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Despite premium carmakers going downmarket, luxury auto sales stick at 10-11%

According to research conducted by global information company IHS Automotive, the leporine birthing of new models by luxury manufacturers over the past six years hasn't increased their market share in the US. Even as car sales reached 15.6 million units, IHS says what's happened instead is that luxury buyers are merely moving from one brand to another, moving from larger luxury vehicles into hot segments like compact luxury crossovers or leaving the market at the same rate as other buyers enter.
Whether broken out by makes or by segment, market share has rollercoastered inside a narrow band from 10.5 to 11.5 percent since "at least" 2008. Closer investigation reveals the shifting boundaries in the aspirational pond, with brands like Mercedes-Benz and Audi gaining territory as Lexus and Lincoln lost it, and Saab and Hummer were buried, dead, under it. One neat note is that Tesla has gone from a share of zip to .12 percent.
The subcompact and compact crossover segments show growth, with those little high-riders jumping from .3 percent to 1.16 percent of overall industry sales. Their rise, though, is concomitant with the decline of four other segments: compact and midsize cars and fullsize cars and SUVs. We think the next few years that will tell if the small-car expansion can overcome the large-car retraction, with a phalanx of smaller offerings like the CLA only recently hitting the market and others like the GLA, Macan and Q1 doing so in the near future.

Porsche 911 already testing next refresh

The latest Porsche 911 may still be a newer car, but that hasn't stopped the German company from starting development of a facelifted version of the rear-engined sports car, testing in what looks like southern Europe.
Due to hit the market in 2015, our spies think what we're seeing here is the new GTS variant, which, following the evolution of the last-generation 911, will make its debut on the facelifted car. Featuring the wider rear haunches of the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4, the GTS should enjoy a slight power boost, to 408 ponies.
Aesthetically, there are some additional vents in the rear bodywork, along with a revised front bumper and tweaked day-time running lights. The taillights get some attention as well, and will likely grow over the current car's skinny rear lamps.

Ruf Turbo Florio is the Turbo Targa Porsche won't sell you

Porsche offers a staggering array of 911 variants. You can get the Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera GTS, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, Carrera 4 GTS and Turbo and Turbo S (to say nothing of the GT3 and new GT3 RS). And with few exceptions, you can get each as a coupe, cabrio or Targa. Except you can't get a Turbo Targa. The partial-convertible model tops out at the GTS. But if the one thing you really wanted was a Targa with a turbo engine, the folks over at Ruf will be glad to hook you up with the tuned version you see here. It's called the Ruf Turbo Florio, taking the latter part of its handle from the second part of the Sicilian road race where Porsche got the name for its lift-top in the first place. But Ruf's take doesn't just match the factory Turbo's output – it far exceeds it: with 621 horsepower and 608 pound-feet of torque on tap, it'll put even the 911 Turbo S (on Sport Plus overboost, no less) to shame. Plus you can get it with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DCT, driving all four wheels like the factory Turbo or just the rear set like the GT2 that Porsche doesn't even make any more. It'll top out at 205 miles per hour, and all the while with the wind in your hair – but not too much of it. Related Video: