Daimler's Mercedes-Benz has record August sales

[September 05, 2012]  FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- Mercedes-Benz is reporting record sales of its luxury cars and SUVs in August even though sales slipped in its home market of Germany.

The flagship division of automaker Daimler AG on Wednesday reported it sold 91,316 vehicles worldwide. That's an increase of 4.5 percent over the same month a year ago, and the most ever.

Mercedes had a big month in the United States, where sales rose 11.3 percent from a year ago.

But it saw sales dip 1.2 percent in Germany due to model changeovers. A new version of the high-volume A-class compact is coming this month.

Sales growth was more subdued in the key China market, rising 2.8 percent, and in Western Europe, which has suffered from a government debt crisis. European sales rose 1.2 percent.

[Associated Press]

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