German premium brands set 2017 sales records; Mercedes keeps luxury crown
Print
Reprints
Respond
BERLIN -- Germany's three premium brands all reported record vehicle sales last year on booming demand for their SUVs. Mercedes-Benz brand retained the top spot in global luxury-car sales rankings for a second year, although BMW claimed the crown when all its brands are counted together.
Mercedes brand sales rose 9.9 percent to 2.29 million. Mercedes rose rose 9.9 percent to 2.29 million.
BMW brand's volume gained 4.2 percent to reach 2.09 million. Audi's sales edged up 0.6 percent to 1.88 million, benefiting from a 34-percent December surge in China, the brand's largest market.
BMW, which had kept the global luxury sales crown for about a decade before slipping behind Mercedes in 2016, said deliveries were fueled by a 9.6 percent gain for its SUV lineup and a 15 percent increase for the 1 series.
BMW posted a 9.5 percent gain in December registrations to 195,916 vehicles, narrowly beating Mercedes whose sales rose 1.7 percent to 193,534 and Audi whose sales came in at 180,250, a rise of 16 percent.
advertising
Or submit an online comment below. (Terms and Conditions)
