August 2018: Mercedes-Benz USA

[William Maley]

Mercedes-Benz USA reports August sales of 20,339 units

Sep 4, 2018 – ATLANTA: Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported August sales of 20,339 Mercedes-Benz models, a decrease of 19.8% from August 2017. Mercedes-Benz Vans reported best-ever August sales of 3,745 units (up 4.6%) and smart reported 108 units, bringing MBUSA to a grand total of 24,192 vehicles for the month. On a year-to-date basis, sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles totaled 199,215, with an additional 23,575 units for Vans and 861 vehicles for smart, bringing the sales volume to 223,651, a decrease of 5.9% from last year.

"While customer demand remains high, our inventory levels are impacted by delayed availability of many of our 2019 models," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of MBUSA. "We are currently replenishing the inventory of our popular 2019 CLA-, GLC-, E- and GLS-Class this month."

Mercedes-Benz volume leaders in August included the GLC, C-Class and GLE model lines. The GLC took the lead at 4,926, followed closely by C-Class sales of 4,071. The GLE rounded out the top three with 3,622 units sold.

August sales of Mercedes-AMG high-performance totaled 2,032 units, with 19,360 vehicles sold year-to-date.

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) models recorded sales of 12,678 vehicles in August, an increase of 25.5% when compared to the same month last year (10,105). On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 85,295 vehicles, an increase of 8.0% over 2017 (78,952).

Mercedes-Benz Passenger Vehicles	Aug-18	Aug-17	Monthly %	YTD 2018	YTD 2017	Yearly %
B-CLASS*	1	58	-	133	456	-
CLA	1,631	1,972	-17.3%	14,771	12,658	16.7%
C-CLASS	4,071	5,304	-23.2%	37,570	52,755	-28.8%
E-CLASS/CLS	2,251	3,710	-39.3%	27,941	32,345	-13.6%
S-CLASS	595	567	4.9%	9,650	9,620	0.3%
SLC	73	178	-59.0%	1,381	1,993	-30.7%
SL	84	210	-60.0%	1,435	1,814	-20.9%
AMG GT	100	120	-16.7%	1,118	840	33.1%
GLA	1,315	1,994	-34.1%	14,799	14,577	1.5%
GLC	4,926	4,498	9.5%	44,515	28,227	57.7%
GLE	3,622	3,750	-3.4%	30,810	34,458	-10.6%
GLS	1,469	2,610	-43.7%	12,851	20,539	-37.4%
G-CLASS	201	402	-50.0%	2,241	2,960	-24.3%
TOTAL	20,339	25,373	-19.8%	199,215	213,242	-6.6%
Vans1	3,745	3,581	4.6%	23,575	22,139	6.5%
smart	108	229	-52.8%	861	2,394	-64.0%
MBUSA              Combined Total	Aug-18	Aug-17	Monthly %	YTD 2018	YTD 2017	Yearly %
GRAND TOTAL	24,192	29,183	-17.1%	223,651	237,775	-5.9%
*Discontinued model 1Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner Sprinter and Metris Vans are sold and marketed in the U.S. by Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler Vans USA, respectively.

[G. David Felt]

I can see the following from SMK:

This is to be expected as MB rolls out their vastly superior 2019 models of the best luxury product line on the planet.

[Robert Hall]

8 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I can see the following from SMK:

This is to be expected as MB rolls out their vastly superior 2019 models of the best luxury product line on the planet.

Well, they are waiting for the 2020 GLE and GLS redesigns, so...

[balthazar]

Wow- a second month-to-month circa 20% decline?

Maybe a lot of MB loyalists were simply on vacation in August. Like, the entire month.

Edited September 4, 2018 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

10 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Wow- a second month-to-month circa 20% decline?

Maybe a lot of MB loyalists were simply on vacation in August. Like, the entire month.

If these were European sales figures, that would make sense, as it seems August is always vacation month for Europeans. 

[G. David Felt]

17 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Wow- a second month-to-month circa 20% decline?

Maybe a lot of MB loyalists were simply on vacation in August. Like, the entire month.

Maybe they all left for a superior luxury product as BMW is killing it in sales compared to MB numbers. 

[smk4565]

This is another brutal month, especially with the bloodbath on passenger cars.  The new G-wagon isn't on sale, I get why that is down 50% plus they sell 400 a month which isn't a big deal.  

They blamed this on no inventory, and there is pent up demand and people waiting for the inventory to arrive.  So now they have set themselves up that they better have a huge month in September, because they can't use that excuse every month.

Keep in mind, Year to Date, Mercedes is the #1 selling luxury brand in the USA, but they better put in a strong close to the year when the 2019s hit.

[A Horse With No Name]

On 9/4/2018 at 6:51 PM, smk4565 said:

This is another brutal month, especially with the bloodbath on passenger cars.  The new G-wagon isn't on sale, I get why that is down 50% plus they sell 400 a month which isn't a big deal.  

They blamed this on no inventory, and there is pent up demand and people waiting for the inventory to arrive.  So now they have set themselves up that they better have a huge month in September, because they can't use that excuse every month.

Keep in mind, Year to Date, Mercedes is the #1 selling luxury brand in the USA, but they better put in a strong close to the year when the 2019s hit.

They have grown enormously over the last decade. We will see where this goes. Every Benz sold means a Lincoln sits on the lot....which makes me happy.

[balthazar]

The day I pull for benzo to succeed over Lincoln will be... never.