Ultra-Luxury Brands Are Raking In Serious Cash Right Now

In recent years, the ultra-luxury vehicle segment has enjoyed great growth as an increasing number of wealthy consumers opt to splurge out on a high-end car or SUV. Aston Martin, for example, managed to sellnearly 2,000 vehicles in the USA, spurred on by strong demand for theDBX. But it's not just the Gaydon-based brand celebrating success; Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Bugatti, among others, all have a reason to crack out the champagne.

Speaking to一个utomotive News, Alan Haig of Haig Partners - an advisory firm for dealerships - said combined US sales from McLaren, Maserati, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, and Ferrari climbed by as much as 5% from 2018 to last year. "The market is far less volatile and more lucrative today because of the rise in affluent households...and the manufacturers are responding with new [products] and higher prices," he said.

The reason behind this ever-strengthening luxury boom has to do with the pandemic. Confined to their homes, ultra-rich households were unable to splurge on pricey vacations or other experiences. Itching to spend money, they turned to the world's luxury brands, cars included. As such, even Bugatti has seen surprising sales figures - but it's nothing compared to the mounds of cash Bentley and Rolls-Royce are raking in.

一个long with a handful of more mainstream brands, the British brands posted even stronger first-quarter sales compared to last year. As is the case with Aston Martin, SUVs are behind this unrelenting growth. Bentleysold 4,212 carsin the Americas last year, with the Bentayga responsible for 40% of total sales.

There has also been a change in attitude towards brands. Previously, a BMW would be considered aspirational, but a growing number of wealthy individuals are craving more. Exotic car dealer Mike Ward remarked, "The Lexus SUV may be their everyday car, but they still want the new, extra luxury."