BMW, Mercedes Shorten Holiday Breaks on Luxury Demand

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, the world’s two largest makers of luxury autos, will shorten Christmas breaks at their factories because of surging demand for new models.

BMW’s German plants in Dingolfing and Leipzig, where the recently overhauled 5-Series and the X1 introduced last year are churned out, will stay open over the holidays after halting for about three weeks in 2009. Daimler’s Hamburg factory, which supplies parts to vehicles including the Mercedes E- and S-Class sedans, will also remain in operation through the holidays.