(Zero Hedge)—What car brands do America’s wealthiest drivers prefer?
While luxury brands may come to mind, data compiled by S&P Global Mobility highlights some interesting findings.
In this graphic, Visual Capitalist’s Marcu Lu ranks the favorite car brands of the ultra-rich, based on each brand’s percentage share of new registrations in the United States.
Data & Methodology
To come up with this analysis, S&P Global Mobility combined income data from the U.S. Census with their own vehicle registration and loyalty data. Ultra-wealthy households are defined as those with annual income of over $500,000.
| Rank | Brand | Ultra-Wealthy Market Share (% of new registrations) |
National Average Market Share (% of new registrations) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇺🇸 Tesla | 19.3 | 4.7 |
| 2 | 🇩🇪 BMW | 9.9 | 2.4 |
| 3 | 🇩🇪 Mercedes-Benz | 8.7 | 1.9 |
| 4 | 🇬🇧 Land Rover | 5.8 | 0.6 |
| 5 | 🇯🇵 Toyota | 4.6 | 14.0 |
| 6 | 🇩🇪 Audi | 4.6 | 1.2 |
| 7 | 🇺🇸 Ford | 4.1 | 9.3 |
| 8 | 🇯🇵 Lexus | 3.9 | 2.6 |
| 9 | 🇩🇪 Porsche | 3.9 | 0.4 |
| 10 | 🇺🇸 Rivian | 3.4 | 0.3 |
Tesla’s Popularity Among the Ultra-rich
Tesla is the most popular brand among America’s ultra-rich, accounting for an impressive 19.3% of new vehicle registrations.
This popularity is likely due to Tesla’s blend of technology and electric performance, which may resonate with wealthy buyers who value innovation and sustainability.
In fact, the ultra-rich are 17.5 percentage points more likely to buy an EV than the average American (85.1% vs 67.7%). This might explain why Rivian, a relatively new car brand, is #10 in this ranking with a 3.4% market share among ultra-rich.
Why Mainstream Brands Still Appeal to the Wealthy
Mainstream brands like Toyota and Ford continue to hold strong appeal among America’s ultra-rich.
These brands can deliver a more practical and reliable experience, and are among the cheapest car brands to own and maintain.
Another interesting stat: the Ford F-series pickup truck is the best-selling vehicle in 24 U.S. states.
If you’re enjoying our content, check out The Most Reliable Car Brands of 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
