Top 30 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles In America - January 2011

Restoration is, according to dictionary.com, a return of something to a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition. One glance at U.S. auto sales data will tell you the restoration is underway, but not yet complete. The total market was worth 819,938 sales in January. That's up from 2010; way up from January 2009. But compared with January 2001, the total new vehicle market last month was down 30%. Let's call the situation "mid-reno."

Fewer than one quarter of the automobiles on this list of America's Top 30 Best-Selling Luxury Vehicles posted lower sales in January 2010 than they did in January 2009. Look further back, however, and the numbers remain discouraging in spite of year-over-year gains. Yes, the BMW 3-Series is up 6.4% over January 2010, but the 3-Series is down 31.3% compared with January 2003. Sure, there are numerous variables one must consider before comparing sales from eight years ago with data from today, not the least of which is a luxury market filled with niche players. 

More importantly, automakers are adjusting to the smaller overall market. General Motors and its luxury representative, Cadillac, are a smaller company designed to compete in a smaller market. Indeed, this is a necessary step. While Cadillac is up 49.1% over last year; the company is down 10.5% from January 2003. The best news for Cadillac may be its across-the-board gains in January. Other than the STS and defunct XLR, ever model posted increases in January 2011. Two Cadillacs are in the top 10 below; the Escalade slid into 13th (up five spots from 2010's year end numbers) and the DTS more than doubled up on January 2010's figures.

Numerous automakers fielded four vehicles for this list. Mercedes-Benz leads the pack with five entrants in the Top 30, not a surprising fact given Benz's position as America's best-selling luxury auto brand in January 2011.

Rank	Car	Status*	January 2011	Last Month	January 2010
#1	Lexus RX	↑	5881	12,090	5688
#2	BMW 3-Series	↓	5763	10,067	5418
#3	Mercedes-Benz E-Class	↔	4759	5638	3824
#4	Cadillac CTS	↑	4362	5171	2565
#5	BMW 5-Series	↑	4350	5045	2469
#6	Infiniti G	↓	4324	7073	3763
#7	Cadillac SRX	↓	4236	5865	3234
#8	Mercedes-Benz C-Class	↓	4172	4924	4028
#9	Acura MDX	↓	3127	5887	2358
#10	BMW X5	↑	3038	3939	2458
#11	Mercedes-Benz M-Class	↑	2484	3783	1927
#12	Audi A4	↔	2483	3513	2763
#13	Cadillac Escalade	↑	2259	3814	1754
#14	Lexus ES	↓	2215	5469	2923
#15	Lexus IS	↓	1992	3782	2203
#16	Acura TSX	↓	1941	4393	1806
#17	Hyundai Genesis	↔	1783	2423	1670
#18	Mercedes-Benz GLK	↑	1625	1684	1803
#19	Acura TL	↓	1592	3275	1986
#20	Audi Q5	↓	1584	2473	1050
#21	Lincoln MKZ	↓	1574	2502	1340
#22	Lincoln MKX	↓	1546	2261	2198
#23	Mercedes-Benz GL-Class	↔	1518	2026	1225
#24	Cadillac DTS	↔	1365	1538	618
#25	Lexus GX	↔	1135	2246	1529
#26	BMW X3	↑	1075	849	288
#27	Audi A5	↓	1054	1455	1051
#28	Porsche Cayenne	↑	1047	1109	590
#29	Volvo S60	↑	1042	398	6
#30	Acura RDX	↓	993	1540	700

Source: Manufacturers And Automotive News Data Center
* - Status Compares With 2010 Year End Results

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