BMW is hinting that domestic rival Audi may supplant it as the number one premium vehicle manufacturer.
BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said that BMW “…would like to remain leading premium automaker, also in terms of volume,” but Automotive News Europe reports that Audi’s high-volume, low-margin push will be enough to claim the #1 slot worldwide before the end of the year.
BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said that BMW “…would like to remain leading premium automaker, also in terms of volume,” but Automotive News Europe reports that Audi’s high-volume, low-margin push will be enough to claim the #1 slot worldwide before the end of the year.
BMW’s MINI brand competes at the lower end of the market, but the BMW core brand itself has no offerings at that price point. BMW says that it will retain the volume crown if MINI-branded vehicles are counted toward its total.
“There are always internal discussions about volume, these tend to end with the conclusion that we cannot surrender market share, but only if you have a good margin contribution. Volume is not everything and maintaining the same level of growth is not everything,” Reithofer said.
Fellow German rival Mercedes-Benz is not far behind Audi. Both could overtake BMW worldwide by 2020.
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