Market shares up
January 6, 2012
German auto firms have been able to strengthen their position on the world's biggest automobile market, the United States. Ahead of the crucial Detroit motor show which begins on January 9, US market researcher Autodata issued a sector estimate which showed Volkswagen (VW) recording the highest increase among all German competitors in cars sold in the US throughout 2011.
The Wolfsburg-based company managed to sell roughly 257,000 cars - an increase of 26 percent over corresponding 2010 figures. Particularly high in demand among American buyers were Volkswagen's Jetta and Passat models.
VW is currently aiming even higher. It's aspiring to overtake Toyota and General Motors for the top global sales spot.
High-end sales rally
In the luxury sector, Germany's BMW and Mercedes brands were also able to expand their base in the US.
Munich's BMW was the surprise sales leader in the luxury class, seeing a 12.6 percent increase to reach 247,907 American buyers in 2011. Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, was just behind on 245,231 units sold, a 13.3 percent increase on 2010. Both carmakers succeeded in overtaking Toyota's luxury class Lexus brand.
Despite the significant strides made by German carmakers last year, they continue to play a marginal role compared in the overall US market when compared to the big domestic producers in the same year. GM and Ford sold 2.5 million and 2.1 million units respectively in 2011, with Chrysler in third position and 1.4 million cars leaving the showrooms.
German carmakers are confident they can expand their gains in the US in 2012. But they will face long-term competition from rapidly industrializing nations such as India and China.
Going gets tougher
"A decade ago, carmakers there focused on churning out cheap brands for their own populations," said Mathieu Meyer from KPMG. "But now they've started competing with the big carmakers in the industrialized nations," he added.
On the home front, the Cologne-based German subsidiary of Ford emerged as the 2011 champion among all domestic producers in terms of new cars registered. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), Ford brought some 231,000 new cars onto Germany’s roads, particularly its C-MAX and Focus models.
The managing director for marketing at Ford's European headquarters in Cologne, Wolfgang Booms, was pleased with the results. "New products and high customer satisfaction will remain vital drivers of our success in 2012," Booms said.
Ford recorded a 16.4 percent increase in Germany, compared to its 2010 sales figures ,after years of painful restructuring that had marred the sector nationwide.
Author: Rolf Wenkel, Hardy Graupner (AFP, Reuters, dpa)
Editor: Matt Hermann