Mercedes Just Days Away From Shutting Out BMW In US Sales Race

With one month to go in 2017, Mercedes-Benz appears to have back-to-back U.S. luxury sales crowns all but wrapped up with a 30,611-vehicle lead over second-place BMW.

Both of the leading German luxury brands posted sales increases in November. But No. 3 Lexus had sales tumble 6.7 percent last month, falling further behind BMW for the year. Lexus finished November trailing BMW by 1,761 vehicles through the first 11 months of the year.

As the brands gear up for what is typically the luxury segment's hottest month, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dietmar Exler said this week that he feels "carefully optimistic" going into the home stretch.

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Dexter1 - 12/4/2017 10:58:14 AM

0 Boost

Better product=Better sales

Car4life1 - 12/4/2017 1:31:15 PM

+3 Boost

Benz has honestly just nailed the strategy from the top down. Who knew AMG would become one of the most respected and lusted after names in the Auto world.

Benz further differentiates itself by having a top, down approach starting with the S Class and filling out the rest of the lineup. The masses have spoken and they'd rather have smaller S Classes than Larger A4/3series

Lastly branding, "The Best Or Nothing" hits home and has truly become the firms approach with many of their products. Some of their strategic partnerships are interesting too like inspiring the first class cabin design for Emirates

Lastly taking risk...from the inside out you'd be hard pressed to find one thing untouched between each generation and the public apparently appreciates those risk and are passing Rival's dealers on the way to see the latest Risk Benz has taken

TomM - 12/4/2017 11:42:33 AM

0 Boost

I do not understand the emphasis on total unit car sales.
Mercedes is just like ANY other Corporation - and their goal is to make money for their stock holders - either through increase in Dividend or Stock Price - based on Profitability.

While being number one is a nice goal - they were likely the most profitable before this - because their sales skew to larger and higher priced cars than BMW.

GermanNut - 12/4/2017 11:58:16 AM

+2 Boost

Well higher sales usually means more revenue and assuming costs are constant, it means higher profit. You’re correct that Mercedes was already more profitable than BMW given its dominance at the higher-end with the S sedan, coupe and SL.

cidflekken - 12/4/2017 1:58:10 PM

+3 Boost

Mercedes knows its customers and knows its brand. That's the bottom line.

Mercedes is a luxury car first, and a sporty-car brand second. Each model in their lineup represents both, effectively, especially now that the E400 sedan is being offered. Mercedes has created luxurious interiors with softer, more luxury-oriented base models, adding sportier AMG versions, with the appropriate interior accents.
This approach has been lost on Lexus and BMW. Lexus is trying to create this sportier image when their core buyers want luxury. BMW is trying to nurture a more luxury-oriented persona when their core buyers want sport.

On top of that, buyers want their current cars to be distinct from the old models and Mercedes is evolving their designs to do just that (albeit amidst criticism of the one-design-for-all-sizes approach for their sedans).

Audi, on the other hand, seems to fit somewhere in the middle. Though their sales are strong (for them) and they seem to be build great products, their approach is probably too middle ground, uncommitted.