The slump in the European market for supercars exceeding €100,000 is coming to an end as confidence returns following the region’s prolonged recession and automakers begin to replace aging models. Led by models such as the BMW i8 and Audi R8, European sales in the segment are forecast rise to 21,000 units by 2017, up from 13,000 last year, according to figures from IHS Automotive.

The consultancy predicts that the rebound for cars costing more than €125,000 will start this year.The return of consumer confidence is perhaps the biggest tailwind. “Last year was one where we were still seeing economic pressures in the region, which was likely to have made some people reluctant to buy something extravagant,” IHS Automotive senior analyst Ian Fletcher stated.