The exotic car segment is up an encouraging 8% after the first nine months of 2014, thanks to an excellent third quarter, as total segment sales were down after the first half. This recovery is entirely due to the incredibly successful launch of the BMW i8, BMW’s new electric sports car with gasoline range extender. I had already predicted that the i8 would lead the segment in 2015, but in fact it already was the best selling exotic car on the market in the third quarter of this year, enabling it to shoot up into third place year-to-date. What a remarkable performance of such a groundbreaking new vehicle!
The Bentley Continental GT has overtaken the Ferrari 458 Italia to take back its leadership of the segment in the third quarter. These two models combined account for almost half of all exotic car sales in Europe, making you think whether they still classify as exotics. [Read more…]
Sales of exotic cars in Europe are down again in the second quarter of 2014, leading to a 1% decline for the first half. Almost all models are down, while the Ferrari 458 Italia is up 4%, and as a result it moves back into the segment top spot for the first time since 2011, pushing the Bentley Continental GT down into second place.