Thanks E-Class Buyers

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz was the top-selling luxury car brand in the U.S. in September, ending a three-month winning streak by Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s namesake brand as both topped Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus.

“Lexus has been by far the luxury leader in this market and now Mercedes and BMW have closed that gap pretty rapidly,” Joe Barker, an industry analyst with IHS Automotive, a Lexington, Massachusetts-based researcher, said before the release. “The sales race will come down to the wire -- it will come down right to the month of December.”

Sales of Mercedes brand cars and sport-utility vehicles rose 17 percent to 19,862 as deliveries of its E-Class sedan continued to propel the brand, Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler said in a statement.

“We’re going to continue in the same direction as we have for the first nine months,” Ernst Lieb, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz USA, said in an interview today. “Will it be necessarily again another 22 percent up or so? Maybe not, but we definitely see a two-digit increase for the remainder of the year.”

BMW’s namesake brand’s deliveries rose 21 percent to 18,228 from last September, the Munich-based company said today in a statement.

Lexus sales fell 6 percent last month to 16,948, as a 21 percent gain for the ES model was offset by a 27 percent decline in IS deliveries.

Toyota, working to recover from record recalls, has sold 162,438 luxury cars and SUVs in the first nine months of this year, a 9.2 increase over last year, the Toyota City, Japan- based company said in a statement. The result maintained a narrowing lead for the brand that has led the segment since 2000.

“It’s been a challenging year for the whole industry,” Brian Smith, U.S. vice president of Lexus brand sales, said in a conference call today. “We feel real good about where we are this year. I don’t think we’re going to lose leadership this year, but time will tell.”

Mercedes sales rose 18 percent to 159,729 so far this year, while BMW deliveries are up 9.2 percent to 157,464. These results don’t include sales of Mercedes’ Sprinter vans and Smart cars or BMW’s Mini brand.

BMW sales are being held back by low inventory of the X3 SUV until a new version reaches showrooms late this year, Jim O’Donnell, president of BMW’s North American unit, said in a Sept. 8 interview. The automaker is also still introducing models in its popular 5-Series line.

“Those two things will hold back our sales in that race. I think Lexus, in particular, will probably end the year No. 1,” he said. “We never thought we’d be as close to them.”

Despite those challenges, BMW’s monthly sales in June, July and August topped Mercedes and Lexus, according to the company’s stated results.

Luxury car buyers, who waited out the economic downturn, are returning, said Barker, who is based in Northville, Michigan.

“Now they feel a bit more secure as the stock market has stabilized and grown a little bit and as they start to rebuild their retirement funds,” Barker said. “They feel the worst is over for them and they are getting back into the luxury car market.”

Other Brands

Deliveries at General Motors Co.’s luxury division, Cadillac, gained 11 percent from last year to 12,620 as sales of the redesigned SRX sport-utility vehicle grew by 40 percent.

Ford Motor Co. sold 7,510 of its Lincoln luxury vehicles in September, a 26 percent increase from a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Lincoln was helped by a 76 percent increase in MKX sales.

Honda Motor Co.’s Acura sales rose 48 percent to 10,720 in September, the company said in a statement.

U.S. deliveries of Volkswagen AG’s Audi brand rose 13 percent to 8,151 vehicles. That topped Audi’s previous September sales record from 2007, the company said in a statement.

Porsche SE, which is merging with Volkswagen, reported a 25 percent sales increase to 1,971 vehicles.

Tata Motors Ltd.’s Jaguar posted a 10 percent gain in sales to 967 vehicles. The company’s Land Rover division sold 2,489 vehicles for the month, an 12 percent increase, the company said in a statement on its website.

Looks like good news for both the company and the economy as a whole. (My local dealer just finished upgrading the front of the building and the interior.)

Any idea how many Sprinters they have sold YTD?

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I am not surprised. The Germans are back. I just returned from over there and have to say: They are kicking ass!

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