Mercedes Doubles U.S. Luxury-Auto Lead Over BMW on New CLA Coupe

The German automobile giant Mercedes-Benz sold 4,895 of its $29,900 CLA coupe in the car’s first full month of availability, helping the brand post a 25 percent October gain and double its U.S. luxury-vehicle lead.

Total sales for Mercedes rose to 30,069 vehicles, as E-Class deliveries climbed 23 percent from a year earlier, Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler said in a statement yesterday.Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW brand reported selling 27,574 vehicles, a 4.2 percent increase.

The CLA, the lowest-priced Mercedes in the U.S., helped the brand widen its year-to-date lead over BMW to 4,986 vehicles, from 2,491 through September. The tally stands at 245,125 to 240,139 as Mercedes seeks to end BMW’s two-year reign in annual sales. Daimler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetschesaid in July he expected his company to come up short again in 2013.

“We’re a bit surprised at how successful the CLA has been right out of the gate, but it’s had a positive reception from a lot of consumers, the price is very, very attractive and it’s a great-looking car,” said Alec Gutierrez, an auto analyst at Kelley Blue Book in Irvine, California.

BMW’s October gains were aided by its 5 Series sedans, with a 19 percent increase, and the X1 compact sport-utility vehicle, with a 60 percent jump, according to a statement yesterday from the Munich-based automaker.

The figures don’t include Daimler’s cargo vans and Smart cars and BMW’s Mini brand, which aren’t luxury vehicles.

BMW’s status as annual leader for 2012 was based on reported sales. By vehicle registrations, Mercedes topped BMW last year, according to researcher R.L. Polk & Co. Through this June, owners had registered 141,724 new BMW vehicles in the U.S., compared with 134,326 from Mercedes, 

link:BloomBerg