Mercedes-Benz sales growth surpasses BMW on compact cars

Mercedes-Benz said that its vehicle sales posted a faster growth in January 2014 than the ones of its most serious competitors – Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Audi AG. This considerably helped the German carmaker to narrow the gap in deliveries with its two biggest rivals

Daimler AGs Mercedes is currently the third-biggest luxury vehicles manufacturer in the world. The company posted a 15% increase in sales in January to 109.500 vehicles on a 32% surge for its compact cars. During the same period of time, Volkswagen AGs Audi sales increased 12% and reached 124,850 vehicles, while BWMs rose 9.2% to 117,200 cars.

Dieter Zetsche, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Daimler AG, is going to present 30 new cars by the end of the decade. Thirteen of the models are said to have no predecessor. This is an effort of both the company and its Chief Executive Officer to get back the sales advantage Mercedes lost to BMW in 2005 and to Audi in 2011. All three companies posted record sales in 2013 and are seeking further sales growth in 2014.

Ian Robertson, who is the Sales Chief of the automaker, based in Munich, said in an official statement cited by Bloomberg: “Our target is to increase overall global sales for a fourth successive year.”

BMWs deliveries of its X3 sport-utility vehicle in January 2014 were reported to have increased 18%, and the 5-Series Sedan grew 14%. The companys sales in China advanced 22%.

In 2013, Mercedes-Benz managed to post a higher growth rate than its most serious rival BMW for the first time since 2010. Daimler AGs brand even managed to surpass the sales of Audi in the last few months of 2013. Full year deliveries of the Mercedes brand rose 11% in comparison to Audis 8.3% jump and BMWs 7.5% growth.

The sales of Mercedes-Benz in China rose 45%, and its S-Class flagship gained 69% globally.

Daimler AG rose by 2.01% by 12:01 GMT in Frankfurt to trade at EUR64.787. Stock is up 2.8% this year.

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) traded at EUR83.47, up 1.66% on the day.