The German duel in the American market in the first quarter of 2026 ended in favor of Munich. While the entire US automotive market struggles with a general cooling of demand, BMW confidently maintains a distance from its main competitor from Stuttgart. The numbers speak for themselves: the Bavarians sold 84,231 cars, while Mercedes-Benz stopped at 78,500 units.
Sales mathematics
At first glance, the difference of 5,731 cars doesn't seem that significant, but when you delve into the details, the gap becomes more serious. The thing is that Mercedes' statistics include 8,500 vans. If we compare only passenger cars and SUVs, then BMW Group USA's advantage increases to 14,231 units. However, both brands felt the market dynamics: BMW's sales decreased by 3.9% compared to the same period last year, and Mercedes lost about 3%.
SUVs — the lifeline
The secret of BMW's success in the USA now rests on three letters — SUV. Sales of such vehicles jumped by 9.5%, reaching 48,173 units. This helped offset the painful decline in the sedan segment, where sales plummeted by 17.3%. Americans are definitively turning away from low cars, and the X3 and X5 models hit this demand perfectly. In particular, the new X3 (G45) showed an incredible jump of 58.1%, selling out to the tune of 17,767 pieces.
The situation in Mercedes-Benz USA is similar but even more radical. The trio of models — GLC, GLE, and GLS — accounts for 61% of all passenger unit sales. That's about 42,700 cars. Such dependency on a limited number of models makes the brand vulnerable if stagnation starts in this segment. Meanwhile, Stuttgart is showing success in the «heavy luxury» segment: G-Class sales increased by 16%, and the SL roadster added 47%.
Electric setback and expectations of Neue Klasse
The biggest surprise of the quarter was the sharp decline in interest in BMW's electric vehicles. Sales of electrified models (BEV and PHEV) halved to 9,856 units. Experts link this to expectations of the Neue Klasse series and the new iX3, which is due to appear by the end of the year.
Interestingly, against the backdrop of an overall decline in sedan sales, some BMW models are still swimming against the tide. In particular, the 3 Series added 10.2%, and sales of the 8 Series, despite rumors of production cessation, grew by 18.2%. For the discerning, BMW even released a farewell version of the M850i Edition M Heritage at a price of about $131,575, which also fueled interest in the series.
