Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz posted a 25 percent gain in U.S. sales in October after selling nearly 5,000 of its latest luxury vehicle, Bloomberg reported.
Sales of the $29,000 CLA coupe in the car's first month of availability enabled Mercedes to double its luxury vehicle sales lead on BMW.
"We're a bit surprised at how successful the CLA has been right out of the gate, but it's had a positive reception from a lot of consumers, the price is very, very attractive and it's a great-looking car," Alec Gutierrez, an auto analyst at Kelley Blue Book in Irvine, Calif., told Bloomberg.
Total sales for Mercedes rose 23 percent from a year earlier as the German automaker reported more than 30,000 vehicles sold. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's BMW brand saw a 4.2 increase in sales with more than 27,500 vehicles sold compared with a year earlier. Mercedes is still looking to catch up to BMW's lead in annual auto sales, reporting 240,139 in sales to BMW's 245,125.
Daimler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche said in July that the company will likely come up short again in 2013, according to Bloomberg. BMW's sales were boosted by a 19 percent increase for its 5 Series sedans and the X1 compact sport-utility vehicle, which saw a 60 percent jump, according to a company statement.
The numbers don't figure in sales for the companies' non-luxury vehicles, Daimler's cargo vans and Smart cars and BMW's Mini brand.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus reported a 14 percent increase in October. The vehicle remained the top-selling luxury-auto brand in the U.S. for 11 years through 2010. For U.S. automakers, General Motors Co.'s Cadillac saw a 9.5 percent sales increase to 14,792, boosted by demand for the brand's new ATS and XTS sedans.
Ford Motor Co.'s Lincoln brand rose 38 percent to 7,131 in October as sales for the redesigned MKZ sedan jumped 80 percent, the Michigan-based automaker said in a statement.
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