Dear, very dear car. The manufacturers produce less, but they sell them at higher prices, like Mercedes-Benz. The German group published, Wednesday, April 27, good results in the first quarter on Wednesday, April 27, despite the shortage of electronic fleas, the war in Ukraine, the flambé of COVVI-19 in China and inflation.
While sellers and utility sales fell 10 % (487,000 units), its net profit increased by 3 % (3.6 billion euros), and its operating margin reaches 16 , 4 %, enough to delight financial analysts. The Stuttgart giant has just changed its name: Mercedes-Benz Group, instead of Daimler, kept for its heavy goods vehicles (Daimler Truck), which were introduced on the stock market. The image of a high -end producer comes out reinforced.
The new becomes unaffordable
The rule for a luxury brand also applies to other manufacturers: sell less does not prevent earning more, including outside a period of crisis. It is the winning bet of Carlos Tavares, boss of Stellantis (PSA, Fiat-Chrysler), which made a historic profit of 13.4 billion euros in 2021. The market is carried by a request that the supply is Unable to satisfy, causing very long months of waiting, even a freeze of orders, as at Volkswagen.
Price increases, the discounts have disappeared and the manufacturers favor their premium models when they lack semiconductors. It is a good economic war. Antipollution standards, safety or comfort equipment, everything has grown upward prices. The additional 50 % cost of electric amplifies the trend.
After having democratized over the decades, the new car – a purchase for six occasions in France – has become unaffordable for many households. It takes seventeen months of minimum wage to buy one at an average price of 26,789 euros, as in the 1970s, notes the Argus. Even if we are far from the 38 minimum wage of 1955, the financial effort increased. Not everyone can afford a Mercedes class S at 100,000 euros (base price), but the Dacia low cost from the Renault group also goes upmarket. And price.