For the first time in over a decade, BMW has recorded higher quarterly sales than Mercedes-Benz in the Indian luxury car market, clocking 4,944 units in Q4 FY2026 (January 2026-March 2026). However, for the full FY2026 timeframe, Mercedes-Benz held onto its leadership position.
- BMW sold 82 units more than Mercedes-Benz did in the last quarter
- iX1 LWB and 5 Series LWB were key growth drivers for BMW
- Mercedes-Benz outsold BMW by 859 units in FY2026
BMW takes pole position on sales chart in the first three months of 2026
BMW vs Mercedes-Benz sales in Q4 FY2026 | ||||
| January 2026 | February 2026 | March 2026 | Total | |
| BMW | 2,040 | 1,284 | 1,620 | 4,944 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 1,924 | 1,475 | 1,463 | 4,862 |
BMW India sold 4,944 units across the ICE and EV segments in Q4 FY2026, pulling an 82-unit lead over Mercedes-Benz, which sold 4,862 units during the same period. This impressive performance was a result of strong demand for the iX1 LWB EV and the 5 Series LWB luxury sedan, particularly the former.
iX1 LWB turned out to be a major success for BMW
In fact, the iX1 LWB has been a key volume driver for BMW’s EV sales, too, accounting for around 3,200 of the 3,537 units the carmaker sold in FY2026. BMW, which was the top luxury EV seller in the fiscal year, sold 1,047 units in Q4 alone – over four times as many EVs as Mercedes-Benz (241).
A big reason behind the iX1 LWB’s success is its Rs 51.4 lakh price tag – achieved by way of local assembly – making the electric SUV a compelling option for first-time luxury car buyers. Thanks to the iX1 LWB, X1 and 2 Series serving as BMW’s entry-level models, the German carmaker’s average price point works out to under Rs 70 lakh.
Top-end models are a bigger focus at Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, operates at an average price point of around Rs 1 crore and places a special emphasis on top-end models, such as the S-Class, GLS and G-Class, as well as the Maybach, EQS and AMG line-ups. Top-end models account for 25 percent of Mercedes-Benz India’s total sales. Even in the EV space, Mercedes-Benz’s model mix skews towards higher prices, with about 20 percent of sales coming from the EQS SUV, which starts at Rs 1.34 crore.
On the entry-level side, Mercedes-Benz India will launch the CLA Electric in late April. Estimated to be priced in the range of Rs 55 lakh to Rs 60 lakh, the CLA Electric is set to replace the A-Class Limousine, EQA and EQB.
FY2026 luxury car sales chart
FY2026 luxury car sales* | |||||
| FY26 sales | FY25 sales | YoY change | FY26 market share | FY25 market share | |
| Mercedes-Benz | 18,160 | 17,713 | 2.53 percent | 0.39 percent | 0.43 percent |
| BMW | 17,301 | 15,114 | 14.47 percent | 0.37 percent | 0.36 percent |
| Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) | 5,698 | 5,350 | 6.5 percent | 0.12 percent | 0.13 percent |
| Volvo | 1,647 | 1,665 | -1.1 percent | – | 0.04 percent |
| Porsche | 697 | – | – | – | – |
| Audi | 248 | 412 | -39.8 percent | 0.01 percent | 0.01 percent |
*Sourced from Federation of Automotive Dealers Association (FADA)
Mercedes-Benz India sales in FY2026: 18,160 units
Quarterly performance aside, Mercedes-Benz retained its years-long top spot on the luxury car sales rankings in FY2026. It sold 18,160 units, outperforming BMW’s FY2026 sales numbers by 859 units. However, Mercedes-Benz’s market share dropped from 0.43 percent in FY2025 to 0.39 percent in FY2026.
BMW India sales in FY2026: 17,301 units
BMW recorded the highest year-on-year (YoY) increase in sales among all luxury carmakers in FY2026, and it even grew its market share slightly. This strong performance can be partly attributed to EV numbers, which jumped 124 percent YoY and bumped the brand’s luxury EV market share from 47 percent in FY2025 to well over 65 percent.
JLR India sales in FY2026: 5,698 units
Even though Land Rover is largely carrying JLR at the moment – Jaguar has only the F-Pace on sale in India – the brand managed to outperform its FY2025 sales numbers by a respectable 6.5 percent in FY2026. But JLR’s market share dipped in FY2026, though by a very slight amount. With Jaguar unlikely to add the upcoming Type 00 EV to its India portfolio in 2026, Land Rover is expected to carry JLR throughout most of FY2027, too. However, it should be interesting to see how the India-UK FTA impacts Land Rover sales this year.
Volvo India sales in FY2026: 1,647 units
Volvo’s sales slipped 1.1 percent in FY2026. The Swedish carmaker launched the facelifted XC90 and XC60, as well as the EX30 electric SUV, here in 2025. Out of the 1,647 Volvo cars sold in India during the fiscal year, EVs accounted for 382 units – down 5 percent YoY.
Porsche India sales in FY2026: 697 units
Porsche sold just shy of 700 units in FY2026, but YoY changes are difficult to pinpoint as the German marque did not disclose India-specific sales numbers for FY2025. Nevertheless, Porsche’s FY2026 EV sales were up 2 percent, and they accounted for 8 percent of the carmaker’s total volumes.
Audi India sales in FY2026: 248 units
Taking the FADA numbers into account, Audi’s sales dropped nearly 40 percent in FY2026. With 17 EVs sold in FY2026, Audi clocked just two more units than Rolls-Royce, which is surprising considering the vast chasm between their average price points.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.
