√Mercedes-Benz extends lead in luxury-car sales race

Mercedes-Benz was one of the few companies to post sales gains in the Australian new-car market last month, despite a switch to non-negotiable fixed prices at the start of the year.

German car giant Mercedes-Benz has posted an unlikely sales gain in a market that hit reverse last month.

Official new-car sales data for April 2022 shows Mercedes-Benz outsold rivals Audi and BMW in April, and extended its year-to-date lead.

After a stalled start to the year following the introduction of a new non-negotiable fixed-price business model – which is at the centre of a Federal Court case being brought against the German car giant by a group of aggrieved dealers – Mercedes-Benz has notched up its third win in four months versus its main competitors.

April was a particularly tough month for Audi (down 19.1 per cent) and BMW (down by 22.8 per cent) as both companies struggled with stock shortages.

By comparison, Mercedes-Benz sales increased in April 2022 versus the same month the prior year – up 7.3 per cent in a market that was down by 12.2 per cent.

As is the case across the entire automotive industry, the luxury-car sector is also grappling with severe production slowdowns and shipping bottlenecks.

Other luxury brands to post big gains in April 2022 amid the latest downturn: Aston Martin (up 22 per cent), Bentley (up 22 per cent), both of which have enjoyed sales surge due to the arrival of new or updated SUVs.

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