VW Loses More Ground to Mercedes as Scandal Adds to Japan Woes

  • Registrations for VW brand fell 9.1% in Japan last month
  • Mercedes poised to end VW's 15-year reign as top import brand

How Volkswagen Can Start to Regain Consumer’s Trust

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Volkswagen AG’s namesake brand sales fell further behind Mercedes-Benz in Japan last month, as its emissions scandal risks putting out of reach the carmaker’s chances to remain the nation’s top auto import brand.

Registrations of Volkswagen-brand cars fell 9.1 percent to 5,989 units last month, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association. Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz widened its sales lead to 5,473 vehicles this year through September, with the luxury brand poised to beat its mainstream German competitor for the first time in 16 years.