Luxury Sales Surge: Are The Fat Cats Not Feeling The Recession? Page 2

But there are several other reasons why luxury sales have surged. One of them is that leasing has become much more attractive. While general-market shoppers might intend to keep their vehicles five or six years or more, luxury owners tend to get a new car every three or four years, and the majority of luxury cars for those rapid-turnover customers are leased.

Luxury leasing on the rebound

Over the past year or so, leasing has recovered, from 11 percent of the market at its low point up to nearly 21 percent today. Leasing rates for some luxury brands, including Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, approach or exceed 50 percent.

"Leasing has rebounded, very strong over the past few months," said Jeffrey Schuster, director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. "That's having a lot to do with it."

While more available credit played a role, the more significant factor that's made leases more attractive and helped boost sales is improved resale value. In turn, that improvement didn't happen overnight; it's the result of better inventory management for luxury models—particularly larger SUVs—as sales have fallen. "Lower supply leads to higher prices down the line, and they'll all become used cars," Toprak commented, adding that luxury brands have understood the importance of making extreme production cuts.

But the economics of it might only be part of the explanation. "Luxury buyers are different," said Toprak, adding that image is a major part of a new-car purchase, and earlier last year many wealthier consumers saw a new vehicle as an inappropriate message to send to clients or employees.

Luxury shoppers ready again to flaunt it

"We're seeing some improved confidence versus last year, among luxury shoppers," said Toprak, who said that these types of luxury shoppers—along with high-end family-vehicle shoppers—will only wait so long, even if the economic climate isn't all that much better.

"Last year we saw everybody pull back," said Schuster, even when they could afford a new vehicle. After any economic down cycle, you tend to see luxury buyers come back to the market before others, Schuster said, and that's been the case this year.

As for the fat cats? According to Toprak, most luxury shoppers weren't affected in a way that would affect their ability to purchase the vehicle they want. "Mostly, it's been a psychological barrier, not a money issue."