Mercedes-Benz widened its lead in global luxury-car sales as the revamped E-class sedan and a range of fresh SUVs fuelled growth that outpaced BMW and Audi.
Deliveries at Daimler’s Mercedes jumped 12% to 1.72 million vehicles in the first nine months. The growth rate was triple the 3.9% increase posted by BMW brand, which sold 1.54 million cars. Audi slipped further back, with a 2% decline to 1.38 million autos in the period.
Mercedes regained the No. 1 rank in luxury-vehicle sales from BMW in 2016 for the first time in more than a decade, buoyed by an aggressive overhaul of its lineup with a broader range of SUVs such as the GLC Coupe as well as the new X-class pickup and AMG GT sports car.
Mercedes’ SUV deliveries climbed 15% in September from a year earlier, while sales of coupes, convertibles and roadsters jumped 21%.
BMW said Friday that its deliveries last month were held back as customers waited for a new version of its X3 SUV. While the automaker is seeking to fight back with new models like the three-row X7 and glitzy 8-series coupe, BMW is focusing on maintaining profitability amid pressure to invest in electric cars and self-driving features.
Audi is showing signs of emerging from the aftermath of parent Volkswagen Group’s diesel-cheating scandal and a dispute with its Chinese dealers. September global sales rose 2.7%, helped by SUV demand and recovering sales in China. Meanwhile, the brand has posted declines of more than 10% this year in Mexico and Brazil.
