Worldwide Sales Lift German Auto Giants

WASHINGTON DC September 7, 2007; The AIADA newsletter reported that luxury automakers BMW, Audi, and Mercedes had healthy sales increases for August on Friday, with demand from Asia and the U.S. driving the gains.

BMW AG, the industry's top luxury car company, said its global sales rose 13 percent last month from a year ago, with 99,755 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce automobiles sold.

According to CNN, the Munich-based automaker's August sales were led by demand from U.S. buyers, where it sold 30,638 cars, up 19.3 percent from August 2006. Rival Audi AG said it sold 66,400 cars worldwide in August, up 4.2 percent from the same month in 2006.

DaimlerChrysler AG, meanwhile, said its Mercedes Car Group saw sales increase 9 percent in August compared to last year, reaching a record 96,200 Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, and Smart brands sold.