For many luxury car buyers is small now beautiful

Ka.Plewka

The 3 series is by far the best selling for BMW.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, msnbc.com of mysteries

At Mercedes-Benz, new A-class hatchback the references as a draws during the Geneva Motor Show in March, car buyers get quick insight into the changes sweeping through the luxury car market.

Pint-sized Benz fit not the classical form. Americans, have in particular always luxury cars by the inch and pound, with over 20 M some which covers most memorable models from Detroit itself, defined nose-to-tail. And there are products that blow away with this classical picture, such as the 3-ton Rolls Royce Phantom.

But in the world of today even luxury-oriented buyers are well aware of the fuel costs and crowded streets. This is true especially in markets such as Europe, where traction for more than a decade WINS scaled-down models have. But foundries, the even in the United States the mantra buyer betting for many luxury now is "small is beautiful."

Certainly, the market for so-called entry luxury deals never was. The 3 series is by far the best selling for BMW, much like the A4 for Audi.

"What defined has designed luxury," says Rebecca Lindland, senior researcher for automotive IHS, adds, that Americans increasingly global trends to catch up.

Compact models, such as the A4 and 3 series, appealing to a wide range of buyers, and for a number of different reasons. They are the cheap entry into the luxury market for some. Added for others all Lindland are, that you "get must look and the amenities that you would like the luxury".

With all the variety offered, old and new, in the line-up BMW X 3 crossover to the flagship 7-series, the "3-eh" is the bestseller by far, a 94,000 unit sales in 2010, or about a third of the U.S. total volume of the brand. This is sold by 7 percent to 101,000 BMWs in the year 2010-- but it's no surprise given the fact that the current 3 series in the last year of the automaker's unveiling a new version on the 2012 Detroit car was show the beginning of January.

In fact, the annual event was crammed full of entry-luxury models new BMW, including not only the, but also as a replacement for the Audi A4 and a new compact luxury model Cadillac, the ATS synchronized.

The German should not complacent be, when it comes to the Caddy opportunities.

"I think that the ATS will be very competitive," said Joe Phillippi, senior analyst at car WebTrends consulting, adding that the car is "spectacular".

The new model of slots under Cadillac built-existing which will now move up-market, alignment of the BMW 5-series is easy. If the brand of General Motors at the destination, the ATS could soon be his best-selling product line.

But the ATS find stiff competition from sources other than Germany. Lexus fields a few offers in the segment, the IS and ES lines, together a 71,000 sales in the past year about 2,000 more than Mercedes-Benz c-class.

No product line probably underlines the changes that have swept through the luxury market in the last few decades. It took several years of debate before the carmaker reluctantly brought the so-called market "Baby Benz." It proved much more successful than originally expected, appealing, both young buyers and those who wanted a more economical alternative to the two oil crises of the 1970s.

These days, says the c class competitor, "reflect the problems the Mercedes, which in General is to young buyers," lagging far behind the Bavarian analyst Lindland.