Audi and Mercedes-Benz both outsold BMW in January, despite an impressive sales month for the world’s best-selling luxury car brand.
Audi, the second-biggest luxury brand globally last year, took the top spot for the first time since June 2014 as January sales rose 10 percent to 137,700 vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz delivered 125,865 cars, a 14 percent jump as it outsold BMW for the first time since September 2010. BMW reported worldwide a sale increase of 6.3 percent to 124,561 cars.
BMW, the biggest maker of luxury cars since 2005, has just launched several new and refreshed models, like the BMW X6, X5 M and X6 M, and the second front-wheel drive van, the 2 Series Gran Tourer.
Mercedes is rolling out the new GLE coupe crossover this year to challenge the BMW X6.
Both Mercedes and Audi have vowed to take the luxury sales crown by 2020.
Last year Audi was No. 2 and Mercedes No. 3. To underpin its effort, Audi plans to spend 24 billion euros ($27 billion) on new models and expanding production in the next five years.
