benbow

I have strayed a bit in order to check out the 2nd generation BMW X3 that was recently revealed. In a three way esthetics comparison article one person posted the June and year-to-date sales tallies and they may or may not be accurate (Internet facts are often bogus). Still the GLK sales totals lag way behind it's closest competitors in the upscale small SUV market. I see a lot of BMW X3 and X5s locally, an occasional Audi Q5 and Q7s and so far just a few MB MLs here. I have yet to spot a GLK locally so the current sales ratio may be realistic.


Quoted below from bmwblog.com

Ok, now funny thing. At U.S. market BMW sold in June 2010 724 units of X3 noting 57,7% increase in this month (YTD 3,439 units) and it’s still stats for old generation. But MB sold only 2 units of GLK noting 99,8% decrease (YTD 580 units). Audi is leader in this class since they sold 1964 units of Q5 in June and reached YTD 9754 units. This should tell you much.

On the other hand Audi suffers badly in X5 segment, where the mentioned car is the leader with 3273 units in June (YTD 15985), followed by M-class with 2124 (YTD 12393) and Audi with 656 units of Q7 (YTD 3338).

NYCGLK

I see more and more GLKs around by me. Lots of Q5s. X3 doesn't count as it's been out for 6 years if not more. But this doesn't compare to how many 3 series and A4s are out here, more than camrys.

chilledbenz

Something of note...yes the current X3 is old and may be selling more because of that. 2010 X3's are being discounted to make room for the all new 2011 model, but they have also been discounted quite heavily for a few years now which would account for more sales. I've seen the new X3, its very nice, but I'm still not a fan of their interiors.

Also something interesting...the GLK placed last in a Car and Driver review of the GLK, X3, Q5, XC60 and RX350. The Q5 won by the way, but frankly I never agree with any of the outcomes of the big magazines anymore.

http://www.iamaudi.com/car-and-drive...has-the-facts/

Just because something doesn't sell huge numbers doesn't mean its not good. I love my R class....and it has to be the second least selling mass production model in the lineup. I've driven the GLK and I'm considering it for my next purchase.

pazbien

Whoever gave you those statistics is wrong, these are the real sales numbers for June 2010.

RX 7,796 +6%
Q5 1,964 +48.3%
GLK 1,487 -3.4%
RDX 1,352 +52.6%
MKX 1,306 -21.7%
x3 724 +57.7%
EX 666 +48.7%

GLK has been 2 or 3 since it was released. The x3 has been at the bottom for months. I expect it to rise this month due to crazy incentives.

MKenM

The X3 who likes it? It has an inline 6, does not ride like a GLK or for that matter look great. Drove a 3.0 X5 can't get out of its own way. I think MB gives you a lot of bang for the buck considering who they are. The Q5 although nice is too over priced. Priced up a new 2011 GLK and for a similar car to my 2010 is about 2.5K more. Whats with the charge for the rear spoiler. Standard on 2010 optional or 2011. Just another way to get you at the register Cha-Ching!

NYCGLK

alum trim is also optional and MM doesn't include Logic, that's another 800 bux.

MSRP of my car (with identical options) went up 2k from 2010 to 2011, should boost the resale price later on I'd think.

atmcpm

According to goodcarbadcar.net for 2010 US sales in the small luxury SUV category:

GLK - 21,944 units
Q5 - 13,970
RDX - 10,153
XC60 - 9,262
EX35 - 7,950
X3 - 6,067

FWIW, YMMV...

nnektarios

Impressive. Is there a list for Europe also ?

Belancer

sales of GLK in NA:

pho75

I don't understand why people have the need to see others buy the same product as they did. Do you feel better when a lot of people made the same choice as you? I don't. I don't want to see a GLK on every block. In fact, I would love it if my GLK was the only one in the world. You don't need other people to verify or confirm the choice you made. Enjoy your wonderfully unique GLK in a sea of clones.

P.S. I picked the GLK partly because they were so rare on the road.

benbow

Thanks belancer and others for posting more reliable GLK and competitor sales figures than the ones I first borrowed from that BMW blog & forum. I really was doubtful that GLK USA sales had shrunk down to just two cars sold for June. So GLK sales are healthy in both Canada and the USA at the very end of the extended 2010 model year.

I also think pho75 has a point. With millions of Honda CRV or a Toyota RAVs dominating the small SUV market and Hyundai SUVs becoming almost as common how can one possibly maintain a sense of individuality? The rarer the model the more it appeals to a certain breed of driver.

I commuted to college for several years driving my father's old Borgward Isabella, from a German motorcar company that went out of business around 1962. I was shocked years later to come across another Borgward Isabella parked on a street in Berkeley California.