No, it is comparing apples to apples as best one can do. It shows that salaries and benefits are not what causes exports to stumble. Also, Germany makes non luxury items also.
Sorry, I still disagree, for several reasons.
(1) Most of Germany's “exports” are loaded on rail cars that roll right through the factory. Claiming that Germany “exports” cars to Austria and Switzerland is like saying that Texas “exports” refined oil to New Mexico and Arkansas.
(2) The population density in northern Europe is several times higher than in the USA.
(3) I'm not aware of any non-union automobile manufacturers in northern Europe, and all of them “export” cars to their next door neighbors.