Mercedes-Benz Plows Through May With A 7.7% Boost In Sales

Mercedes-Benz USA today reported its highest May sales on record with 29,570 units across the Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart model lines, an increase of 8.1% from the 27,359 vehicles sold the same period last year. The Mercedes-Benz brand alone posted May retails of 26,617, up 7.7% for the month, while year-to-date volumes reached 125,118, up 6.5%. Adding year-to-date sales of 9,282 for Sprinter Vans (up 23.5%) and 3,974 units at smart (up 8%), MBUSA achieved a year-to-date grand total of 138,374.
"With five record months on the books for 2014," said Stephen Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA, "we continue to accelerate thanks to the strength of our product offering and our dealer networks' laser focus on the customer experience."

Top sellers in May for the Mercedes-Benz brand included the C-, E- and M-Class model lines. The E-Class took the lead with sales of 6,168 vehicles, up 25.1% from the same month last year, followed by the C-Class at 5,284. The M-Class, volume leader in the Mercedes-Benz SUV lineup, rounded out the top three at 4,084, an increase of 26.9% from May 2013. At the high end, the flagship S-Class continued its streak of double-digit year-over-year sales gains with May volumes of 2,173, up 82.6% from the same month last year.

The newly redesigned Sprinter lineup continued to show strong sales momentum in May, posting monthly sales of 2,264, an increase of 23.9% from the 1,828 units sold in May 2013.  May sales on the smart side reached 689.

The company's AMG high-performance models finished the month up 79.9% at 964, with year-to-date volumes climbing 75.6% to 4,800.  Sales of Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel models totaled 1,496 in May, while year-to-date sales hit 6,952, an increase of 5% from the 6,619 diesel units sold during the same period last year.

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) recorded sales volumes of 11,870 vehicles in May, an increase of 46.3% compared to the 8,113 units sold during the same month last year. On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 49,625 units, up 20.4% from the 41,231 vehicles sold through May 2013
 

GermanNut - 6/3/2014 1:56:41 PM

-1 Boost

So the CLA basically sold half the volume of the A3 Sedan. The S-class is still ruling its segment.

Car4Life - 6/3/2014 2:49:00 PM

+2 Boost

Yep, the S Class sold 3x the A8, the E Class, the oldest in the segment sold 2x the A6, the C Class, again the oldest in the segment, sold more than the A4.

The CLA's wait list extended and still does not have the inventory the A3 has, which is now being used as a courtesy car at Audi dealers...which factors into A3 sales.

I wonder if the A3 will ever see 3 or 4k in one month like the CLA...time will tell.

Car4Life - 6/3/2014 2:56:25 PM

+2 Boost

Correction, The S Class sold FIVE times that of the A8...ouch

cidflekken - 6/3/2014 3:35:51 PM

+1 Boost

Yes, it should be expected that a mainstream sedan outsells a niche 4-door coupe.

cidflekken - 6/3/2014 3:39:39 PM

+1 Boost

And C4L, let's be fair now. We need to combine to the A4 and A5 sales to compare to the C-class sales. So, they're a bit more even. BUT, alot of that probably has to do with the impending new C-Class that many are probably waiting for since it's getting such resoundingly positive write-ups.

Car4Life - 6/3/2014 4:34:29 PM

+1 Boost

@Cidflekken, only 932 C Class coupes were sold, so being fair or not Sedan to Sedan the C Class outsells the A4...and the new C Class...well that will just be a blood bath

cidflekken - 6/3/2014 4:56:49 PM

+1 Boost

Do you know how many E-class coupes sold? Technically, the C and E coupes compete with the A5 and 4 Series.

Car4Life - 6/3/2014 6:55:59 PM

+1 Boost

Again the ratio of C and E class coupes sold versus their sedan counterparts is very low, and while the E class coupe is based on the C Class platform, it is specced to slot in between a 4 series and 6 series and a notch above the A5

Yonder7 - 6/3/2014 6:00:06 PM

0 Boost

I love MB Guys but Wake ...CLA have too many months on sale now...A3 just came and is kicking the butt of the CLA. I do not buy it backlog ? nope...I prefer the CLA , but the comfort of the A3 is what is allowing it to outsell the CLA. most of the people wont buy a CLA as soon as they try the rear seat. Face it, A3 was designed to be practical, CLA to be stylish.

Benzes1 - 6/3/2014 6:18:16 PM

+1 Boost

Clearly you don't keep up with the news. CLA and now GLA are in record demand worldwide. Mercedes has stated that the demand has take them by surprise. The inventory won't increase until sometime next month is what they're saying. Dealers are desperate for CLAs now.

cidflekken - 6/4/2014 11:14:28 AM

+2 Boost

You're right. The CLA is not a mainstream offering the same way the A3 is, by intent. It's not expected to sell in the same volumes as the A3. YET, it's still in extremely high demand with inventory backlogs.

Will be interesting to see once the new C-Class and GLA begin sales in the US.

GermanNut - 6/3/2014 10:20:18 PM

-1 Boost

I wonder if the CLA will ever sell more than 75% of the A3 Sedan's monthly sales. I highly doubt it because the A3 sedan range will expand with the A3 TDI and S3 Sedans. If just the regular A3 Sedan is already selling 50% more than the CLA per month, once the TDI and S3 models go on sale the gap will only grow wider.