Mercedes Takes Early Lead in U.S. Luxury Race With January Gain

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz U.S. sales surged 11 percent in January, getting an early jump in its effort to top Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s BMW in luxury-auto deliveries for the year.

Mercedes said it sold 22,501 vehicles last month, its best January, helped the C-Class sedan’s 11 percent climb to 7,214. Brand sales for BMW increased 0.7 percent to 16,513 units, boosted by a 56 percent gain for its X5 sport-utility vehicle. Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus rose 32 percent to 16,211, led by the ES sedan, which more than doubled to 5,186 deliveries.