Netherlands Premium Comparison : 2010-16

Premium cars are proving popular in many nations. They are often outselling cheaper mainstream brand while at the same time making more profit. More recently the most aggressive attack on this segment have been the BAM marques, BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. However other car makers are striking back and the competition is heating up. So a look at sales in this decade would be interesting.

First taking the BAM brands out of the equation, how are things shaping up in the Netherlands? From 2010 to 2016, sales were up 20% but it would have been higher but for a crash in Volvo sales. Now individually: Tesla grew from tiny to sizable, Infiniti +287% JLR +153% (LR +138% Jag +178%) Porsche +88% Volvo +7% Porsche 240%. Alfa Romeo fell 64% and Cadillac had little impact while it was theer.

Year	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Total	22,631	34,640	29,748	31,600	27,177	27,028	18,809
Volvo	14,470	25,130	21,971	24,440	16,924	16,538	13,537
JLR	2,808	2,465	1,827	1,689	1,683	1,268	1,109
Land Rover	1,623	1,557	1,443	1,287	1,342	928	682
Jaguar	1,185	908	384	402	341	340	427
Tesla	2,120	1,805	1,457	1,195	26	43	27
Porsche	1,162	2,161	1,025	849	944	730	617
Alfa Romeo	998	1,055	1,589	1,817	3,653	5,566	2,738
Lexus	872	1,944	1,849	1,588	3,920	2,826	705
Infiniti	201	80	30	14	12	42	52
Cadillac	-	-	-	8	15	15	24

Summary: Infiniti, Land Rover and Jaguar grew the most with variances in electric vehicle sales possibly accounting for Volvo's fluctuation. It is still the main selling brand in this comparison.

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Now adding the other brands to the BAM marques, how do things stack up? Total sales growth goes to 22%, with the BAM brands increasing a similar 23%. The 'Others' took 30% in 2010 and the same in 2016. In between they peaked at 39% in 2014. The BAM marques took 71% of all premium sales in 2016.

Year	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Total	77,285	91,826	76,326	82,584	82,122	76,877	63,139
BMW Group	24,533	24,586	19,155	22,429	22,673	19,989	16,805
BMW	18,756	19,706	15,477	19,004	18,632	16,016	13,794
Mini	5777	4880	3678	3425	4041	3973	3011
Others	22,631	34,640	29,748	31,600	27,177	27,028	18,809
Mercedes	15,409	15,370	11,849	10,834	11,269	11,305	11,436
Audi	14,712	17,230	15,574	17,721	21,003	18,555	16,089

Summary: The BAM trio are the top three, with Volvo falling from the #1 spot to just out of the top three in one year. Audi went from top to third in this period. The three biggest in 2016 were 1) BMW & Mini, 2) Mercedes 3) Audi.

Data source: Rai Vereeniging. Text source: RayCee.