US drivers want to treat themselves, and that's good news for one Alabama ... - AL.com
sales are climbing for luxury SUVs, a promising trend for Alabama's Mercedes-Benz auto plant. "There are people who have spent a long time waiting to buy a new car, and when they finally do, they feel like it's time to treat themselves," Brauer said. So far this year, sales of luxury SUVs are up across the board, by 35 percent for compact models, 5 percent for midsize and 12 percent for full-size versions, Kelley Blue Book data shows. And while luxury cars aren't enjoying the same popularity, the growth in SUVs is translating into respectable gains for the brands' overall sales. For example, Mercedes' year-to-date sales have grown 8 percent over last year, BMW's are up 6 percent and Lexus has increased 13 percent. The GLE SUV, formerly known as the M-Class, got a makeover for 2016, and the GLE Coupe is an entirely new coupe-style SUV the plant began building last spring. They've got the right cars for the right time," Brauer said. Starting prices for the various versions of the models, announced last week by Mercedes, range from about $53,000 to $108,000 for the GLE and from $66,000 to $110,000 for the GLE Coupe. Source: www.al.com
