After trailing rival BMW in quarterly sales for more than a year, Mercedes-Benz rallied in the second quarter. But BMW grabbed the lead back in the latest quarter.
BMW deliveries inched 3.2 percent higher to 78,031. Meanwhile, Mercedes sold 72,389 vehicles — up 31 percent— in the July-to-September period.
For the year, BMW remains ahead with a 16,905-vehicle lead over Mercedes. The Mercedes figures exclude commercial trucks and vans, which Automotive News does not consider luxury vehicles.
As of late September, BMW had a 31-day supply of vehicles compared with Mercedes’ 44-day supply, Cox’s analysis showed.
After seeing Tesla dominate with its EVs, the Germans vow to strike back with their next-generation battery vehicles.
In the U.S., Mercedes will have four EVs on the market before year-end. In 2023, the lineup will expand with the arrival of the EQE midsize crossover.
This year, BMW sees a lift in sales from strong demand — and supply — for its zero-emission i4 sedan and iX crossover. The automaker said it sold 6,900 EVs in the U.S. this year, including more than 4,300 in the third quarter.
Increased allocation of crossovers from BMW’s Spartanburg, S.C., factory also meant dealers had product to meet strong demand. Light trucks accounted for more than two-thirds of the brand’s quarterly sales.
“We utilized our home field advantage,” BMW of North America sales boss Shaun Bugbee told Automotive News.
BMW dealers turned about 75 percent of available inventory and ended the quarter with a 10-day supply.
For the fourth quarter, Bugbee forecast “close to double-digit” year-over-year growth as new products, such as the redesigned 7 Series sedan and X1 crossover, arrive.
“Our inventory position will improve for Q4,” he said.
