Out of the famous trio of German automakers, BMW is the most popular option for local car buyers, followed by Mercedes-Benz, then Audi.
In March, BMW South Africa boasted 250% as many sales as Audi, and more than 170% that of Mercedes, according to Naamsa’s new-vehicle sales statistics.
The aggregate sales figures of the three rivals last month were as follows:
- Audi – 488 units
- BMW – 1,258 units
- Mercedes-Benz – 737 units
It’s worth noting that Mercedes-Benz does not report its official sales figures and they could therefore be higher or lower than what is stated above, however, every month Naamsa carries out a calculation of how many vehicles the brand sold by using previous data and current market conditions, giving us the most accurate approximation possible.
The unwavering fondness for BMW is particularly surprising, considering its most affordable model, the 1 Series, starts at R641,072whereas Audi’s entry-level A1 goes for a much friendlier R463,800.
Mercedes’ numbers are more expected, though, considering the brand has always been the priciest out of the three with its cheapest offering coming in at R794,509.
BMW being so far ahead alludes that South Africans are still in love with the sporty driving demeanour and dynamic looks the automaker is known for, rather than the luxuriousness or relative affordability of its rivals.
A closer look at the numbers
Audi’s top player in April was none other than the A4 sedanthe company’s bread and butter for decades.
Priced from R740,700the A4 which is offered in 10 specifications, including the high-performance S4 and RS4 Frontmanaged to move 114 units in March.
Following the sedan was the Q3 crossover which scored 61 sales from a starting price of R699,000, and in third with 56 examples sold sat the A1 hatchback.
In BMW’s corner, the locally-made X3 was the undisputed champion.
A total of 432 units of the high-rider found new owners last month, an impressive figure as the SUV’s starting price comes in at a smidge under a million rand.
Arguably the firm’s best-known model and direct rival to the Audi A4, the 3 Series sedansaw 225 models roll out of showrooms at a minimum price of R787,894.
The R750,000 X1 then completed the podium for BMW with a respectable achievement of 130 sales.
Since Mercedes does not reveal its model-specific sales performances, we can only guess which ones did well.
If we take the competition as a benchmark, it’s likely that the South African-built C-Class (R912,563) was among the brand’s best-selling models as it boasts the same legendary status as the A4 and 3 Series.
As both Audi and BMW had their entry-level crossovers among the top three, the GLA, Mercedes’ most affordable mini-SUV, was probably a popular pick for local car buyers, too, as well as the R1.2-million GLCas it’s a direct alternative to BMW’s best-selling X3.
