Mercedes sales in the U.S. rose 9% last year to 324,528 units. However, that still wasn’t enough to beat BMW, which grew 2.5% to 371,346. The three-pointed star has a plan to close the gap of 46,818 cars and even more. The aim is not only to keep up with its arch-rival, but also to make significant progress by selling 400,000 cars in a single year.
How? By launching a comprehensive product offensive. Automotive News reports that Adam Chamberlain, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, laid out a major plan during a dealer meeting over the weekend. It is said to be the largest new model offensive since the company was founded in the USA in 1965.
The goal is to achieve annual sales of 400,000 by the end of the decade. Interestingly, Mercedes is aiming even higher than that figure suggests, as Chamberlain clarified that the target excludes fleet deliveries. That would make the growth even more impressive considering last year’s numbers included both retail and fleet sales.
How could Mercedes lose ground in the USA? A dealer said Automotive News that BMW and Lexus expanded their market share with cheaper models. In contrast, Mercedes has gravitated toward higher-priced vehicles that offer better profit margins but fewer sales.
The third-generation CLA ushers in a new wave of products that will include an electric GLC and updates to the larger GLE and GLS. AMG is preparing an elegant electric sedan for the end of 2026, followed a year later by an SUV. On the combustion engine side, there are additional V8 models as well as updates to existing six-cylinder in-line vehicles.
But achieving this goal will not be easy. Competitors are not standing still as Mercedes tries to regain market share. BMW continues to grow and Lexus is also on the rise. Toyota’s luxury brand finished last year ahead of Mercedes in second place with 345,669 sales, its best year in the U.S. since its founding in 1989.
It’s been a minute since Mercedes held the sales crown in the U.S. luxury segment. The last time was in 2018, but now the brand is confident that it can regain the top spot by 2030.
Source: Automotive News
