Mercedes Falls Short of Toppling Lexus by 4,322 Units

In the luxury market, a fixture of the past decade has no doubt been Lexus. Since 2000, Lexus luxury has ruled the sales charts, capturing the title of the best-selling luxury brand in the United States for years in a row.

In 2009, it was projected that BMW would overtake the brand, as it was on track to best its sales figures. This year, Mercedes-Benz overtook Lexus sales at one point.

However, like last year Lexus rebounded in the fourth-quarter to eke out a win. With a large lead that has steadily been chipped away, trends aren't boding too well for Lexus. Let's see how the numbers shake out.

Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz are in striking distance of Lexus, with just a few thousands units in between. Lexus posted 229,329 cars sold, up 6.88 percent over 2009's figures. Mercedes came in at number two, with 225,007 units, up 18.82 percent. Close behind at 220,113 with an increase of 12.75 percent is BMW.

The percentage increases are most telling - if growth at BMW and Mercedes-Benz continues at its current pace, in 2011 one of them will overtake Lexus.

However, Lexus isn't entirely resting on its laurels. It is launching the CT 250 h hybrid that it intends to add 12,000 units to its tally next year. We'll see how it shakes out - stay tuned. For now though, Lexus still remains on top.