Is big cars = big profits still the rule?
Not that long ago, it was fair to say that the biggest luxury cars also created the largest profits for automakers. But according to a new study, that's no longer true, although it still applies to some brands.
At Ferrari, the world is still intact
Each Ferrari sold in the first half of 2018 created about €69,000 ($80,000) in operating profit — that's unmatched by any other luxury carmaker, says a fresh study by German auto expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer.
Runner-up: Porsche
Porsche is the most profitable luxury carmaker in Germany, boasting €17,000 in pre-tax earnings per unit sold, leaving its domestic rivals way behind.
German luxury brands doing just fine
While Porsche sticks out, domestic competitors BMW, Mercedes and Audi create an average €3,000 per car in terms of operating profit.
Still profitable
Cars from the UK's largest auto manufacturer, Jaguar Landrover, only wash some €800 per unit into the company's coffers. Big cars, but not so big profits — but it can get much worse ...
Costly, not just for clients
... as you can see in the example of Elon Musk's iconic Tesla cars. A luxury Tesla doesn't turn a profit yet. On the contrary, it costs the company around €11,000.
Bringing up the rear
But Bentley's luxury cars fare even worse, according to the Dudenhöffer study. The survey says automobiles from the Cheshire-based firm currently create nothing but losses — a record €17,000 per unit sold.