Mercedes-Benz Edges BMW and Audi in April US Sales
Mercedes-Benz led the US luxury market in April 2018, narrowly outselling BMW and maintaining its year-to-date advantage, while Audi posted global gains driven by China and the US.
Mercedes-Benz topped its German luxury rivals in the US market for April 2018, recording 27,207 sales and edging ahead of BMW by just six units. The result keeps Mercedes ahead of BMW in cumulative US sales for the year to date, while Audi posted strong global gains with a 14.4 percent increase, driven by demand in China and the US.
Mercedes-Benz maintains US lead
According to Mercedes-Benz USA, the brand's April total of 27,207 passenger vehicles represented a 1 percent year-on-year increase. Including vans and smart, Mercedes-Benz USA's total reached 30,115 vehicles for the month. Volume was led by the GLC SUV, with 5,853 units, followed by the C-Class and GLE. High-performance AMG models contributed 2,707 sales in April.
BMW reported 27,213 US sales for April, a 4.2 percent increase, but this figure includes Mini. The BMW brand alone was slightly behind Mercedes-Benz, allowing Mercedes to retain its lead. Through the end of April, Mercedes-Benz was ahead of BMW by 8,364 units in the US market.
Audi surges globally, but trails in US
Audi delivered 125,200 vehicles globally in April, up 14.4 percent year on year, according to the company. The brand's gains were led by strong demand in China and the US. In the US, Audi reported a 2.1 percent sales increase, with the Q3 crossover leading its SUV line. Despite this, Audi remained behind Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the US luxury sales race for April.
- Audi global April sales: 125,200 (+14.4%)
- BMW global April sales: 121,476 (+7.4%)
Audi last outsold BMW globally in January 2011. The April result marked a rare monthly win over its Munich rival at the global level, though not in the US market. Audi's parent, Volkswagen, has stated a goal of doubling Audi deliveries to 2 million by 2020.
SUVs drive luxury market gains
SUVs remained the growth engine for all three German luxury brands in April. Mercedes-Benz's GLC and GLE, BMW's SAV line-up, and Audi's Q3 all posted notable increases. The shift towards crossovers and SUVs continues to shape the US luxury segment, with sedans accounting for a shrinking share of sales.
Other luxury brands saw more modest results. Jaguar Land Rover sold 8,467 vehicles in the US, Volvo reported 8,333, and Porsche 5,570. Among the top four, only Lexus posted a year-on-year decline, with April sales down 2.1 percent.
What the April results mean for the year ahead
Mercedes-Benz's narrow lead over BMW in April confirms the ongoing intensity of the US luxury sales contest. With both brands relying on SUV demand and product launches in the pipeline, the gap could shift in coming months. Audi's global momentum, particularly in China, signals its intent to challenge BMW and Mercedes-Benz for the worldwide luxury crown, but it remains behind in the US.
The results highlight the importance of SUVs to luxury brand strategies and suggest that the US premium market will remain closely contested through 2018.
