Luxury vehicle Lincoln (whereas it formerly competed with Mercury) and front-wheel drive Acura and Lexus models, while Cadillac is aimed at the "luxury" segment which generally encompasses the performance-oriented BMW and Mercedes-Benz marques. The premium compact segment is targeted at a niche market of consumers who found the existing entry-level luxury offerings (mostly consisting of compact executive cars - see below) to be too expensive. By offering a smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient, and less expensive vehicle, premium compacts introduce younger buyers to the luxury marque, in hopes of retaining the coveted customer loyalty. This includes for example the Alfa Romeo Giulietta (940),
Luxury vehicle the United States, the mid-luxury segment is dominated by Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as executive cars from lesser-known manufacturers such as Citroën and Infiniti have not had much success. Vehicles in this segment include the mid-range models of several luxury car manufacturers. Executive cars such as the BMW 5 Series are crucial to a luxury automaker's bottom line, and although not the highest-selling model, they generate a significant amount of profits due to the lucrative technology options. Also known as full-size luxury cars, grand saloons, flagship car, or premium large cars, while "Oberklasse" is used in Germany. Many of these are