BMW surpasses Mercedes-Benz in sales for 1st time in decade

BMW 7 Series / Courtesy of BMW Korea

Mercedes-Benz Korea has yielded its top sales position to BMW Korea amid the falling popularity of its high-end S-Class sedans, data and industry officials said Sunday.

According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service, BMW Korea reported 5.99 trillion won ($4.2 billion) in sales last year, outpacing Mercedes-Benz Korea's 5.68 trillion won by a slight margin for the first time since 2014.

Mercedes-Benz's unseating is largely attributed to weakening sales of its S-Class luxury sedans. According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association, S-Class sales — excluding the Maybach and AMG variants — fell to 4,678 vehicles in 2024, marking a drop of more than 50 percent from the previous year.

This was in contrast to the strengthening sales of the BMW 7 Series, its counterpart with a sportier image than the S-Class. Sales of the 7 Series jumped some 22 percent to 4,259 vehicles during the same period.

The S-Class available for sale here was launched in February 2021, while BMW introduced its new version of the 7 Series in November 2022.

Mercedes-Benz' S-Class sedan / Korea Times file

BMW Korea also outnumbered Mercedes-Benz Korea in total sales last year.

While BMW sold more than 73,000 vehicles — a 4.7 percent drop from the previous year — Mercedes-Benz saw a sharper decline, with sales falling 13.4 percent to 66,000 vehicles.

The domestic car industry expects Mercedes-Benz Korea, seeking to regain the top sales spot, to launch a renewed S-Class as early as the first half of 2026.

“There stands a possibility for BMW Korea to relinquish the top sales position once the facelifted S-Class is launched, as customers with strong purchasing power still prefer the symbolic luxury sedans by Mercedes-Benz,” an industry official said.