Luxury Revival Prompts BMW, Mercedes to Add Shifts

Mercedes-Benz, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Audi AG are adding staff and cutting summer factory breaks to boost production as demand for luxury cars returns quicker than they had planned.

Daimler AG, the parent of Mercedes, has hired 1,800 temporary workers and added Saturday shifts at German assembly plants making the SLS gull-wing sports car, GLK sport-utility vehicle and E-Class convertible, spokeswoman Dominique Albrecht said. BMW has hired 5,000 temporary workers, while Volkswagen AG’s Audi is adding extra shifts, the automakers said.