Mercedes sales rose 2% in the first nine months of 2023, although third-quarter sales fell 4% to 510,600 units due to a difficult market environment.
The generation change in the E-Class and the lack of components for the production of Mercedes GLC are the main reasons for the drop in sales in the third quarter of 2023. 510,600 units were sold in the third quarter of 2023, which represents a 4% drop compared to the same quarter of 2022. Despite this, sales for the first nine months reached a slight increase of 2% to 1,529,800 units.
Sales of electric models increased by 66% to 61,600 units, mainly due to increased demand for the EQA (+108%) and EQB (+96%) compact electric SUVs. Also, after a more hesitant start, sales of the EQS and EQS SUV luxury electric models recorded a spectacular 53% increase to 26,300 units. Including PHEV versions, sales of Mercedes electric and PHEV models rose 19% to 98,400 units.
Top-End
Sales of Top-End models reached 246,600 units in the first nine months despite an 11% decline to 69,900 units in the third quarter. The negative result is due to the drop in sales of the Mercedes-AMG division caused by the change of generation of the AMG GLC. Although the Mercedes G-Class is ahead of a facelift planned for 2024, sales were up 11% in the third quarter of 2023.
Mercedes-Maybach sales rose 26% in the third quarter to 6,600 units. Sales of luxury SUVs also continued to grow: the GLS SUV was up 3% to 13,300 units, and the EQS SUV was up 162% to 3,700 units. The world’s best-selling luxury limousine, the Mercedes S-Class, sold 16,900 units in the third quarter, which is a good result. However, the figure is 9% lower than in the similar quarter of 2022.
Core
Sales in the Core segment reached 290,300 units (-1%), with the best-selling models being the C-Class with 82,000 units (+6%) and the GLC with 81,500 units (-17%). The decline in GLC sales was due to a lack of components, and Mercedes could not produce enough units.
Sales of the E-Class increased by 3% to 75,200 units ahead of the generation change, which takes place this autumn.
Entry
Sales of compact models fell 5% to 150,500 units. The drop is due to problems with the delivery of parts for the GLA (26,800 units, -15%) and GLB (36,300 units, -9%).
Sales by region
Europe
Sales increased in the third quarter by 12% to 164,200 units and reached 485,200 units (+8%) in the first nine months of 2023. The best-selling model in the third quarter was the Mercedes GLC, with 25,300 units (+104%). By country, sales increased by 11% in Germany to 53,800 units and by 23% in the UK to 23,100 units.
Asia
Sales in Asia were at 2022 levels in the first nine months of 2022 at 736,300 units. Sales in China were down 12%, although the G-Class and Mercedes-Maybach set new records with sales growth of 35% and 30%, respectively.
In contrast, sales in South Korea (+16%), India (+9%), and Japan (+3%) increased.
North America
Sales in the Americas fell 3% to 248,800 units in the first nine months of 2023 due to a massive 13% decline in the third quarter of 2023. Sales of electric cars rose dramatically in the US in the third quarter to 10,000 units (+137%), reaching 33,800 units (+315%) in the first nine months of 2023. The growth of US electric car sales is mainly due to the EQE SUV and EQS SUV.
| Q3 2023 | Q3 2022 | Change in % | YTD 2023 | YTD | Change in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ||||||
| Mercedes-Benz Cars | 510,600 | 530,400 | -4% | 1,529,800 | 1,504,500 | 2% |
| - thereof Mercedes-Benz BEVs | 61,600 | 37,100 | 66% | 174,500 | 95,700 | 82% |
| - thereof Mercedes-Benz P.C. BEVs | 57,700 | 35,200 | 64% | 160,300 | 81,600 | 97% |
| - thereof smart BEVs | 3,900 | 1,900 | 107% | 14,200 | 14,100 | 0% |
| Mercedes-Benz Cars sales by segments* | ||||||
| Top-End | 69,900 | 78,800 | -11% | 246,500 | 232,400 | 6% |
| Core | 290,200 | 293,300 | -1% | 815,300 | 846,100 | -4% |
| Entry | 150,500 | 158,300 | -5% | 468,000 | 426,100 | 10% |
| Mercedes-Benz Cars sales by regions and markets | ||||||
| Europe** | 164,200 | 146,100 | 12% | 485,200 | 447,400 | 8% |
| - thereof Germany | 53,800 | 48,400 | 11% | 172,900 | 146,000 | 18% |
| Asia | 249,400 | 277,300 | -10% | 736,300 | 734,200 | 0% |
| - thereof China | 196,000 | 222,600 | -12% | 570,600 | 573,300 | 0% |
| North America*** | 74,900 | 86,200 | -13% | 248,800 | 256,700 | -3% |
| - thereof U.S. | 64,000 | 74,900 | -15% | 216,700 | 222,900 | -3% |
| Rest of World | 22,000 | 20,700 | 6% | 59,500 | 66,300 | -10% |
* Top-End: Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach, G-Class, S-Class, GLS, EQS and EQS SUV
* Core: All derivatives from C- and E-Class, incl. EQC, EQE and EQE SUV
* Entry: All derivatives from A- and B-Class incl. EQA, EQB and smart
** Europe: European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway
*** North America: USA, Canada and Mexico
