Mercedes-Benz becomes top luxury automaker in Q1 of 2016

Mercedes-Benz has for the first time in 10 years come out as the top luxury automaker globally. It outsold its German rival BMW. Mercedes sold 483, 487 units as compared to BMW who moved 478,743 units in the first quarter of 2016. Volkswagen-owned Audi sold 455, 750 units in the same period. 

Previously such large numbers were unheard of in this part of the market due to the limited number of body styles offered. However, this has changed thanks to a foray by the big German trio into various other models like hatchbacks, sport coupes and crossovers.

A significant chunk from the 483,487 units came from the Chinese market where the automaker saw a 36.4 per cent growth in the first quarter. It began local operations in 2014 with an LWB version of the C-Class sedan and sold 373,459 units in the first year.