Mercedes Spins The Positive After A 0.3% Increase In May Sales

Will the new A-Class hurts C-Class? GLC is unstoppable in its segment.

The fact that the GLE & GLS are still competitive despite being the oldest in their segments is impressive

I dont think Mercedes ever saw the day coming that their bread and butter C & E sedans would be outsold handily by a Cute-Ute... Or maybe they did hence the drastic redesign from the outgoing GLK

The S Class is bored at this point and has no one to play with at the top, but I'm excited for what the next generation would bring design wise

Well, the consumers in this particular segment (CUV/SUV) doesn't know better. They just want comfort, high seating position, leg room, head room, cargo, and brand name. That goes to all manufactures, not just MB.

That's where you are wrong, its more than consumers from the CUV/SUV segment,families that once were in the midsize/full size sedan segment are now fleeing that segment in favor of more practical SUV's, hence the growth of the CUV/SUV segmenet and shrinkage of the Sedan segment

Benz knew the crossover segment was the one to focus on. Otherwise, they wouldn't have 7 different offering, each with 2-4 different trim/performance package levels. Also why their focus on their first major EQ car is a crossover. It most definitely contributed to the GLC's design vs.the GLK's, as you say. Benz needed to make it more palatable for a wider audience, not much different from the Q5, which is what has made the Q5 such a resounding success for Audi. Now, this year, the GLC is killing the segment. And I think the reason for this is that Mercedes has made it clear that they are a brand of prestige and luxury first, performance second. They are creating and designing the best interiors in the business. But not only are the gorgeous designs, they are daring and they are thinking outside of the box. You can argue that all day long, but it's hard to deny this fact. Clearly, buyers in the US and globally are eating it up. Just imagine when the new A-Class is official and the interior of that car just blows the segment completely away.

Regarding sedans, they're not dead yet. And Mercedes knows this also which is why they continue to create distinctive designs from previous generations, both inside and out. Granted, the 3 biggies in the lineup look like Tall, Grande, and Venti sizes of the same car, but hate to tell ya, rich folks in their S-Classes don't care if you confuse their car for a C-Class - they care more about telling people they drive an S-Class. And C-Class drivers are quite okay with you thinking their driving an E- or S-Class. There is a whole global market outside the US that still loves sedans, let's all remember that.

Also, if there is one place I truly believe Mercedes overlooked, was the popularity of the entry-level hatchback segment. The success of the A5/S5 Sportback and the 4 Series Gran Coupe simply can't be overlooked. Each is probably selling 1500 units per month. I think this is the first month the combined A4/S4/A5/S5 numbers are more than the C-Class sales numbers. The C- numbers have the sedan, coupe, and convertible in one number. Instead of having an A-sedan and CLA, Mercedes should have morphed the CLA into a fastback hatchback to undercut the models from Audi and BMW and I have no doubt it would have crushed the sales numbers.

How is 1500 units a month at an attainable price point evidence of good sales? That horrible volume.

The reason MB maintains great sales is simple: all the cars and all the SUVs look exactly the same. All cut from the same sausage. The buyer simply picks a price, size and color and they're done. Bam. Easy. If you got the budget, you got the Benz! No decisions needed.

That might be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. Sorry to be so crass, but not a single person buys cars like that.

But, let's elaborate on your point. Let's say dumbass folks do buy cars like that just by picking a price, size and color. Then they go into a Benz dealership, per your theory, and the vending machine pops out the car of choice. The reality is, they're doing it with one brand. And they chose that brand for reason, over any other brand. That's the strength of Mercedes and why they're leading the pack in NA and globally. They are doing things right, all across the model range, both in sedan and SUV form.

@Dexter1 don't mind @cidflekken who only has his armchair, unsubstantiated opinion of how the market works because he's wrong and you're largely right.

The marketing research supports you and refutes him.

Cidflekken A LOT of people buy cars exactly how Dexter says especially at Audi/BMW/Mercedes franchises.

That's why the Germans have an entry in every imagined niche.

Mercedes has a very careful overlapping stair-step approach to sedans and crossovers.

Can't afford that C Class? Here's a sporty little CLA for thousands less with more options. Same is true for the GL-A/B/C/E/S array.

Dexter, what Cidflekken is incapable of understanding is that people are not buying a Mercedes because of its engineering. They want the 3-pointed star's panache and clout. Hell, put a 3-pointed star on a Fiat 500 and it would likely sell.

Lol have you all seen BMW/Audi lately? The very least I can say forMercedes is atleast you can see the difference between generations, BMW/Audi not only use the same sausagebut DECADES old sausages to where u have to squint to notice the differences between predecessors lol!

You can spout off everything and anything you want about "market research", which you love to hide behind to support any argument you have. But you never provide anything to substantiate it. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I'll own up to it. But I talk to real people, real shoppers. That's what's important to me. Not supposed "research" or "surveys".