Mercedes-Benz finally topples BMW

Mercedes-Benz has toppled arch-rival BMW from the top of global luxury sale charts for the first time since 2005, selling more than two million cars for the first time.

Driven by more than 700,000 SUV sales, another 425,000 for its most popular model, the C-Class family, and almost 100,000 AMGs, Benz is claiming 2,038,888 sales in calendar year 2016.

It is the sixth consecutive year it has increased sales and the first time it has outsold BMW to be the world's number one luxury brand in 11 years.

BMW sales for last year are yet to be announced and nor have 2016 sales figures been released by Audi, which was running a close third in the three-cornered German fight for the top of the global luxury car sales race.

Both brands were also track to record sales growth in 2016, just not as dramatic as Benz, which climbed a massive 11.3 per cent.

“With new cars with pioneering design that inspire our customers and with particularly strong growth, above all in China and Europe, we have climbed to the top of the premium segment. And we are accelerating further – with new technologies, products and services,” Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars said in a press release.

Benz set itself the target of returning to the top of the premium segment back in 2012 and has achieved the goal four years ahead of schedule. Back then it trailed not only BMW but Audi in the sales charts and Zetsche’s now rock-solid positon atop the company looked precarious.

It has built the sales growth on an explosion of new models, notably the MFA front/all-wheel drive small car family and a dramatic expansion of its SUV line-up.

The year ended on a high with the best-ever unit sales in a December (190,269), the 46th consecutive record month and with the best quarter of all time (547,967).

Europe was Benz’s best sales region with nearly 900,000 vehicles leaving showrooms and it was number one luxury brand in Germany.

But China was its biggest individual market, growing faster than any other at 26.6 per cent to 472,844 sales.

That’s a dramatic turnaround for Benz, which was in serious sales strife in China just a few years ago.

Australia did its part with Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific selling a record 41,226 vehicles to grow by 13.3 per cent (Benz claimed 14.8 per cent in its release) and finish 11th overall in the market. It also took particular joy from selling 5286 AMGs, which meant it clearly topped Porsche’s Australian sales tally.

Globally, AMG grew by an incredible 44.1 per cent to deliver 99,235 cars, tripling sales over the last three years. Much of that growth has come from the compact ‘45’ models and the intermediate ‘43’ six-cylinder range.