New CLA Helps Mercedes Boost Q3 Sales by 14 Percent to 395,400 units

Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler has released details on its third quarter performance, with the group reporting a 13 percent increase in passenger car and commercial vehicle sales worldwide to 594,900 units, while earnings before interest and taxes increased 16 percent to €2.23 billion (US$3.07 billion at today's exchange rates), up from €1.92 billion in Q3 2012.

Helped from an expanded range of compact cars after the addition of the CLA sports saloon, which unlike the A-Class hatch, is offered worldwide including the all-important North American market, the company's Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicle division saw its sales grow by 14 percent to 395,400 units in Q3 2013. Third-quarter revenue for the auto brand grew by 8 percent to €16.5 billion.

"The development of earnings primarily reflects the ongoing growth in unit sales, especially in China, the United States and Western Europe. A major contribution came from the expanded range of compact cars," said Mercedes in a statement.

The German company said that aside from its compact range that includes the A-Class hatch, B-Class MPV and CLA sedan, the revised E-Class coupes and convertibles also provided added sales impetus since June, with Mercedes anticipating "significant growth" in the luxury segment for the next quarter, primarily due to the launch of the new S-Class in major markets such as China and the United States.

PHOTO GALLERY

Scoop: Upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLA Compact Crossover Filmed on the Road

Two weeks ago, we brought you spy pictures of the newest and smallest member of Mercedes-Benz's growing family of SUV and crossover models, tipped to be called the GLA.
Now, French car magazine L'Automobile brings us more details of the GLA in the shape of new spy footage nabbing a prototype wearing varying levels of disguise while testing in Spain.

European Car of the Year Short List with the 8 Finalists Revealed, Think You Can Pick the Winner?

After announcing the 34 nominees (38 if you include re-badged models like the Seat Toledo and Subaru BRZ) in late September, the organizing committee of the European edition of the Car of the Year award has now released the short list with the 8 finalists.
Normally, the short list includes 7 models, but due to the fact that two cars tied in the same position during the voting process, the committee increased the number of finalists to eight, just as it did in the 2007 edition of the award.

Mercedes-Benz Officially Confirms A-Class-Based Compact SUV

The Audi Q3 and BMW X1 will soon have a rival from Stuttgart in the premium compact crossover segment as Mercedes-Benz officially confirmed the development of an A-Class-based SUV.
Daimler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche made the announcement during a conference at Mercedes' Rastatt plant in Germany on the start of production of the revamped A-Class hatchback.
"This start of production marks a further milestone in our Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy. The A-Class represents our offensive in the compact segment," said Zetsche. "And there is more to come: The compact SUV will be the third model we will build here in Rastatt."

2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Five-Door Hatchback Filmed Totally Undisguised!

A bicyclist –no, we didn't make a mistake- captured footage of the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback while riding with his team from El Golfo to Playa Blanca on the Spanish island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.
It seems that the German premium carmaker was at the island to shoot video and pictures of the luxury compact model for its press material.
The A-Class seen here is the five-door hatchback model, which will be the first body style to be launched onto the market. Mercedes has already confirmed that the 5-door version will make its world premiere at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show in early March. A sportier looking three-door model will follow, possibly withing the next year.