BMW sales rose 39 percent in December, helped by the current 5-series line-up. It was enough to top Mercedes-Benz in U.S. luxury-brand sales for the second consecutive year.
Sales for BMW increased to 37,399 vehicles last month, boosted by a 72 percent gain for its mid-sized 5 series. Mercedes reported a 9.5 percent increase from a year earlier to 28,145, helped by sales of the E-class sedan, which rose 32 percent to 6,984. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus rose 21 percent to 30,607.
BMW finished 2012 with 281,460 vehicles sold, topping Mercedes-Benz by 7,326. It is the second year in a row for the bavarian manufacturer.
The two German automakers were vying to be the top luxury-auto brand in the United States after outselling Lexus last year. Lexus was the nation’s top-selling luxury brand for 11 years until natural disasters in Asia curtailed vehicle production in 2011.
Source: BMW
