- BMW cuts BMW 7 Series prices by up to RMB 270,000 ($39,220) amid heavy sales pressure.
- Mercedes-Benz slashes E‑Class and GLB prices by roughly 10–30%, with some discounts exceeding RMB 135,000.
- Audi deepens discounts across models, including A6L and A7L cuts above RMB 150,000 and RMB 187,200.
The price easing reflects mounting sales pressure on traditional luxury brands. In 2025, Audi’s sales declined 5% year on year, while Mercedes-Benz and BMW fell 19% and 12.5%, respectively.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi have rolled out aggressive price cuts in China at the start of China’s Spring Festival, with discounts on the BMW 7 Series reaching as high as RMB 270,000 ($39,220), according to a Chinese report based on dealership visits during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Supported by state subsidies and manufacturer incentives, discount-driven promotions remain the dominant strategy in the luxury fuel vehicle segment, with most 4S dealerships releasing preferential policies ahead of the holiday.
At Mercedes-Benz dealerships, discounts on multiple E-Class variants reached up to RMB 110,000 ($15,980), with some outlets offering as much as RMB 135,000 ($19,610) off.
The 2026 E 260 L Classic Edition, for instance, has a suggested retail price of RMB 429,900 ($62,400) but is being quoted at RMB 319,900 ($46,450).
The GLB has also seen price adjustments, with maximum discounts of RMB 129,000 ($18,730) and entry prices falling to RMB 144,900 ($21,050).
In early February, Mercedes-Benz officially announced price reductions of around 10% across core fuel models including the C-Class, GLB, GLC and GLC Coupe.
BMW has adopted similarly significant incentives. A dealership quotation sheet shows the 530Li Premium Edition, listed at RMB 525,000 ($76,230), being sold at RMB 357,000 ($51,850), representing a discount exceeding 30%.
The 7 Series has seen the steepest reduction, at RMB 270,000 ($39,220).
Since January, BMW has adjusted suggested retail prices for more than 30 key models, with reductions generally above 10%.
Audi has also intensified discounting. The 2026 Audi A6L 40 TFSI Luxury Sport Edition carries a discount of up to RMB 151,000 ($21,930), bringing the transaction price down to RMB 276,900 ($40,220) from a list price of RMB 427,900 ($62,110).
The Audi A7L has been cut by RMB 187,200 ($27,180), with the 2025 55 TFSI quattro RS Package Edition falling from RMB 666,200 ($96,600) to RMB 479,000 ($69,420).
The Audi A3, featured as the prototype vehicle in the recent hit film Pegasus 3, has been offered at some dealerships for as low as RMB 100,000 ($14,530).
The price easing reflects mounting sales pressure on traditional luxury brands. In 2025, Audi’s sales declined 5% year on year, while Mercedes-Benz and BMW fell 19% and 12.5%, respectively.
In contrast, the high-end new energy vehicle segment remains active. In December last year, Huawei-backed Maextro S800 delivered 4,376 units in the over-RMB 700,000 ($101,710) ultra-luxury sedan category, up approximately 104%.
Its single-month sales were nearly four times those of the Maybach S-Class and exceeded the combined sales of the Porsche Panamera, BMW 7 Series and Maybach S-Class.
Unlike traditional luxury brands, emerging EV makers have not implemented broad price cuts, instead lowering purchase barriers through financial incentives.
Tesla introduced a seven-year low-interest financing plan in January, followed by similar measures from automakers like Xiaomi, Li Auto, XPeng and Geely.
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