BMW Surpasses Mercedes-Benz To Lead Luxury Car Sales In Q4 FY2026

BMW passed Mercedes-Benz as the automaker emerged as the top seller of luxury cars in Q4 FY2026 (January to March 2026). BMW surpassed its German rival by a small but notable margin, retailing 4,944 units in the last quarter, breaking Mercedes-Benz India’s streak, which it held on to for 13 years. In comparison, Mercedes sold 4,861 units during the same period, as per VAHAN data. While the difference may be modest, it stands as testament to BMW India’s growth in the luxury space over the last few years backed by an impressive lineup of offerings. That said, Mercedes-Benz still maintains the lead when it comes to wholesales for the financial year.

BMW India sold 2,040 units in January, 1,284 units in February, and 1,620 units in March 2026. Mercedes-Benz India retailed 1,923 units, 1,475 units, and 1,463 units respectively, during the same months in the last quarter. Following the top Germans was Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) with 1,470 units sold between January and March this year. The automaker held a sizeable gap over Volvo Auto India, which sold 438 units during the same period. Meanwhile, Porsche sold 147 units in the last three months.

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BMW has been working on adding its portfolio with more India-centric products. The BMW iX1 was the brand’s bestselling EV in the last quarter and the automaker retailed 1,047 electric vehicles between January and March, which accounted for about 21 per cent of its total sales. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz retailed 241 EVs during the same period. The iX1 Long Wheelbase brings more rear-seat legroom, a decent feature list, and a competitive price tag, all of which work in favour of the model. It has also helped give the Bavarian auto giant gain a significant advantage over the Mercedes-Benz EQA and Volvo EX40 in the same space.

With respect to internal combustion engine (ICE) models, the BMW 5 Series was the bestselling offering for the carmaker. Another India-centric offering, BMW introduced the long wheelbase guise of the 5 Series in the Indian market, bringing more legroom and enhanced comfort to the car. 

BMW’s number one position also mirrors its global sales where the automaker has already passed Mercedes-Benz and Audi as the biggest luxury carmaker. While volumes have dipped for all major luxury automakers, BMW sold over 21.69 lakh units in the 2025 calendar year, followed by Mercedes, which sold over 18 lakh units in the same period. Audi was the third-largest selling luxury carmaker in CY2025 with over 16.23 lakh units sold globally.