“Following on from the best first quarter in the company’s history, we have just reported our most successful April sales ever,” said Ian Robertson, head of sales and marketing for the BMW brand, in a statement.

“We are well on course to achieving a record year in 2012,” he added.

By comparison, sales growth at Daimler’s luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz dropped off its double-digit monthly pace, slowing in April to its lowest rate with just 3.6 percent more cars sold over the previous year’s month, according to Reuters.

Much of that was due to an 11 percent decline in volumes in China, which Mercedes blamed on limited product availability due to model changeovers.

Last week, BMW reported first-quarter profits that hit a new record high and surpassed even the most bullish analyst estimates thanks in large part to China, now it’s single biggest market. It also forecast April volumes would rise about 6 percent.

A rising class of affluent Chinese eagerly snap up luxury brands and have a particular affinity for German luxury cars, which amassed an 80 percent share of the premium market. Virtually every second 7 Series limousine, BMW’s top-of-the-line flagship, is sold in China.

Audi: Audi of America reported 8,531 luxury vehicles sold in February, surpassing the prior February record set in 2011. The company’s year-over-year vehicle sales increased 10 percent while it’s year-to-date growth increased 14.9 percent compared to 2011. Three Audi models recorded year-over-year sales increases of 15 percent or more, including the Audi A3, Audi A6 and Audi TT models.

BMW/MINI: BMW Group reported February sales of 26,184 vehicles, a 31.5 percent increase from the 19,919 vehicles sold during the year-ago month. Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 29.2 percent from a year ago to 21,204 in February. MINI USA reported sales of 4,980 units, an increase of 42.2 percent from the 3,503 sold in February 2011.

Chrysler: Chrysler Group LLC recorded its best February sales month since 2008 with 133,521 units sold, a 40 percent increase from February 2010. The Chrysler brand recorded a 114 percent year-over-year increase, while the FIAT brand finished its first year of sales with its best month ever. Sales of the Fiat 500 were up 69 percent compared to the previous month. Both the Jeep and Dodge brands posted year-over-year sales increases in February as well.

Ford: Ford Motor Company experienced a 14 percent increase in sales vs. the year-ago month, with 179,119 vehicles sold. Retail sales alone increased 19 percent. The Ford brand was up 14 percent, while Lincoln posted a 16 percent increase vs. a year ago. Ford’s F-Series posted a 26 percent increase, totaling 47,273 pickups. Focus sales totaled 23,350 units.

GM: General Motors Co. announced total sales of 209,306 vehicles in February, up 1.1 percent compared to a year ago. Year-over-year sales of the Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD were up 28 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Other sales highlights for February include double-digit sales increases for the Buick LaCrosse, the Chevrolet Equinox and Camaro, and the GMC Terrain.

Honda/Acura: American Honda Motor Co. posted sales of 110,157 units, an increase of 7.8 percent vs. February 2011, based on the daily selling rate. The Honda Division posted February 2012 sales of 98,899, an increase of 8.8 percent year over year. The Acura Division’s February sales totaled 11,258, up 0.1 percent compared to February 2011, with the TL and TSX models registering strong sales increases.

Hyundai: Hyundai Motor America announced record February sales of 51,151 units, up 18 percent vs. 2011. Overall retail sales rose 29 percent year over year, while sales of the Sonata, Elantra and Accent increased by 11 percent, 12 percent and 29 percent, respectively. Combined sales of the Genesis and Equus models were up five percent over 2011 as well.

Mazda: Mazda North American Operations recorded its February sales month since 1994 with 25,651 units sold, representing an increase of 32.3 percent vs. last year. Mazda2 sales totaled 2,701, marking a 210.5 percent year-over-year increase, while Mazda3 sales totaled 11,275 vehicles for a 39.6 percent increase. Mazda 6 reported its best month since March 2008 with 5,101 vehicles sold, a 79.7 percent increase over 2011.

Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes-Benz USA reported February sales of 19,679 vehicles, a 21.7 percent improvement over February 2011 and the highest February volume on record. Sales for the month of February were led by the C-, E-, and M-Class model lines. The C-Class led the way with sales of 5,240, up 17 percent over February 2011. The E-Class came in right behind with sales of 4,206 and the M-Class rounded out the top three with sales of 3,408, up 77.1 percent compared to February 2011.

Nissan/Infiniti: Nissan North America Inc. posted February U.S. sales of 106,731 units vs. 92,370 units a year earlier, marking an increase of 15.5 percent. Nissan Division posted a record February with 97,492 sales, an increase of 17.1 percent over the old record of 83,226 units set in 2011. Infiniti delivered 9,239 vehicles in February, an increase of 1 percent vs. 9,144 units a year earlier.

Toyota: Toyota Motor Co. reported monthly sales of 159,423 units in February, a 7.9 percent year-over-year increase on a daily selling rate basis and 12.4 percent on an unadjusted raw volume basis. Led by sales of the Camry and Camry Hybrid and the Prius family, the Toyota Division recorded February sales of 142,745 units, an increase of 7 percent vs. the year ago month. The Lexus Division reported sales of 16,678 units, up 15.9 percent over last February.

Volkswagen: Volkswagen of America Inc. realized its best February since 1973 with 30,577 units sold. The company’s performance also represented a 42.5 percent increase vs. a year ago. Sales of the Passat totaled 8,189 units for the month of February, while the Jetta sedan remains the volume leader for Volkswagen with sales totaling 11,694 — its best February ever. The 2012 Beetle sold 1,303 units while the Tiguan sold 2,280 units.

Facing increased competition from Daimler AG’s Mercedes- Benz, General Motors Co.’s Cadillac and Volkswagen AG’s Audi, BMW is determined to hold on to its hard-won top position with the arrival of the new entry-level 3-Series sedan in U.S. showrooms tomorrow, reported Bloomberg.

The stakes are high. The success of the 3-Series, first introduced in 1975, has been a key to BMW’s ability to outsell Mercedes last year and capture the U.S. luxury crown from Toyota Motor Corp. Lexus. That may change as a slew of competing entry-level luxury sedans increases the pressure on the new 3- Series, which features more power yet greater gas mileage than earlier versions.

“Ever since we came out with the 3-Series we were very successful, so we’ve been hunted for a long time,” said Ludwig Willisch, chief executive officer of BMW of North America. “We are used to that.”

The new 3-Series is making its debut as Mercedes is moving to surpass BMW. Mercedes was the top-selling U.S. luxury brand last month, its sales surging 24 percent to 20,306 while BMW rose 3.1 percent to 16,405. Lexus, which held the luxury title for 11 years until 2011, is targeting U.S. sales to surge more than 25 percent this year to 250,000.

Mercedes started selling an updated C-Class sedan in September that ended the year up 11 percent, edging out the 3- Series sedan by about 500 sales. Audi plans an updated A4 to arrive in U.S. showrooms around midyear. GM’s Cadillac will introduce its first compact luxury car in about 25 years when the ATS arrives in the third quarter.

Still, BMW executives are confident they can outpace their rivals. Willisch said he expects sales of the new 3-Series to grow more than 10 percent and play a role in keeping BMW’s sales ahead of the luxury pack. The 3-Series was last redesigned in 2005.

The 3-Series has generated $290 billion in revenue and $17 billion in earnings before interest and taxes since 1995, Max Warburton, a London-based analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, has estimated.

“It is one of the most profitable vehicles ever, thanks to big volumes and good prices,” Warburton said in a Nov. 15 report.

The new 3-Series gets 36 miles per gallon on the highway and 28 mpg in combined highway-city driving with its eight-speed automatic transmission and stop-start technology that cuts the 4-cylinder engine at stoplights, compared with 28 and 22 for the outgoing 6-cylinder version. The entry-level 328i will have 10 more horsepower than its predecessor, the company said.

“It’s a perfect succession” to the previous version, code named the e90, said Satch Carlson, editor of Roundel, an enthusiast magazine for members of the BMW Car Club of America. “If you liked the styling of e90, this is not going to scare you away,” he said. “If you didn’t like it, this is probably going to be more to your liking” because it’s more refined.

The new 3-Series’s styling may face challenges against the Audi A4, Rebecca Lindland, an industry analyst with IHS Automotive, said in an interview.

“I don’t know if it has the charisma of the Audi A4,” she said.

Audi, which sold 27,517 A4 sedans last year, plans a refreshed version that includes changes to the front grille, including new headlights.

The 2012 3-Series sedan starts at $35,795, $300 more than its predecessor, excluding an $895 destination and handling fee. BMW expects the four-cylinder version will make up more than 50 percent of its 3-Series sales, Willisch said.

“A car of that size and that performance would be something 10 years ago that was unthinkable,” he said. “It has 240 horses under the hood, so it is, as far as performance is concerned, better in every aspect in comparison to the former six-cylinder engine and it is much, much more efficient.”

The 3-Series will get some additional attention in September when the automaker brings out an all-wheel-drive version, which made up about half of the model’s sales last year. A hybrid version is also planned for the around the same time as the all-wheel drive version, with a 300-horsepower, six-cylinder engine. The hybrid will probably make up less than 10 percent of sales, Willisch said.

While skeptical that luxury customers are price-sensitive to gasoline costs, Carlson, thel Roundel editor, said BMW customers care about image.

“They like to be known by the neighbors as conscientious, caring people who want to save the planet,” he said. “Plus, they’re in the luxury field with competitors who are coming out with hybrids for the same reason.”

Toyota was the comeback kid, experiencing a 7.5 percent gain from a year ago after suffering through months of declines due to production issues caused by last year’s disasters in Japan and Thailand. At the top of the sales board were Chrysler Group and Volkswagen of America Inc., both brands registering double-digit increases. Mercedes-Benz rounded out January’s top three thanks to strong demand for its SUV and passenger car lineup.

Audi: Audi of America sold 9,354 vehicles in January, a 19.7 percent year-over-year increase from January 2011. The company’s performance marked the best January in Audi of America’s history. Sales of the Audi A6 increased 90 percent over 2011, sales of the Audi Q7 increased 15 percent, and sales of the Audi A7 totaled 643 vehicles.

BMW/MINI: BMW Group reported January sales of 19,739 vehicles, an increase of 5.8 percent from the year-ago month. Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 3.1 percent from last January to 16,405. The best performing vehicles included the X3 SAV, up 56.9 percent to 1,687 units; the 6 Series, up 392.8 percent to 409 units; and the 7 Series, up 56.1 percent to 977 units. MINI USA reported sales of 3,334 automobiles in January, an increase of 21.2 percent from the 2,751 sold in January 2011.

Chrysler: Chrysler Group LLC sold 101,149 units in January, a 44 percent increase vs. January 2011 (70,118 units). The performance marked the group’s best January since 2008. The Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram Truck brands all posted sales gains, led by the Chrysler brand’s 81 percent increase. The group’s 44 percent increase was driven in large part by strong sales of the Chrysler 300, Chrysler 200, and Dodge Charger and Avenger sedans.

Ford: Ford Motor Company sold 136,710 vehicles in January, a 7 percent gain compared with January 2011. Retail sales increased 8 percent. Focus sales were up 60 percent, marking the best January for the model since 2003. Ford brand sales totaled 131,589 vehicles in January, marking the best January sales month for Ford brand since 2008.

GM: General Motors Company sold 167,962 vehicles in January, a 6 percent decrease vs. January 2011. GM’s total passenger car sales increased 3 percent in January, led by a 30-percent increase in sales of fuel-efficient, small and compact cars. The company’s crossover sales decreased 18 percent, and sales of trucks, which include full-size pickups, vans and SUVs, decreased 6 percent. Retail deliveries declined 15 percent year over year.

Honda/Acura: American Honda Motor Co. sold 83,009 in the U.S. in January, an increase of 8.8 percent over January 2011. The Honda Division posted sales of 74,628, an increase of 9.3 percent year over year. Civic sales increased 49.5 percent. The Accord posted sales of 13,659, up 1.5 percent from the same period last year. Acura Division’s January sales totaled 8,381 units, up 5.3 percent year over year.

Hyundai: Hyundai Motor America announced an all-time record January with sales of 42,694 units, up 15 percent vs. 2011. January retail sales were up 19 percent, led by a 13 percent increase in Elantra sales and a 27 percent increase in Genesis/Equus sales.

Mazda: Mazda North American Operations reported its best January since 1994 with U.S. sales of 23,996 vehicles, a 68.2 percent increase vs. last year. Mazda3 sales totaled 9,200 units, an 83.4 percent increase vs. last year. This was the model’s best-ever January. Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 crossover SUV sales were up 32.6 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively, marking the best-ever January for both vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz: Mercedes-Benz USA posted a 25.8 percent increase in January, with 21,726 vehicles sold. This was the best January in the company’s history. Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles and SUVs fueled the company’s performance, with the C-Class leading the way with a 56.4 percent increase in sales. The E-Class followed with sales of 4,097, and the M-Class rounded out the Top 3 with sales of 4,002, up 61.1 percent.

Nissan/Infiniti: Nissan North America Inc. reported January sales of 79,313 units, an increase of 10.4 percent vs. last year. Nissan Division sales rose 12.5 percent for the month to 72,517 units, with Versa sales setting a new record with 9,418 deliveries (up 8.5 percent). Sales of Infiniti vehicles decreased 8.2 percent from the prior year to 6,796 units, while sales of the Infiniti QX totaled 1,020, an increase of 30.4 percent vs. last year.

Toyota: Toyota Motor Sales reported monthly sales results of 124,540 units, an increase of 7.5 percent over the year ago month on a daily selling rate (DSR) and unadjusted raw volume basis. Driven by an increase in sales of 2012 Camry and Camry hybrid, Toyota Division posted January sales of 112,266 units, an increase of 9 percent compared to the same period last year. The Lexus Division reported sales of 12,274 units, down 4.6 percent from last January.

Volkswagen: Volkswagen of America Inc. posted 27,209 units sold in January, a 47.9 percent increase compared to the year-ago period. Passat sales totaled 6,318 units, while Jetta sales totaled 9,564 units. Sales of the 2012 Beetle totaled 1,401, while Touareg sales increased 68 percent. Tiguan sales increased 50 percent. The TDI models experienced a 30.2 percent increase vs. 2011.

BMW-brand deliveries jumped 13 percent in 2011 to 1.38 million cars and sport-utility vehicles, the Munich-based manufacturer said today in a statement. Volkswagen AG’s Audi placed second with a 19 percent gain to 1.3 million deliveries to overtake Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, which posted an 8 percent increase to 1.26 million cars and SUVs, according to Bloomberg.

Chinese sales growth exceeded 30 percent at all three carmakers, with a 37 percent jump in Audi deliveries turning the country into the biggest market for the Ingolstadt, Germany- based company. The manufacturers are introducing models such as Audi’s updated A4 sedan and Mercedes-Benz’s revamped SL roadster at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which is holding its press day today, as BMW seeks to maintain an industry lead that the others have vowed to overtake.

“Given the product momentum and given the regional sales momentum, I see no reason why Audi shouldn’t grow stronger than Mercedes this year, and BMW will also grow stronger,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, a London-based analyst at Credit Suisse who has a “neutral” recommendation on Daimler an “outperform” on BMW and Volkswagen. “China is slowing down, but it is still a market that for the premium makers will grow by about 20 percent this year.”

Group sales at BMW, including its Mini small-car brand and Rolls-Royce super-luxury marque, rose 14 percent to 1.67 million vehicles in 2011. Deliveries in Europe increased 8.5 percent, while sales in the U.S, BMW’s biggest national market, jumped 15 percent.

Including a 4.6 percent increase for the Smart two-seat brand, Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz Cars division posted a 7.7 percent gain to 1.36 million deliveries. The Mercedes-Benz marque’s growth was held back by a 1 percent decline in western Europe. Deliveries in the U.S. increased 13 percent.

Growth at Audi contributed to a 14 percent sales jump at Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest carmaker, which delivered a record 8.16 million cars, SUVs and vans last year. VW’s namesake brand sold 13 percent more vehicles at 5.09 million deliveries, and sales at the van unit jumped 21 percent. The Skoda brand’s deliveries rose 15 percent and the Seat brand’s increased 3.1 percent.

Audi expects its sales gains this year to exceed the global automotive market’s predicted growth of 4 percent, division Chief Executive Officer Rupert Stadler told reporters in Detroit today. China’s industrywide car sales will probably rise 8 percent, he said.

The VW unit is likely to maintain its second-place luxury- car industry rank until 2014 or 2015, as Mercedes-Benz needs to build up sales of the lower-priced A-Class and B-Class lines, Ellinghorst said.

Daimler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche set a goal last year of returning to the No. 1 spot in luxury-car sales by 2020. BMW overtook Mercedes-Benz as the industry leader in 2005.

Zetsche is “very optimistic” that Mercedes will regain the top ranking and isn’t ruling out beating the deadline, the CEO said today in a Bloomberg Television interview from the Detroit show. The new A-Class, being presented at Detroit, is intended to signal that Mercedes is a “more dynamic” brand, Zetsche said.

The 2012 328i sedan will start at $35,795, up $320 from the model it replaces, and the 335i will go up $370 to $43,295, the automaker said today. Both prices include an $895 destination charge, reported Automotive News.

BMW said the cars will have more equipment than the models they replace, including a 6.5-inch central display with its traditional iDrive controller for audio, climate and other settings. The cars will also have a USB/iPod interface, an eight-speed automatic transmission, a start/stop function and brake-energy regeneration.

The redesigned versions may give the automaker a boost next year in what could be a bid to retain the title of top-selling luxury brand in the United States. Through October, BMW led Mercedes (excluding Sprinter vans) by about 7,000 sales and had more than a 45,000-unit lead over earthquake-hampered Lexus, the perennial No. 1.

Last year BMW sold 100,910 3-series cars in the United States, significantly beating the second-biggest seller in the compact luxury sedan segment, the Mercedes-Benz C class (58,785) and the Infiniti G (58,143). Through October, BMW sold 78,314 3-series cars.

The 328i sedan will have a new 2.0-liter twin-turbo four-cylinder engine, and the 335i will continue to feature BMW’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder powerplant. Both engines are gasoline; a diesel will be added later.

For the first time, the 3 series will be offered in three trim and equipment levels: sport, luxury and modern.

The 2012 3-series sedan will make its U.S. debut at the Detroit auto show in January.

Profit rose to €1.08 billion ($1.48 billion) in the third quarter from €871 million a year earlier. Earnings before interest and tax—a closely watched figure by analysts—rose 44 percent to €1.72 billion from €1.19 billion. Revenue increased 3.8 percent to €16.5 billion from €15.9 billion, reflecting a 9 percent sales rise to 399,218 vehicles, reported The Wall Street Journal.

“We achieved new records for sales volume, revenues and earnings,” Chief Executive Norbert Reithofer said in a statement, the latest sign that demand for luxury cars appears to be unaffected so far by wider economic concerns.

Mr. Reithofer said he expects markets to remain volatile until at least 2015 and that economic growth is poised to slow in 2012, but he doesn’t expect a recession.

“We expect to see continued volatility due to the high level of national debt, the euro crisis and rising inflation,” Chief Financial Officer Friedrich Eichiner said during a conference call, adding that BMW “explored various scenarios and made the necessary preparations.”

The world’s best-selling luxury auto maker said it is well placed for further growth as it has one of the market’s youngest product line-ups, following several model changeovers including the new-generation 5-series, a key model both in terms of sales volume and revenue per vehicle.

Mr. Eichiner said the positive sales trend is expected to continue in the fourth quarter, but a big chunk from the €500 million in launch costs for the revamped 1-series and 3-series, a less favorable model mix as well as seasonal effects will weigh on earnings in the final quarter and push profit margin below the 11.9 percent reached in the third quarter.

The German car maker repeated that it wants to sell more then 1.6 million vehicles this year for the first time, and Mr. Reithofer said the company expects to achieve its financial targets for its full year.

Stocks from auto makers and their suppliers were hard hit during the recent stock market rout, but BMW has held up relatively well as investors expect the Munich-based firm to cope better with a weakening economic environment than many industry peers due to its large footprint in the lucrative premium segment and surging demand in China.

“We have a window to stay No. 1 in the first quarter,” Ludwig Willisch, who took over BMW’s North American operations Oct. 1, said in an interview yesterday in New York. “Our model lineup is broad. We have a lot of opportunities to get there.”

The BMW brand and Mercedes have been fighting to take the luxury sales crown away from Toyota Motor Corp.’s Lexus, which has been the annual leader for 11 years, reported Bloomberg. BMW ended September in the lead with 177,679 sales while Mercedes is in second place with 170,058. Those results exclude Daimler’s Sprinter vans and Smart cars and BMW’s Mini brand, which aren’t luxury vehicles.

Willisch’s remarks run counter to those of his predecessor, Jim O’Donnell, who said in an August interview that BMW will probably be outsold by Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz early next year before the redesigned 3-Series hits U.S. dealerships.

Updated Mercedes C-Class models went on sale last quarter while BMW is still selling older 3-Series compacts. The 3-Series is slated to hit U.S. showrooms in March or April, BMW says.

“In the first quarter of next year, I would say Mercedes” will be No. 1, O’Donnell said in August. “Mercedes going into 2012 in the first quarter will be in a strong position. Over the course of the year, we still should be ahead of Mercedes.”

BMW isn’t conceding 2012’s first quarter, Willisch said.

“We’re not going to ask our customers to buy another brand,” he said yesterday in an interview at BMW’s dealership on 57th Street in Manhattan.

Lexus, in third place, saw sales fall 16 percent this year to 135,647, hindered by a lack of inventory after the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan reduced output of vehicles.

BMW’s sales success over the past year has been driven by the redesigned 5-Series sedan and X3 sport-utility vehicle.

The 3-Series relies on leasing, and sales are slowing as it nears the end of its product cycle, said Jesse Toprak, an industry analyst with TrueCar.com, a Santa Monica, California- based website that tracks auto sales.

“From the product-lifecycle perspective in terms of leases, it’s a little long-in-tooth,” he said.

U.S. sales of the 3-Series sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon fell 3.9 percent this year through September compared with last year, according to researcher Autodata Corp. The compact line accounts for more than half of the brand’s U.S. car deliveries.

The BMW-Mercedes competition is playing out worldwide. BMW is the global leader followed by Volkswagen AG’s Audi brand and Mercedes. Daimler’s target is to be the top luxury seller globally by 2020.

Willisch, 55, comes to BMW’s Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, offices from a position as the head of European sales. He has also run BMW’s M performance brand and led sales units in Germany, Japan and Sweden.

The sixth generation of BMW’s best-selling model, which debuted today in Munich, will hit showrooms February 11, about two years before Audi overhauls the $32,500 A4. That head start may help BMW’s lead over Audi surge 43 percent in 2012, according to an IHS Automotive forecast.

Backed by the overhauled 3-Series and recently revamped 1- Series compact, which together accounted for 49 percent of BMW’s sales last year, “2012 will be the sweet spot for BMW,” said Stefan Bauknecht, a DWS Investment fund manager in Frankfurt. “The 3-Series renewal improves sales volumes and pricing power, creating an immense margin advantage.”

The renewed 3-Series, BMW’s entry-level sedan, will adopt parts and technology from the 1-Series and full-size 5-Series to lower production and development costs, reported Bloomberg. Higher profit from the car may help the manufacturer weather a looming economic slowdown. European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said this week that the region’s debt crisis has reached “a systemic dimension,” while China warned of “severe challenges” to the global economy.

“The model cycle is arguably more important for upscale carmakers than the economic cycle,” said Juergen Meyer, who manages about 700 million euros ($960 million) for SEB Asset Management in Frankfurt. BMW’s profitability lead “could reach its apex in 2012 on the 3-Series.”

BMW’s auto unit reported earnings before interest and taxes equivalent to 14.4 percent of sales in the second quarter, outpacing 11.8 percent at Audi and 10.7 percent at Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz. The Munich-based manufacturer has been the second-best performer in the Euro Stoxx autos and parts index over the past three months after tiremaker Pirelli & C. SpA, falling 22 percent compared with VW’s 24 percent drop and Daimler’s 29 percent slump.

The updated 3-Series, which was originally introduced in 1975, will be 9.3 centimeters (3.7 inches) larger than its predecessor and be available in Sport, Modern and Luxury packages to increase customization options. It will also be available with a head-up display, which projects speed limit and other data onto the windshield, and collision-warning systems. The 320d version, which can get as much as 57 miles per gallon, will start at 35,350 euros, 1,050 euros more than the current version. A hybrid will be available in the fall 2012.

The larger size and new customization options could help BMW win over customers from other manufacturers, according to Werner Entenmann, head of Autohaus Entenmann in Esslingen near Stuttgart.

“The new 3-Series has potential to capture customers” from the likes of Mercedes, Audi, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co.’s Opel, said Entenmann, who counts on the model to generate more than 35 percent of his dealership’s sales of about 1,400 BMW cars a year. He plans to hold an event for 4,000 customers when the model goes on sale Feb. 11. “It’s decisive for us,” he said.

Sales of the 3-Series are projected to jump 22 percent to 448,600 cars next year, boosting the BMW brand’s deliveries 9.3 percent to 1.47 million, according to IHS. Audi, which aims to grab the number-one position by 2015, will likely see the gap to BMW widen to 139,700 autos from 97,400 in 2011.

Mercedes, which likewise covets the luxury-car crown, may get closer to BMW, buoyed by a new line of compacts. IHS forecasts Mercedes trailing BMW by 108,700 vehicles in 2012, closer than the 110,500 this year.

“Renewing the 3-Series is like renewing the company,” said Christoph Stuermer, an IHS analyst in Frankfurt. “The 3- Series has to be BMW’s response to the automotive challenges of the next decade,” and therefore needs to address the demand for cleaner vehicles, while generating the profit needed to pay for further development.

BMW is investing more than 1 billion euros in German factories in Munich and Regensburg, and at a plant in Rosslyn, South Africa, to produce the model. BMW has sold more than 12 million of the vehicle since its introduction.

“The new BMW 3-Series has excellent prospects for expanding its leading global market position,” Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer said today.

Mercedes and Audi aren’t sitting still. Audi plans to roll out a face-lifted version of the current A4, which was introduced in 2007, in the first half of 2012 with cleaner engines and other improvements, said Moritz Drechsel, a spokesman for the Ingolstadt, Germany-based carmaker.

Mercedes upgraded the C-Class in 2011 with new engines and a restyled front end and interior. Next year, the Stuttgart, Germany-based carmaker plans to show the CLC four-door coupe, which will include high-performance AMG versions, to target sportier 3-Series customers, said a person familiar with the matter, who declined to be identified discussing internal planning. The next-generation C-Class is due in 2014.

Those responses may not be enough to overcome BMW’s early start. IHS predicts the manufacturer will further expand its lead in 2015 to 219,100 vehicles over Audi and 141,500 over Mercedes.

“They have two to three years where they can absolutely nail it,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, a London-based analyst with Credit Suisse who has an “outperform” rating on BMW stock.

Sales at BMW’s namesake brand rose 9.3 percent to 128,446 vehicles in September as deliveries of the X3 more than tripled, the Munich-based automaker said today in a statement. Audi posted a 17 percent gain, delivering 120,200 autos on stronger demand in China, the Ingolstadt, Germany-based company said.

“It’s all holding up extremely well,” said Arndt Ellinghorst, an analyst with Credit Suisse in London. The growth rates of about 20 percent that BMW and Audi posted in China are “quite healthy.”

BMW, Audi, and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz are targeting record sales this year and anticipate demand for high-end vehicles to outpace the broader auto market in the coming years, reported Bloomberg. European investor confidence fell to the lowest in more than two years this month on concern that the region’s debt crisis and weaker growth in emerging markets will hurt economic expansion.

“We made solid gains across the globe and once again achieved record sales for September,” Ian Robertson, BMW’s sales chief, said in the statement. The company is “on course” to meet its target of delivering 1.6 million vehicles this year and aims to maintain an “upward trend” in the fourth quarter, he said.

BMW rose as much as 3.7 percent to 52.78 euros and was up 3.6 percent at 4:16 p.m. in Frankfurt. The stock has fallen 10 percent this year, valuing the company at 33.8 billion euros. Daimler gained 3.8 percent to 35.28 euros and Volkswagen jumped 4.8 percent to 106.30 euros.

Audi aims to sell more than 300,000 vehicles in China for the first time after already surpassing last year’s total, Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi’s sales chief, said in the statement. The carmaker also increased deliveries in debt-strapped countries such as Italy and Spain, helped by the A6 sedan and A1 subcompact, the company said.

“Growth is being driven above all by the emerging markets, primarily from China, but also from Brazil, Russia, India and Turkey,” said Marc-Rene Tonn, a Hamburg-based analyst with Warburg Research, who recommends buying Daimler and Volkswagen shares, and has a “hold” rating on BMW. “The question is how the sales values hold up there.”

BMW expanded its lead over Audi and Mercedes after the first nine months of 2011, delivering 1.02 million vehicles compared with Audi’s 973,200 and Mercedes’s 919,288. The Daimler unit, which aims to overtake Audi and BMW by 2020, remained in third place after sales last month edged up 2 percent to 120,982 cars and SUVs, the Stuttgart, Germany-based company said Oct. 5.

“It’s probably not going to get much better for Mercedes before 2013,” said Ellinghorst. Consumers are looking to trade down to smaller vehicles, a “weak” area for Mercedes, he said.

Mercedes’ best-selling C-Class will also face tougher competition next year, as BMW prepares to introduce a revamped version of the 3-Series sedan.