BMW returns to form. For the first time in 2009, the Bavarian group arrived in September to halt the fall in sales in the world. They have even increased by 0.7% last month compared to same period in 2008. A shy embellished the group owes less to its sedans and 4 ? 4, whose volume fell by 1.2%, as his little Mini, which jumped 9.5%. This performance, after a decline in registrations of nearly 20% in the first half, restores hope to the manufacturer.
"Nobody knows if the trend toward recovery is sustainable," said Harald Kruger, director of human resources and industrial relations from BMW. But we are considering the fourth quarter of 2009 and next year with cautious optimism.We will be growing over the last three months of the year unless the economy does not turn again. "The group put on a sales decline of between 10 and 15% this year. This result would allow him, as he rose slightly in the red in the first half, a profit on the year.
Audi nibbles ground
Optimism is required for the historic rival, Mercedes. If sales are still down (from 6.5% in September), it is, in the Stuttgart firm, "the figure of the highest selling of the year." As for Audi, it was worse than its competitors in September (-6.8%), but nibble market share in nine months with a commercial decline of 7.5%, two times smaller than those of BMW and Mercedes.
If all three German manufacturers seem to have hit bottom, they rebound remains uncertain.Audi believes it does not find its volumes from 2008 until 2011. The market premium has been weakened by tighter environmental standards limiting their powerful vehicles emitting more CO2 than small builders general models. Meanwhile, the crisis slows impulse buying cars for statutory. In the medium term if the market seems doomed to shrink, "the premium segment as a whole should end the crisis reconnect with growth of around 5% per year, thanks to a shift from supply to smaller models" , said Sebastian Amichi, director of studies at the firm Roland Berger.
The example to follow is that of the BMW Mini, sold 232 000 copies in 2008, while generating margins. With this success, the group launched its X1 Munich, small 4 x 4 leisure."We are targeting new customers, who do not need a big car, but want to continue to be pleased," said Harald Kr?ger. Audi is preparing its response with its future small 4 ? 4 Q3 in 2011. Some manufacturers GPs could also try to take advantage of this trend. It is betting that his small Citroen with DS3, a small model to ride on the beds of the Mini. Another avenue of growth is the launch of hybrid models which work on all manufacturers of high quality.