F-segment

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2020 Best-Selling
BMW 7 Series 7th generation (2022–present)
Mercedes-Benz S-Class 7th generation (2020–present)
Audi A8 4th generation (2018–present)

The F-segment is the 6th category and largest of the European segments for passenger cars, and always belongs to "luxury cars".[1][2][3]

The equivalent categories are full-size luxury sedan (or "large luxury sedan") in the United States, luxury saloon (or "luxury limousine") in the United Kingdom, and Oberklasse in Germany. Extended-wheelbase limousines and armored sedans are also considered as F-segment.

F-segment is a niche of the European market (approximately 0.2–0.3% in the 2010s) and the range is limited to only a few models.[4][5]

Characteristics

Most F-segment cars use a sedan body style; however, some have been produced as wagons/estates or have a hatchback rear door.

Extended wheelbase variants of these cars are common, as many of the luxury features are placed for the rear-seat occupants. In some markets (depending on the manufacturer), short wheelbase models are excluded completely, and only long wheelbase variants are sold. As of 2021 the average F-segment car has a length exceeding 5m.

Ultra-luxury cars are also included in F-segment.

Current models

In 2020, the highest selling F-segment cars in Europe were the BMW 8 Series, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Panamera and Audi A8 / S8.[6]


1000–10,000 sales (best-selling)


Less than 1000 sales


Less than 1000 sales (ultra-luxury models)

Sales figures in Europe

2020
rank 		Brand Model 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 % change
(2020–2021)
1 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 8,736 17,669 16,583 14,967 14,757 14,373 10,571 6,239 11,069 Increase +77%
2 BMW 8 Series – – – – – 1,299 6,640 7,486 5,873 Decrease –22%
3 BMW 7 Series 5,980 5,307 5,985 13,320 11,533 9,552 9,248 6,346 5,235 Decrease –18%
4 Porsche Panamera 5,679 5,676 4,191 3,140 10,478 9,454 8,436 4,308 5,097 Increase +18%
5 Audi A8 / S8 5,486 6,556 6,717 5,372 5,887 5,791 4,477 3,648 2,865 Decrease –21%
6 Mercedes-Benz EQS – – – – – – – – 1,027 New
7 Bentley Flying Spur 313 624 555 627 637 359 54 438 451 Increase +3%
8 Rolls-Royce Ghost 255 189 233 180 166 113 92 89 186 Increase +109%
9 Lexus LS 370 173 131 83 101 636 248 98 117 Increase +19%
10 Maserati Quattroporte 452 812 815 682 562 459 251 116 115 Decrease –1%
11 Rolls-Royce Phantom 120 105 97 124 95 171 100 46 41 Decrease –11%
12 Bentley Mulsanne (Ceased production in 2020) 156 185 209 227 186 108 112 69 19 Decrease –72%
13 Genesis G90 – – – – – – – – 16 New
14 Jaguar XJ (Ceased production in 2020) 2,287 1,905 1,616 1,847 1,495 1,099 724 247 11 Decrease –96%
– Aston Martin Rapide (Ceased production in 2020) 250 165 197 108 124 74 86 34 – Decrease –100%
Segment Total 31,877 41,127 38,807 40,754 45,928 42,189 41,039 29,164 32,122 Increase +10%
Source [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Market share in Europe

2019 - Sales of limousines in Europe were down 6% in 2019 to just over 41,000 sales which makes this the second consecutive year of decline for the segment.[16]

2020 - European sales of limousines and upper class vehicles were down 29% in 2020, to just over 29,000 deliveries. This lowers their share to 0.2% of the total European car market, down from 0.3% the year before.[17]

Asia

In China, Hongqi CA72 was launched in 1958, making it the oldest Chinese F-segment car.[18]

The first F-segment car from an Asian manufacturer for an outside market was the 1989 Lexus LS400. Before the debut of luxury orientated Japanese manufacturers such as Lexus or Infiniti, most flagship models were limited for Japan only. Examples included the Toyota Century and Nissan President.

In South Korea, early F-segment cars were the result of partnerships with long-established manufacturers, for example the 1999 Hyundai Equus (based on the Mitsubishi Proudia/Dignity). More recent F-segment cars from South Korea include the Genesis G90.

Europe

The lineage of Mercedes-Benz's current F-segment car begins with the 1951 Mercedes-Benz W187. The W187 was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W180 (nicknamed "Ponton") in 1954, which was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W111 in 1959, which was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W108 in 1965. The W108 was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 1972, which has been produced for six generations and remains in production today.

Jaguar's first F-segment car was the 1951 Jaguar Mark VII. The Mark VII was replaced by the 1956 Jaguar Mark VIII, then the 1959 Jaguar Mark IX and the 1961 Jaguar Mark X, which was renamed the "Jaguar 420G" in 1966. The 420G was replaced by the Jaguar XJ in 1968, which has been produced for four generations and has just ceased production in 2020.

The 1952–1963 BMW 501/502 sedans are predecessors to BMW's current line of F-segment cars. The successor to the 501/502 was the BMW New Six (also known as E3), introduced in 1977. The E3 was replaced by the BMW 7 Series in 1978, which has been produced for six generations and remains in production today.

The Maserati Quattroporte was released in 1963 and is currently in its sixth generation.

The first F-segment car from Audi was the 1988 Audi V8. The Audi V8 was replaced by the Audi A8 in 1994, which has been produced for four generations and remains in production today.

United States

Main article: Full-size car

F-segment cars are known as "full-size luxury cars" in the United States, and form part of the full-size car category (along with non-luxury large cars and the smaller E-segment cars).

See also

References

  1. ^ "REGULATION (EEC) No 4064/89 - MERGER PROCEDURE" (PDF). Luxemburg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. 17 March 1999. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  2. ^ "Car prices within the European Union / Prix des voitures au sein de l'Union européenne / Autopreise in der europäischen Union" (PDF) (in English, French, and German). Brussels: Publications Office of the European Union. 1 January 2011. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  3. ^ "Impact on the Competitiveness of the European Automotive Industry of Potential FTA with India and ASEAN" (PDF). www.europa.eu. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2013.
  4. ^ "European sales 2019 Limousines". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  5. ^ "European sales 2020 Upper Class". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  6. ^ "European sales 2020 Upper Class". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  7. ^ "European sales 2013: Limousine segment". www.carsalesbase.com. February 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  8. ^ "European sales 2014: Limousine segment". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  9. ^ "European sales 2015: Limousine segment". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  10. ^ "European sales 2016: Limousine segment". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  11. ^ "European sales 2017: Limousine segment". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  12. ^ "European sales 2018: Limousine segment". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  13. ^ "European sales 2019: Limousines". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  14. ^ Demandt, Bart (March 2021). "European sales 2020: Upper Class". www.carsalesbase.com. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16.
  15. ^ Demandt, Bart (February 2022). "European sales 2021: Upper Class". www.carsalesbase.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-27.
  16. ^ "European sales 2019 Limousines". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  17. ^ "European sales 2020 Upper Class". www.carsalesbase.com. March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  18. ^ "About FAW > Key Events". China: First Automobile Works. Archived from the original on 2009-03-04.
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