Lexus Sport Utility Sales Total 51 Percent of Brand Output
Is the luxury SUV the savior of premium brands or a bandit making off with all the funds? While Canada mirrors the U.S. in many things, their love of big, luxury SUVs is unparalleled. Of course, looking around the better neighborhoods north of the 49th and leather laden 4x4s still dot the roads.
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| If it wasn't for the new Porsche Cayenne, the legendary sports car brand would currently be falling behind in sales. (Photo: Porsche Cars North America) |
Whatever your feelings about such large rolling stock, the well heeled are sold on the idea. And that might not be such a bad thing, environmental concerns aside. If it weren't for the new Cayenne the legendary sports car brand would be falling behind in sales this year, with Porsche car sales down by 25% this May compared to May 2002. But now that their luxury SUV makes up 46% of sales with 3,008 units sold in what was a very merry month, the Stuttgart brand is in the black.
Overall, luxury sport utility sales were up an amazing 72 percent this May, for a total of 164,368 units sold. There's no other automotive vertical faring anywhere near as well from a percentage standpoint, the reason why most traditionally performance-oriented brands are diving into such uncharted territory. To put it plainly, many, like Porsche, don't have a choice if they want to stay solvent.
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| The FX35/45 makes up 27% of Infiniti's U.S. sales, helping to make it the fastest growing luxury brand. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
And why fight it? SUV sales helped luxury brands to increase sales by 7 percent in May of 2003. The fastest growing luxury brand was and still is Infiniti, scorching up the charts with 11,148 sales of its quick and nimble G35 sedan and coupe, plus its equally athletic FX35/45. The new SUV makes up 27 percent of Infiniti's sales.
At 23,840 units sold in May Lexus remained in the number one U.S. position, partially due to all-new SUV models that made up 51 percent of its volume. The RX 330 and GX470 (U.S. only) lead the way while a rather sluggish selling LX 430 sibling lays claim to 4x4 capability bragging rights.