BERLIN (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz ( OTC: ) reported a slight drop in car sales in the third quarter as weaker demand, particularly in Asia, outweighed improved product availability, the automaker said on Thursday.
The company sold 503,600 cars, down 1% compared to the same quarter last year. Of these, 42,500 were battery electric vehicles, representing a 31% year-on-year decline.
In China, sales fell 13 percent to 170,700 vehicles as lower demand, particularly for luxury goods, and continued price cuts weighed on sales, according to Mercedes-Benz.
The product line-up in China will be enhanced this year with further updates to Intelligent Drive in the mainstream segment, he added.