Mercedes-Benz suffered a sharp drop in sales last month as problems in its three biggest markets took their toll and investors warned of a cyclical downturn.
The world’s best-selling luxury car brand said it had delivered 180,539 vehicles in January, a 6.7 per cent decline reflecting problems in Asia, the EU and the US as carmakers struggle with trade hostility, new emissions standards and a shift to electrify their fleets.
Deliveries in Europe fell 11.2 per cent to 57,963 vehicles, with an 11.9 per cent drop in the company’s home market of Germany. US deliveries were down 11.1 per cent to 22,507, while in Asia they edged 1.3 per cent lower to 93,234.