Mercedes Leads Sales Race with Audi, BMW

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz brand outsold rivals Audi and BMW through the first half of 2016.

Mercedes sales in January-June climbed 12% to a record 1 million vehicles, including 188,400 units last month. BMW-brand sales topped Mercedes by 700 units in June but trailed in the first half by 20,000 vehicles. Sales by third-place Audi rose 7% to 169,000 units in June and 6% to 953,200 cars and SUV/crossovers through the first six months of 2016, according to company reports.

Mercedes says its deliveries last month rose 14% to 86,700 units in Europe, 16% to 63,800 units in Asia Pacific and 2% to 28,500 in the U.S.

The brand’s sales in the first half of 2016 grew 13% to 444,600 units in Europe and 22% to 346,200 units in Asia Pacific. Volume was flat at 189,500 vehicles in North America and dipped 1% at 162,800 in the U.S.