing YTD sales up 4.5%. As usual, its biggest sellers include the 3 Series Sedan as well as the X3 and X5 crossovers. The race is on with Mercedes on who will be the most popular luxury brand in the US.

Crossovers continue to make up a majority of BMW sales (54%), but not all models are heating up the sales charts. The BMW X1 is currently down a bit due to a refresh currently hitting the market. Inventory is probably the issue that should be resolved in 2020. On the other end of the price spectrum, the brand new X6 “coupe” is also being delivered to dealers. The only true loser is the X2, which is a big miss. Nobody wants this crossover because not only does it not look sporty enough to sway buyers from the X1, it is also less practical and quite a bit more expensive.

The X3, X5, and X7 are doing very well, only their Mercedes counterparts are performing better within their respective segments.

On the car side there are some real surprises. The 3 Series sedan is up a whopping 95%! Sedans may have some life after all! It seems like the new 3 is appealing to customers. It probably doesn’t hurt that BMW is throwing some solid incentives for it as well. Currently, the 3 Series enjoys the advantage of being the newest and best in the category in pretty much every aspect. If you want a compact luxury sedan, this is currently the one to get. The other options are in need of a new model.

Dragging BMW down for the month are the 4 Series (coupe, convertible, gran coupe) and the 5 Series Sedan. The brand new 4 is due next year based on the platform and styling of the 3 Series and the 5 should be getting a mid-cycle refresh sometime next summer. In the meantime, BMW can only hope things don’t get worse in the next 6-8 months.

December, will decide who reigns supreme in the luxury battle for 2019 and I actually think Mercedes will take it.