Mercedes Sales Dip 6.4% In December - Ending 2016 In The Red With A .0.8% Decrease

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) closed out 2016 with its highest annual volume in the U.S. market, topping 2015's best ever record. MBUSA today reported December sales of 37,057 vehicles. Mercedes-Benz Vans reported December sales with 3,860 units, and smart reported 1,186 units, bringing MBUSA's grand total to 37,057 vehicles for the month. On a year-to-date basis, Mercedes-Benz retails totaled 340,237. Adding year-to-date-sales of 34,304 for Vans and 6,211 for smart, MBUSA posted a grand total of 380,752 units in December, increasing 0.1% from the previous year.

"MBUSA maintained a consistent pace throughout the year, which led us to our best sales result ever. In 2016, Mercedes-Benz was the best-selling luxury franchise in the U.S.," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of MBUSA. "I want to thank Stuttgart, our dealers and everyone at MBUSA for helping us to have such an incredible year."

Mercedes-Benz volume leaders in December included the C-Class, GLE and E-Class (including the CLS) model lines. The C-Class took the lead at 7,345, followed by the GLE at 5,574. The E-Class rounded out the top three with 4,851 units sold.

Mercedes-AMG high-performance models sold 3,126 units in December, with a total of 23,261 units sold year-to-date (up 33.3%).

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) models recorded sales of 10,981 vehicles in December. On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 123,332 vehicles, an increase of 2.3%.

ilovecar2015 - 1/4/2017 2:40:53 PM

+4 Boost

E Class still down despite new model, what gives? If I had a 2016 E, I wouldn't pay premium to get 2017 E anyways, the exterior is too much similar. Interior upgraded nicely though

cidflekken - 1/4/2017 2:43:11 PM

+4 Boost

Mercedes needs to offer the engines from the C43/GLC43/E43 in Luxury trim, not just AMG trim. Or, add a tweener level engine in non-AMG trim. Going from a 4-cylinder entry to the pseudo-AMG level might be hurting their sales considering Mercedes is a luxury-first brand. Of course, not taking away from their #1 ranking this year, but they could be doing even better, I think.

carsnyc - 1/4/2017 3:11:46 PM

+4 Boost

You nailed it. I can't get my head around an E-class with a 4 cylinder. This is not Europe.

mre30 - 1/4/2017 7:39:57 PM

0 Boost

I am huge Mercedes fan, but honestly, the new E300 just kinda sucks. Its too small and too close in size to the C300 (same engine?) and it is virtually indistinguishable visually from the C. Plus its crazy expensive.

Mercedes 'same sausage different size' strategy is not translating so well.

I hate to say it, but I think BMW will get some conquests with their new 530i and 540i which gets better looking the more its shown.

Firewombat - 1/5/2017 3:44:47 AM

+4 Boost

SUV sales are really helping the overall figures, they have the most complete SUV range of all the luxury brands and that's a real strength in terms of sales.

C-Class still doing really well and it should, it's an excellent car.

I have to agree with some of the comments above. I really thought they would have had an E400 and E550 by now? A lot buyers in that segment are still looking for a V6 / V8 no matter how many 4 cylinders and hybrids you try to sell them.

I'm not a fan of the new AMG 43 series, I think it dilutes the AMG brand. The styling of the E-Class is also an issue, styling is subjective and I think it's a handsome car but I don't see the step up from the C-Class aside from size.

Design and quality are so similar now it seems like a tough sell to pay the extra for the E. Saying that it's still selling well and maybe Mercedes will add new engines this year to augment the range.

GermanNut - 1/5/2017 11:10:19 AM

+3 Boost

I agree the lack of a 6-cylinder option for a regular non-AMG E-Class is a huge oversight. It will be interesting to see how this strategic decision impacts sales of the new E-Class. If sales aren't up to expectations, I see Mercedes-Benz adding a 6-cylinder option without the AMG name and getting rid of the E43 and going straight to the sledgehammer E63.

MDarringer - 1/5/2017 12:05:47 PM

+1 Boost

There simply is no reason NOT to have a 6 cylinder.

quizz - 1/5/2017 12:22:23 PM

+2 Boost

Blame it on Audi, which had a record year of sales.

MDarringer - 1/5/2017 3:20:00 PM

-3 Boost

Audi did not have "record sales" this year. It had a very modest increase. "Record" sales--connotatively--would mean a "massive" increase and that simply did not happen. The "record" is the number of reporting periods/years that Audi has posted incremental gains.

GermanNut - 1/5/2017 4:49:55 PM

+4 Boost

Well Audi sold more vehicles in the United States than it ever has in a single year. If that's not the definition of "record" I don't know what is.

Interestingly, Audi's success could be the reason for Mercedes-Benz's decision to drop the 6-cylinder option from a non-AMG E-Class. Audi only offers a four-cylinder engine in the A4. For a six-cylinder A4 the only option is the S4.

MDarringer - 1/5/2017 7:21:58 PM

-3 Boost

@GermanNut: you don't know what is.

You should have spent more time in school so as to understand nuances of the terms you think you know.

GermanNut - 1/5/2017 8:04:07 PM

+3 Boost

Says the car salesman. Looks like someone isn't in the running to become a senior auto industry executive. Well, apparently I'm not the only one that doesn't know what "record" means. Audi and the Wall Street Journal specifically mention "record" in their press release/article. Please, Matt, enlighten us with what you think "record" means. This should be great...

https://www.audiusa.com/newsroom/news/press-releases/2017/01/audi-breaks-annual-u-s-sales-record-in-2016

http://www.wsj.com/articles/auto-industry-poised-to-set-annual-sales-record-1483541246