Mercedes-Benz widens global lead
The Daimler brand sold 1.14m cars in the six months through June, 14% more than a year earlier, on soaring demand for its revamped E-Class saloon and trendy sport utility vehicles. BMW, which is only beginning to expand its SUV offering and renew an aging lineup of saloons, lagged behind with a 5.2% gain to 1.04m vehicles.
Even though BMW says it is putting profit before volume, Mr Krueger has vowed to win back the luxury-car sales crown with the biggest product offensive in the company’s history. Last year, Mercedes overtook BMW for the first time in more than a decade with a fresh lineup and some all-new models, including the GLC coupe SUV, that have attracted younger buyers.
