There are nine models currently on the market whose sales performances demonstrate the rewards of leadership. These four cars and five trucks were the first (or nearly first) of their kind on the market and are leading their respective segments:
The Chevrolet Corvette, launched in 1953 as a 1954 model, was the first sports car offered by a domestic manufacturer. An American icon, Corvette is the top seller in the midsize premium sporty segment and outsells the runner-up Porsche 911 by more than two to one.
In 1964, Ford introduced the first low-priced sporty car—the Mustang—which has also become an American icon. Like the Corvette, the Mustang is a segment sales leader and outdistances its nearest rival, the Toyota Camry Solara coupe, by more than two to one. The recent success of the Mustang has forced GM and DaimlerChrysler to resurrect the Camaro and Challenger models, respectively—both of which will hit the market in the next two years.
A third car model that leads its field is the BMW 3 Series—one of the first luxury sport sedans available in the United States. The 3 Series is the perennial sales leader in the compact premium conventional segment, and currently outperforms its nearest competitor, the Infiniti G, by more than two to one. Today, most small premium conventional cars are trying to achieve the image and sales performance of the 3 Series.
The Toyota Prius hybrid compact first went on sale in 2000—seven months after the now-discontinued Honda Insight hybrid two-seater was introduced. The Prius has been—and continues to be—the hybrid sales leader, and has been a "halo" model for the Toyota franchise.
On the truck side, Ford was the first manufacturer to introduce a cargo carrier to the U.S. market with a version of the Model T in 1917 and, fittingly, the F-Series pickup has been the most popular truck and vehicle in the U.S. for several decades.
In 1935, Chevrolet introduced an enclosed carryall called the Suburban, and to this day that model outperforms its rivals, domestic and imported.
In the fall of 1983, the Chrysler Corporation launched the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, creating the minivan segment. The Caravan has been the minivan sales leader ever since, and together the Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country now play a central role for the Chrysler Group. The two models account for 43% of midsize van deliveries this year to date—up more than 4 points from last year—according to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report.SM
In 1998, Lexus launched the RX Series, whose features "cross over" and combine the SUV and car categories. Although the RX was second to the luxury market with this concept, following the M-Class from Mercedes-Benz, the RX has led the luxury crossover field ever since its launch. Like the 3 Series, the RX is seen as the consummate model in its segment.
Lastly, Toyota was the first to enter the midsize crossover market with the Highlander, and the model continues to be the sales leader in the segment. A redesigned 2008 Highlander will soon arrive at dealerships, even though several major OEMs have yet to launch their first model in this category.
In conclusion, leadership has its risks—including financial losses, sometimes embarrassment and loss of confidence—but it also has rewards, and the results described above illustrate how a model, brand and company can benefit in the long run from being out in front of the pack.
