Korea 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 Korea? From 2010 to 2016, other premium sales were up 220%. Now individually: JLR +762% (LR +1,023% Jag +423%) Porsche 352% Volvo +218% Lexus +175% Cadillac +39% Infiniti +3%.

Year	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Total	37,689	29,885	21,952	15,846	12,951	12,195	11,782
JLR	14,399	9,975	6,664	5,004	3,113	2,399	1,670
Land Rover	10,601	7,171	4,675	3,103	1,916	1,383	944
Jaguar	3,798	2,804	1,989	1,901	1,197	1,016	726
Lexus	10,594	7,956	6,464	5,425	4,976	4,111	3,857
Volvo	5,206	4,238	2,976	1,960	1,768	1,480	1,638
Porsche	3,187	3,856	2,568	2,041	1,516	1,301	705
Infiniti	3,201	2,974	2,777	1,116	1,103	2,152	3,118
Cadillac	1,102	886	503	300	475	752	794

Summary: Land Rover and Jaguar grew the most but virtually all makes did very well. The Land Rover increases are extraordinary in any context, even allowing for their relatively small 2010 starting point. I didn't include the local Genesis brand, which is now Hyundai's premium make. It would have distorted the figures artificially. 23,000 sales arriving in one year!

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Now adding the other brands to the BAM marques, how do things stack up? Total sales growth goes to 206%, due to the BAM brands increasing 202%. The 'Others' took 21% in 2010, fell away but have come back with 22% in 2016. The BAM marques took 78% of all premium sales in 2016.

Year	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Total	167,841	164,795	131,558	100,037	82,545	69,649	54,835
BMW Group	57,091	55,378	46,746	39,367	34,079	27,575	19,018
BMW	48,459	47,877	40,174	33,066	28,152	23,293	16,798
Mini	8,632	7,501	6,572	6,301	5,927	4,282	2,220
Mercedes	56,343	46,994	35,213	24,780	20,389	19,534	16,115
Others	37,689	29,885	21,952	15,846	12,951	12,195	11,782
Audi	16,718	32,538	27,647	20,044	15,126	10,345	7,920

Summary: The BAM trio are the favourite marques but it is all rather even at the moment. Audi took a hit with the VW scandal. It is still one of the three best selling but JLR has closed in on that spot. BMW Group is just holding off Mercedes for the top spot. The three biggest in 2016 were 1)  BMW & Mini, 2) Mercedes, 3) Audi. (Had Genesis been included, it would have been third).

Text source: RayCee.