Younger Americans Express "Values Shift" Around Luxury Cars

Sales of luxury cars plummeted nearly 21% last year, twice the rate of less expensive automobiles. Unwilling to take more changes, some companies are preparing smaller, cheaper “better” versions of their “best” vehicles, while others emphasie “sustainability” and fuel economy in a market previously dominated by sexy horpower.

Auto analyst Rebecca Lindland tells the WSJ that under-35s express reluctance to join the luxury car market and socio-economic “values” may be part of the reason.

“We do see changing consumer values,” said Martin Birkmann, BMW’s head of U.S. product planning. “Sustainability has caught on in the United States.”