Global sales, premium brands
BMW in 2023 extended their lead over Mercedes-Benz as the world’s top-selling premium brand, while fourth-place Tesla nearly overtook Audi for the third spot. BMW’s EV sales increased 92 per cent to 331,000. BMW Group, which includes the MINI and Rolls-Royce brands, sold 2,555,341 cars for the year, a 6.5 per cent increase.
Mercedes car sales were flat at 2,043,800, virtually the same figure as in 2022, and changeovers to new models constrained deliveries, especially in the fourth quarter. Mercedes-brand EV sales were up by 73 per cent to 222,000. Mercedes-Benz Group sales, including Mercedes vans and Smart cars, were 2,491,600, a 1.5 per cent increase.
Audi sales were up 17 per cent to 1,895,000. The brand’s EV sales were up 51 per cent to just over 178,000. Audi’s growth in 2023 was enough to stiff-arm Tesla, who sold 1,808,000 million cars, a 38 per cent increase. Just two models, the 3 and the Y, accounted for 96 per cent of Tesla’s sales, with the S and X models accounting for the rest.
