The three‑quarter slump hit the German giants hard, with deliveries falling across the board. While the headline echoes the 14.3% decline, the deeper story lies in how each region bucked the trend.
In China, the biggest market, the fall was steep—delivery numbers dropped 38.5% in the quarter and the first nine months saw a 30.2% slide. The slump mirrors a broader downturn that has hit manufacturers across the industry.
North America and Western Europe also saw declines, 5.8% and 2.8% respectively, while Central and Eastern Europe bucked the trend with a modest 1.4% increase.
On the electrified side, global battery‑electric vehicle deliveries slid roughly 5% even as Europe recorded a near‑20% jump, a clear sign that domestic Chinese makers are tightening the screws on foreign EVs.
Porsche and Mercedes‑Benz, fresh from their own weak quarterly numbers, underscore the mounting pressure on German automakers in China’s fiercely competitive landscape.
For buyers, the message is simple: German cars may soon face tighter price points or altered product mixes as manufacturers adjust to a shifting market that favors local EV players.