Strong 3-Series Sales Allow BMW To Close Gap On Mercedes-Benz Lead

Deliveries of the BMW brand rose 25 percent in June to 27,074, while Mercedes reported a 9.8 percent gain from a year earlier to 24,415, according to statements yesterday. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus posted a 6.7 percent increase to 21,355.

The monthly results trim Mercedes’s lead this year to 1,519 vehicles as the two German automakers vie for the annual sales crown BMW has held for two years. Through May, Munich-based BMW had trailed Mercedes by 4,178 vehicles. Luxury-auto makers are benefiting from broader lineups with more affordable prices, said Alec Gutierrez, a Kelley Blue Book analyst.

“It’s part of a prevailing trend of near-luxury sales overall,” Gutierrez, who is based in Irvine, California, said in an interview yesterday. “The available lease offers on 3 Series has been a pretty significant driver, too. We’ve seen promotions from the low- to mid-$300s a month. Even the 335 can be had for $400 a month. That’s a lot of car for $400 a month.”

thetruth01 - 7/3/2013 1:34:22 PM

+1 Boost

the race to the bottom continues.

USNA1999 - 7/3/2013 4:07:41 PM

+1 Boost

They are all racing to the bottom, here in JAX you can lease an ES350, 3 series, C Class or an A4 for a mere $349. I am assuming this will kill their profit margins.

cidflekken - 7/4/2013 1:05:41 AM

+1 Boost

I'm sorry, but the leasing options are insane these days, for all luxury brands. Admittedly, BMWs are the most widespread across their model range and they are currently the lowest monthly payments for comparable models from competitors (I simply checked all available offers for BMW, MB, Audi, and Lexus). At the same time, these companies aren't hurting because there is a very large demand in the used/CPO market for these luxury brands for those who can't afford to buy new, but don't want to lease.