Sales in the premium large segment fell by 18% compared to Q1 2015, a performance almost as bad as that of the premium mid-sized segment. However, with the new Mercedes-Benz E-class, Volvo S90 and Jaguar XF picking up steam it is reasonable to expect for the segment’s fortune to look up in the second quarter of the year.
Highlights for Q1 2016
- Only three cars gained sales compared to this period last year: the new Jaguar XF (sales up 28%), the graciously-aging Audi A7 (sales up 31%) and the Hyundai Genesis, soon to be re-christened Genesis G80 (sales up 3%)
- The small rise in sales was enough for the Genesis to take third place from the Mercedes-Benz E-class, whose sales fell by 24% on the back of a model handover
- The biggest loss is sales was recorded, ironically, by the Audi A7‘s direct competitor: BMW 6-series
- Most other models in the segment lost between roughly 15% and 35%; the exceptions were the FWD US-centric models (Lexus ES, Cadillac XTS, Lincoln MKS), which lost only between 5% and 7%, and the Acura RLX whose sales fell by almost 40%
Note: Clicking on the model name opens the sales data page for that model; clicking year in the legend turns the display for that year on/off