BMW Concedes Premium Car Sales Crown In The U.S.

BMW admits that it won’t retain its title as the top-selling premium

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by Brad Anderson

October 18, 2016 at 22:30

BMW admits that it won’t retain its title as the top-selling premium automaker in the United States for 2016.

Speaking with Automotive News, BMW’s North American chief executive Ludwig Willisch said the company simply doesn’t have enough crossovers to meet customer demand for such models, conceding that “it has been a tough year.”

Willisch said that, for rival brands, SUV and crossovers typically account for about 45 per cent of sales in the U.S. In 2016, BMW’s mix sits at between 39 and 40 per cent, leaving the automaker with no hope of claiming the top sales spot for the fifth time in six years and allowing Lexus and Mercedes-Benz to battle it out.

In the first nine months of the year, BMW sales in the States have declined by 7.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2015, sitting at 230,133 vehicles.