BMW throws down gauntlet to Mercedes in car sales spat
BMW has stopped giving detailed breakdowns of its car sales, throwing a spanner in the works for data seen as a crucial gauge of the economy
BMW SA has laid down a challenge to fellow German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz SA by refusing to release any more detailed sales figures. Mercedes has angered other motor companies since late 2014 by withholding the full extent of its sales. While other companies publish individual numbers for each model, Mercedes offers only two numbers: composite sales for cars and for commercial vehicles. So while it sees what everyone else is selling, and to whom, its own performance is kept secret. Now BMW SA has followed suit, offering a single figure for all its local sales. It says it will return to full transparency when Mercedes does. Mercedes, however, says it has no intention of changing its mind. Pressure is mounting on the Department of Trade and Industry, which oversees the motor industry and publishes monthly sales figures, to intervene. A dip, but strong start intact February new-vehicle sales figures, released Wednesday by the DTI, show a 0.1% fall from the corresponding month of...
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