Q3 sales up at Mercedes but still below 2021 level

Third quarter sales are up at Mercedes but still lag behind below 2021 levels, the German carmaker said on Tuesday, reported dpa.

Despite semiconductor bottlenecks and restricted supply chains, deliveries from July to September increased by 21% compared to the same period last year, the Stuttgart-based company said.

With sales totalling almost 518,000 cars, the third quarter was the strongest sales quarter of the current year.

The strong sales performance comes amidst a backdrop of continued robust demand, even if uncertainties in the energy supply in Europe and ongoing pandemic challenges in Asia have impacted buyers' moods.

Mercedes said that longer certification processes for the S-Class in the United States and an upcoming model change for AMG C-Class were also noticeable in the luxury segment.

While Mercedes recorded rising sales figures in all other classes, the "Top-End Luxury" class saw slightly fewer cars delivered than in the third quarter of last year.

In relation to the year as a whole, however, Mercedes Benz passenger cars are still 6% below the previous year's figures with 1.52 million cars delivered to date.

While sales fell in almost all regions of the world, the home market of Germany grew by 2%. Sales to China fell by 5% - but were 37% higher in the third quarter of 2022 than in the same quarter last year.