GTs: stable trend

At first glance, sales of GTs below 200’000 CHF are doing well, reclaiming ground lost during the subprime crisis. Closer scrutiny however shows that this is attributable to the launch of the new BMW 6 series and Mercedes SL. The other pillars of the segment are doing alright, but well below their pre-crisis levels. Even the new Porsche 911 is not enjoying the success one would have expected with the availability of the coupe, cabrio and more recently 4 & 4S versions.

Same conclusion one class up on the pricing scale, GT berlinettas maintain robust volumes in the european context, but sales of the Ferrari 458 et 458 Spider have not reached the records hit by the 430 in 2008. The Mercedes SLS AMG continues to seduce swiss buyers, while deliveries of the McLaren MP4-12C are happening slowly. The Lamborghini Gallardo demonstrates amazing sustained resilience through a littany of special editions and refreshes, the most  recent was presented at the 2012 Paris autoshow.

Same conclusion among the larger coupes in the same price bracket.

Ferrari sales are only growing marginally in their biggest per capita market, and this thanks to the extraordinary success of the FF. Sales of the Lamborghini Aventador are equally remarkable for a supercar whose base price is a breathtaking 433’000 CHF. No less than 6 Bugatti Veyron were newly registered in 2012, but ‘only’ 10 Rolls Royce Ghost (370’000 CHF), 9 Bentley Mulsanne (412’000 CHF) and 7 Rolls Royce Phantom (dès 580’000 CHF).

Overall, Porsche sales are good, but we were expecting better out of a great 911 model year. The strength of the Cayenne and the sustained success of the Panamera are not to be missed.

The market for more affordable coupes and roadsters is lukewarm. The hype surrounding the launch of the Toyota GT86 did not quite translate in success in the showrooms, and what can we say about the Subaru BRZ sister model ?

Look toward the US sports cars for stronger market dynamics, in particular the Chevrolet Camaro.