This Was The Bestselling Mercedes-benz In The Brand's History

You mightiness deliberation that Mercedes-Benz, arsenic a luxury automaker, was much focused connected value than quantity. But moreover that institution knows that you person to support moving nan metallic if you want to enactment successful business. And Mercedes-Benz does so waste plentifulness of vehicles. Last year, for example, nan automaker rang up astir 2.4 cardinal income globally — pinch immoderate 374,000 of them coming successful nan United States. (That's moreover though nan institution is practically begging group to bargain its EVs.)

The USA's No. 1 was nan Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV, which earned 67,928 sales, and it was followed intimately by nan GLC, different sport-utility, pinch 64,163. The top-selling car was nan Mercedes-Benz C-Class that delivered 35,590 caller units successful 2024. Of course, that's a comparatively caller development. In nan years earlier nan SUV inclination took off, nan C-Class was considered acold and distant nan bestselling Mercedes-Benz. More than 9 cardinal person been sold since its introduction. No different Mercedes-Benz nameplate has delivered much vehicles.

On nan different hand, nan C-Class has gone done aggregate redesigns since it first launched, meaning today's models don't needfully stock overmuch pinch nan originals: The existent version is astatine nan extremity of its 5th generation. The bestselling individual Mercedes-Benz, sold nether nan brand's older naming convention, was nan W123 family that was successful accumulation connected fundamentally nan aforesaid level from astir 1976 to 1985.

W123 was really Mercedes-Benz's internal sanction for nan car's chassis, and abstracted variations utilized an alphanumeric codification to bespeak motor size, assemblage style, and motor type. For instance, nan Mercedes-Benz 280 TE had a 2.8-liter engine, a Touring assemblage style — what we telephone a wagon — and an "E" to bespeak nan physics substance injection for its gasoline engine. 

All were comparatively small, pinch nan sedan being an inch longer than today's compact Honda Civic. Yet Mercedes-Benz was still capable to fresh them pinch galore of nan era's apical luxury cues, specified arsenic a sunroof, leather seating, cruise control, and existent wood trim. The price? A guidelines exemplary 1976 Mercedes-Benz 230 sedan came successful a spot nether $11,000 — astir $64,000 erstwhile adjusted for inflation.

All told, location were immoderate 30 different configurations disposable during its 10 years connected sale. The agelong accumulation run, coupled pinch each those variants and an iconic creation from Bruno Sacco, helped Mercedes-Benz waste astir 2.7 cardinal models riding connected nan W123 chassis. Of course, it didn't wounded that nan cars soon earned a estimation for unthinkable durability. In fact, 1 car, a 240D utilized arsenic a taxi successful Spain, has logged an astounding 4.35 cardinal miles.

As mentioned, nan bestselling Mercedes-Benz SUV now handily outsells nan brand's bestselling car, and that's really been nan lawsuit for a while. The past clip nan C-Class led nan automaker for yearly U.S. income was successful 2017, erstwhile Mercedes-Benz delivered 77,447 examples of its compact contender. The Mercedes-Benz GLE topped nan brand's SUV leaderboard that twelvemonth pinch 54,595 sales.

In 2018, nan GLE took a lead complete nan C-Class it hasn't relinquished, and it's notched astir 530,000 income since its motorboat successful 2015. It makes sense, too, erstwhile you cheque retired nan GLE's awesome scope of features and stout performance. This midsize SUV comes modular pinch niceties for illustration a powerfulness sunroof, heated beforehand seats, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and a high-tech Mercedes-Benz User Experience infotainment strategy pinch dual 12.3-inch screens.

At nan fastest extremity of nan spectrum sits nan potent AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ SUV. Packing a hand-crafted 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8, nan GLE 63 S jumps disconnected nan statement pinch 603 horsepower to rocket to 60 successful a brisk 3.7 seconds. Yet it besides lives up to its SUV positioning pinch capable powerfulness to tow 7,700 pounds. Nor is that nan only GLE version helping raise nan income total. As portion of its 2024 upgrade, the GLE sewage new tech for illustration a plug-in hybrid version.