In the first half of 2021, European sales of limousines and upper class vehicles were up 32%, beating the overall market which was up 26%. And compared to the first six months of 2019, the upper class is down 22%, the same rate as the rest of the market. As a result, their share stable at 0.3% of the total European car market.
Mercedes-Benz reclaims control of the class with the launch of its new generation S-Class, which more than doubles its sales of last year. Its share jumps back to nearly 35% of the segment, although BMW still does slightly better with its two nameplates. The #1 and #2 of 2020, BMW 8-Series and 7-Series hold a combined 37.6% of the class in the first half of 2021. Despite a 43% increase year-over-year, the Porsche Panamera is knocked off the podium place it held in Q1 of 2021 but holds a firm advantage over the Audi A8, which is the only remaining model in the class to sell less than last year at -4%. The Bentley Flying Spur is up 38% but its fellow Brit Rolls Royce Ghost almost quadruples its sales thanks to the new generation. Still, at 86 deliveries in the first half of the year, the Ghost remains a very exclusive model in Europe. The Maserati Quattroporte is relatively stable but at a very low level, while the Rolls Royce Phantom sells 2 more units than last year. Bentley stopped production of the Mulsanne and Jaguar has killed the XJ and will not launch the all-electric successor that it had been developing for years. Now Mercedes-Benz will be the first with an EV in this class with the EQS, to be followed by the BMW i7.
| Upper class | 2021-H1 | 2020-H1 | Change | 2021 share | 2020 share | |
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz S-Class | 6.088 | 2.695 | 126% | 34,8% | 20,3% |
| 2 | BMW 8-series | 3.715 | 3.661 | 1% | 21,2% | 27,6% |
| 3 | BMW 7-series | 2.866 | 2.818 | 2% | 16,4% | 21,3% |
| 4 | Porsche Panamera | 2.703 | 1.895 | 43% | 15,4% | 14,3% |
| 5 | Audi A8 / S8 | 1.674 | 1.735 | -4% | 9,6% | 13,1% |
| 6 | Bentley Flying Spur | 224 | 162 | 38% | 1,3% | 1,2% |
| 7 | Rolls Royce Ghost | 86 | 23 | 274% | 0,5% | 0,2% |
| 8 | Lexus LS | 58 | 44 | 32% | 0,3% | 0,3% |
| 9 | Maserati Quattroporte | 46 | 45 | 2% | 0,3% | 0,3% |
| 10 | Rolls Royce Phantom | 19 | 21 | -10% | 0,1% | 0,2% |
| 11 | Bentley Mulsanne | 17 | 31 | -45% | 0,1% | 0,2% |
| 12 | Jaguar XJ | 7 | 105 | -93% | 0,0% | 0,8% |
| Segment total | 17.503 | 13.257 | 32% |
Car sales statistics are from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.