Mercedes Sales Hit Pothole In October - Down 4.9% For Month

"We're building momentum month after month, working toward a record year despite the challenges posed by spot shortages in some of our most popular model lines," said Stephen Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA.

Mercedes-Benz October sales were led by the C-, E- and M-Class model lines. The C-Class, which entered a new generation for the 2015 model year, took the lead with 7,412 units, an increase of 13.2% from the 6,548 vehicles sold in October 2013. The E-Class followed with sales of 3,936, while the brand's best-selling SUV, the M-Class, rounded out the top three at 3,797, up 22%. At the high end, the latest-generation S-Class marked its first full year of sales in the U.S. with a 39.3% increase to 2,666 units.

Sprinter Vans saw sales of 2,140 in October, up 5% from the 2,038 units sold the same month last year. October retails for the smart brand increased 14% to 585.

Mercedes-Benz AMG high-performance models delivered October sales of 1,251, jumping 71.6% from the 729 units sold the same month last year. On a year-to-date basis, AMG volumes hit 9,192, a 58.6% gain from the 5,797 units sold through October 2013. Retails for Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel models totaled 1,028 in October, with a year-to-date volume of 12,045.

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) vehicles recorded sales of 9,834 vehicles in October, an increase of 29.2% from the 7,612 units sold during the same month last year. Year-to-date, MBCPO sold 98,186 units, up 22% from 80,502 vehicles a year ago.

cidflekken - 11/3/2014 2:28:39 PM

+2 Boost

CLA outsold A3. GLA killed the Q3. C-Class on resurgence with new model and without updated coupe and limited engine/drivetrain choices until early next year.

Last year's CLA numbers were from its first full introductory month in the US, so it's hard to make a direct comparison. And I believe it was similar for the facelifted E-Class.

Car4Life - 11/3/2014 4:28:26 PM

+2 Boost

Can we talk about the S CLASS on it's way to hitting 3,000 Units!!!! Say What 2,666, ridiculous!

The G Class will be the longest running model period over 200 units after 40 yrs on the market and one of the most expensive SUV's on the market

C CLASS is preparing for full throttle

E Class, got a break as the new C's interior surely swayed a few buyers in the showroom

CLA will be on the way to 3k per month

The SUV's held their ground with the GLA gaining nicely, should be another photo finish between Bimmer and Benz

GermanNut - 11/3/2014 3:31:11 PM

-3 Boost

The GLAs numbers are unusually high. Last month the Audi Q3 outsold the GLA by a small margin and now the GLA outsells the Q3 by 1,324 units?!

Let's see if the GLA's sales figures cool off next month.

cidflekken - 11/3/2014 3:53:02 PM

+1 Boost

How are they "unusually high"? They seem pretty normal to me, considering the rate at which the CLA is selling. Last month was the first full month for the GLA, so it makes sense, since the first full month for the CLA saw almost 5000 units moved.

cidflekken - 11/3/2014 4:17:59 PM

+1 Boost

I think it's even more impressive that Mercedes stands where it does after a comparison of total vehicle offerings vs. BMW and Audi.

These numbers are for powertrain/drivetrain and vehicle config (sedan/coupe/cabriolet, SUV, etc) offerings only (not including various trim/packages):

Mercedes offers 35 models plus 16 AMG models
BMW offers 83 models plus 7 M (not M trim) models
Audi offers 42 models plus 3 RS models

cidflekken - 11/3/2014 4:40:51 PM

+1 Boost

And I'll add that Lexus offers 33 models (not including RC/RC-F/NX)

BMWm4 - 11/3/2014 7:04:57 PM

+2 Boost

I think you have the amount of models wrong for BMW unless you are counting with them the RWD & AWD as a seperate model

cidflekken - 11/3/2014 11:48:58 PM

+1 Boost

BMWm4, I did the same with each brand: each engine and drivetrain choice was counted as a separate model. If one engine is offered as both 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive, then that would be two separate models. So the 535 is offered as the 535i, 535xi, 535d, 535dx, so that would be 4 models right there. Again, I did that for every brand.

GermanNut - 11/3/2014 7:14:03 PM

-1 Boost

I also think the Q3's sales are going to jump. Last month the Q3 did something like 1,200 units and this month less than 700. I guess it's just swings in the data that all companies experience. BMW has also experiences such swings pretty regularly with the 5/6-Series.

Benzes1 - 11/4/2014 2:29:12 AM

+1 Boost

That is because you guy don't realize that these "sales" numbers you see aren't really sales to customer, they are sales/shipments to dealers. That is why they fluctuate so much. When BMW ships over 5000 5-Series cars one month they can't ship that many next month because they can't possibly sell that many without having a true fire sale. Even then they can't move 10K 5-Series in 60 days. So one month they fill up every dealer lot with a big shipment then the next they hardly ship any.

Mercedes and Audi control the supplies of their cars a lot better, except for MB with the CLA and GLA, they actually don't have enough of those to go around. These should be stocked like Camrys and Acccords, but the Hungarian factory can't keep up with worldwide demand.

To see true "sales" you have to check registration data. That is where the truth about sales is.

cidflekken - 11/4/2014 6:12:45 PM

+1 Boost

Third place? Worldwide or US? Yes, they are worldwide, but 2nd US.

cidflekken - 11/4/2014 6:20:04 PM

+2 Boost

Let me add that in the US, the only segment that BMW is besting Mercedes is the 3/4 vs C. The 6 is slightly ahead of the CLS. The X5 and ML are essentially even. The E is comfortably beating the 5. The S is slaughtering the 7. The SLK clearly ahead of the Z4. CLA killing the 2.

Benzes1 - 11/4/2014 6:34:57 PM

+2 Boost

Mercedes is in 2nd place YTD. One month don't mean anything dummy.

carsnyc - 11/4/2014 12:53:21 PM

+1 Boost

I am not so sure Merc and BMW drivers can care enough about their cars not being best sellers. Stockholders, that's another story.