May 2014: Mercedes-Benz USA

[William Maley]

Mercedes-Benz Posts Fifth Record Sales Month Of 2014 With 26,617 Units In May

• MBUSA delivers 7.5% year-to-date gain with 138,374 vehicles

MONTVALE, N.J., June 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported its highest May sales on record with 29,570 units across the Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart model lines, an increase of 8.1% from the 27,359 vehicles sold the same period last year. The Mercedes-Benz brand alone posted May retails of 26,617, up 7.7% for the month, while year-to-date volumes reached 125,118, up 6.5%. Adding year-to-date sales of 9,282 for Sprinter Vans (up 23.5%) and 3,974 units at smart (up 8%), MBUSA achieved a year-to-date grand total of 138,374.

"With five record months on the books for 2014," said Stephen Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA, "we continue to accelerate thanks to the strength of our product offering and our dealer networks' laser focus on the customer experience."

Top sellers in May for the Mercedes-Benz brand included the C-, E- and M-Class model lines. The E-Class took the lead with sales of 6,168 vehicles, up 25.1% from the same month last year, followed by the C-Class at 5,284. The M-Class, volume leader in the Mercedes-Benz SUV lineup, rounded out the top three at 4,084, an increase of 26.9% from May 2013. At the high end, the flagship S-Class continued its streak of double-digit year-over-year sales gains with May volumes of 2,173, up 82.6% from the same month last year.

The newly redesigned Sprinter lineup continued to show strong sales momentum in May, posting monthly sales of 2,264, an increase of 23.9% from the 1,828 units sold in May 2013. May sales on the smart side reached 689.

The company's AMG high-performance models finished the month up 79.9% at 964, with year-to-date volumes climbing 75.6% to 4,800. Sales of Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC diesel models totaled 1,496 in May, while year-to-date sales hit 6,952, an increase of 5% from the 6,619 diesel units sold during the same period last year.

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) recorded sales volumes of 11,870 vehicles in May, an increase of 46.3% compared to the 8,113 units sold during the same month last year. On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 49,625 units, up 20.4% from the 41,231 vehicles sold through May 2013.

[smk4565]

S-class outsold the LS460, 7-series and A8 combined by about 400 cars. That is owning your segment right there.

[A Horse With No Name]

The Europeans are on fire in some ways. However, Jaguar seems to have a large supply of unsold cars as demand is dropping for them.

I would rather have the real thing and own a Benz if I was into luxury cars and wanted an import.

[Drew Dowdell]

My favorite of the big sedans in exterior looks is the XJ, but the S-Class in top, non-AMG form is serenity on 4 wheels.... as it should be for a $60k price premium over the Jag

[A Horse With No Name]

I do love the XJ in terms of looks also.

Also interesting how few Smart cars are being sold.

[smk4565]

Any Jaguar looks good, if you want a big sedan though you have to go S-class. It has the class, the status, the technology, the power, it has it all.

If you want a sports car however, I gotta say the F-type coupe might be the best looking car on the market in any segment at any price.

[balthazar]

CLA cannibalizing sales from the c-class?

[smk4565]

No, C-class is in model year 7 and production has stopped on the 2014 model. The 2015 C-class isn't at dealerships until the fall, I think the sales will pick up at that point and they'll be gunning for the 3-series.

[balthazar]

3-series went soft & numb, not a good target.
Besides, if the c-class is THAT FANTASTIC, no prospective buyer would ever turn a fresh one up.

What's up with MB allowing the C to languish for 7 years?? That's W-Body territory, no?

[A Horse With No Name]

3-series went soft & numb, not a good target.

Agreed.

[smk4565]

3-series went soft & numb, not a good target.

Besides, if the c-class is THAT FANTASTIC, no prospective buyer would ever turn a fresh one up.

What's up with MB allowing the C to languish for 7 years?? That's W-Body territory, no?

The 3-series is the number 1 selling car in the segment, so I was saying the C-class will give it a run in sales. The now dated C-class is easily outselling the ATS, A4, and IS350, so they only have one car left to compete with. The 3-series did get a bit numb, it isn't as good as the old 3-series, I think it the C-class might dethrone it.

Mercedes sedans are on a 7 year cycle with a re-fresh after 4 years. S-class came out for 2007 model year (2010 refresh), C-class was 2008 (2012 refresh), E-class was 2010 (2014 refresh), so S-class was 2014, C-class is 2015, E-class is 2017 model year. The S-class and E-class are #1 seller in their segments in the USA, so what they do works. The W-body lived on for like 20 years with that 3800 V6, Mercedes isn't using an engine from 20 years ago, the C-class is getting new engines, the turbo V8 and DI V6 came out around 2011, those are their oldest engines.

[balthazar]

sales?? Who cares about sales volume in the luxury segment..... oh yea, almost forgot; it's Daimler's El Numero Uno / Prime Directive.

Too bad Daimler has no volume brand they can maintain the exclusivity of their MB brand; that ship sailed many years ago! Now they slog it out in dollar store parking lots, the mainstream brand for those with luxury aspirations.

ATS should be the benchmark for their next c-class development, as far as driving, steering, braking, handling goes, not BMW.

>>Mercedes isn't using an engine from 20 years ago<<

... but they are using an SUV from 40 years ago.

[smk4565]

I don't think Mercedes benchmarks any other car, they usually set the benchmark. Plus they tend to try to make the best all-arounder, they don't make a car that is all performance and nothing else. The new C-class will sell because it looks good, it will have Mercedes-Benz ride quality and refinement, and the typical Mercedes traits. And they have new engines to help with fuel economy and performance. I think the market is shifting a bit and the C-class will give the 3-series a serious run and possibly outsell it.

[balthazar]

They're not setting any benchmarks with the CLA, that's for sure.

[Drew Dowdell]

One of the few times I strongly agree with SMK. I think the new C-Class is going to be a smash success and that the 3-series is in trouble. The people who buy the 3-series only for the handling will stick with it... but for the 90% of buyers in this market who just want a luxury car of that class, the C-class is the better option. It feels like a baby S-class inside. The 3-series doesn't feel like a baby 7-series... and it wouldn't matter anyway because the 7-series feels 20 years out of date.

[smk4565]

The 7-series used to be about performance also, the 90s was the last time it had good styling, and back then it was a big car but a performer too. Now it is just a big heavy luxury sedan, it doesn't look good, isn't good at handling or performance, it is just a big BMW now. The 3-series is the last BMW stronghold and I think Mercedes is coming for it full force.

[A Horse With No Name]

One of the few times I strongly agree with SMK. I think the new C-Class is going to be a smash success and that the 3-series is in trouble. The people who buy the 3-series only for the handling will stick with it... but for the 90% of buyers in this market who just want a luxury car of that class, the C-class is the better option. It feels like a baby S-class inside. The 3-series doesn't feel like a baby 7-series... and it wouldn't matter anyway because the 7-series feels 20 years out of date.

I have a lot of BMW Fanbois around me because of the SCCA thing. This sentiment is shared among even some of the BMW faithful. I agree with you and SMK.

The 7-series used to be about performance also, the 90s was the last time it had good styling, and back then it was a big car but a performer too. Now it is just a big heavy luxury sedan, it doesn't look good, isn't good at handling or performance, it is just a big BMW now. The 3-series is the last BMW stronghold and I think Mercedes is coming for it full force.

Lets hope like crazy they dethrone it.

[Drew Dowdell]

This should say something, the next C-class even has my attention as a potential next vehicle .

[A Horse With No Name]

...as it should.

[David]

The 7-series used to be about performance also, the 90s was the last time it had good styling, and back then it was a big car but a performer too. Now it is just a big heavy luxury sedan, it doesn't look good, isn't good at handling or performance, it is just a big BMW now. The 3-series is the last BMW stronghold and I think Mercedes is coming for it full force.

I would agree with you SMK. BMW has become the Chevy of European cars with their 3 M series the Corvette for them.

[A Horse With No Name]

Actually Chevy gets some things right that BMW doesn't.

[smk4565]

This should say something, the next C-class even has my attention as a potential next vehicle .

It would be a good buy I think, they really took the gloves off an pulled out all the stops. The 2008-2014 C-class basically made due with carry over engines, and the interior was a bit basic, well put together, but nothing special. The new C-class looks special inside and out.

[Drew Dowdell]

I can't wait to drive it

[smk4565]

You better wait for the diesel and the 9-speed before you buy.