German manufacturers sold 948,000 light vehicles in the US in 2007, up 3% on 2006.

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Speaking at the Detroit motor show, Martin Wissmann, president of the German automotive industry trade association, the Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) said that German brands are in a strong position to break through the one million unit sales barrier in the near future.


Growth was particularly strong in the light truck market, with sales up 14%. Wissmann attributed this to fuel efficient models, noting that in the past 12 months fuel prices in the US have risen by 43%.


Wissmann reported that German brands have a 41% share of the premium car market and that this will continue to be a focus for market attack.


The second main avenue of attack is clean diesel. “The market potential for a clean, fuel efficient and high performance self-igniting diesel engine is continuously expanding in the U.S. The required improved diesel fuel quality is now available nationwide. More and more US car buyers are interested in the benefits clean diesel, the world’s efficiency and fuel consumption champion, brings while making driving as enjoyable as it can be,” said Wissmann.

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Diesel’s share is currently only 3% of the US market, but the German brands are positioned to be the first to seize huge market opportunities as the market for clean diesel opens up, said the VDA president. 480,000 light vehicles sold in the US in 2007 were diesel, compared with 350,000 hybrids. In the first nine months of 2007, Mercedes had already more than doubled its sales of clean diesel vehicles. Audi, BMW and Volkswagen are ready to roll out their models.


JD Power is forecasting that the diesel share will rise to 15% by 2015.