Small/Entry Luxury Car Sales And Midsize Luxury Car Sales In America - March 2012

Of the 3355 total Acura TSX sales in March 2012, 351 were wagons. While that nine-sedans-for-every-one-wagon ratio might work long-term if Acura sold a greater number of TSXs, it lends credence to the theory that manufacturers providing cars in America don't want to push wagons, and proof positive that Americans don't really want luxury wagons. Auto scribes all say we do, but in the end, consumers run away from wagons to luxury crossovers like, for instance, the Acura MDX. Acura sold 3755 MDXs in a poor month and 1007 RDXs in a very poor month. Both have a higher base price than the TSX Sport Wagon.

March 2012 Small/Entry
Luxury Car Sales Chart

Fortunately, Honda provides the model breakdown for the TSX. Audi doesn't do that with the A4 sedan and Avant, nor does BMW and Cadillac with the 3-Series and CTS, the wagon version of which is a Good 12 winner. We do know that 633 Audi A3 hatchbacks were sold in March 2012. Add to that 2223 Lexus CT200h hatches and a measly (but stunning) 182 Volvo C30 hatchbacks. 

41% of the Volvos sold in the United States so far this year have been sedans. Most of those cars have been copies of the S60. In fact, the S60 was responsible for 36% of all Volvo USA sales in Q1 of 2012. It's easily Volvo's best seller and its relative success would, theoretically, bode well for the gorgeous V60 if Volvo would just start freaking importing it. 

Then again, Volvo sold fewer than 500 XC70 wagons in March, gave up on the V70 not too long ago for lack of demand, and would inevitably price the V60 a couple thousand dollars above the TSX Sport Wagon. Because they'd assume it wouldn't be too successful, dealers wouldn't stock it. Because there was low stock - and because they'd be right about the lack of demand - even the few buyers who wanted one might not be able to get the one they want. Oh, the vicious circles.

March 2012 Midsize
Luxury Car Sales Chart

Anyway, in other luxury car news, the Audi A7 once again out-sold the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. The Audi's base price is $12,050 lower than the CLS550's MSRP, and the pricing/engine strategy seems to be working. Granted, Mercedes-Benz sold 5570 E-Class sedans, coupes, convertibles, and wagons in March while Audi sold only 1479 A6 sedans. It was a down month for the Benz; a good month for the Audi.

Detailed March and Q1 sales figures for 33 luxury cars are in tables after the jump. Click either of the accompanying charts for a larger, simpler view. You can always find monthly and yearly data for these cars and every other vehicle on sale in North America by accessing the dropdown menu at the top right of this page.

Small/Entry Luxury Car	March 2012	% Change	Year To Date	YTD % Change
Acura TSX	3355	+ 19.4%	8994	+ 19.2%
Audi A3	633	+ 9.9%	1687	+ 0.6%
Audi A4	3291	- 4.0%	8686	+ 0.1%
BMW 1-Series	1067	+ 4.8%	2094	- 12.1%
BMW 3-Series	9897	+ 16.4%	24,698	+ 29.1%
Cadillac CTS	4485	+ 14.9%	12,074	- 15.6%
Infiniti G	5995	- 14.5%	15,316	- 9.0%
Lexus CT200h	2223	+ 1.1%	4890	+ 122%
Lexus HS250h	261	+ 13.5%	563	- 19.5%
Lexus IS	2717	- 8.1%	6622	- 5.8%
Mercedes-Benz B-Class	-----	-----	7	+ 250%
Mercedes-Benz C-Class	6342	- 3.1%	18,107	+ 19.2%
Volvo C30	182	- 31.8%	692	+ 1.2%
Volvo S40	2	- 99.7%	50	- 95.9%
Volvo S60	2599	+ 33.1%	5943	+ 40.1%

Midsize Luxury Car	March 2012	% Change	Year To Date	YTD % Change
Acura RL	38	- 80.9%	99	- 81.2%
Acura TL	2923	- 26.8%	8417	+ 4.8%
Audi A6	1479	+ 104%	3581	+ 87.3%
Audi A7	798	-----	2025	-----
BMW 5-Series	5451	+ 21.4%	12,709	- 2.6%
Cadillac STS	28	- 94.1%	87	- 93.6%
Hyundai Equus	352	+ 46.1%	929	+ 27.5%
Hyundai Genesis	3429	+ 28.7%	8232	+ 19.5%
Infiniti M	949	- 21.1%	2799	- 14.1%
Jaguar XF	614	+ 109%	1550	+ 74.7%
Lexus ES	3141	- 15.8%	8548	+ 0.04%
Lexus GS	2558	+ 494%	5048	+ 358%
Lincoln MKS	1689	+ 59.3%	3287	+ 47.5%
Lincoln MKZ	2932	- 6.6%	7081	+ 9.2%
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class	720	+ 243%	1757	+ 292%
Mercedes-Benz E-Class	5570	- 8.8%	13,873	- 8.0%
Volvo S80	351	+ 21.9%	798	- 13.4%
Volvo XC70	455	+ 8.1%	1346	+ 11.6%

Source: Manufacturers & ANDC

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