BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz reported another drop in sales in its core car business in the first quarter of 2026 as the German premium carmaker lost further ground in the tough Chinese market amid an overhaul of its lineup there. Quarterly sales fell 6% to 419,400 vehicles from the same quarter a year […]
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Mercedes reports drop in Q1 sales during ‘transition year’ for China market
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BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz reported another drop in sales in its core car business in the first quarter of 2026 as the German premium carmaker lost further ground in the tough Chinese market amid an overhaul of its lineup there.
Quarterly sales fell 6% to 419,400 vehicles from the same quarter a year ago, it said in a statement on Thursday.
While sales volumes grew by 7% in Europe and 20% in the United States, this was not enough to offset a 27% plunge in China.
Mercedes and its rival BMW face a cut-throat price war with local brands in China, the world’s biggest auto market.
Mercedes said 2026 would be a “transition year” for the brand in China, with the decline partly driven by the phase-out of models in its entry segment ahead of the launch of new models.
(Reporting by Rachel More and Amir Orusov)