For the first time in more than a decade, the sales of Mercedes-Benz for 2016 overtook BMW, only after parent company Daimler stopped chasing market share and focused on producing stylish high-tech car.  

Bavaria-based BMW on Monday said it sold 2,003,359 cars, less than Stuttgart-based Mercedes 2,083,888 for the year of 2016, a solid defeat since year 2005.

According to Reuters, the achievement is a coup for Daimler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche, who struggled to revive the company following a messy divorce from mass-market brand Chrysler in 2007.

Zetsche, less than four years ago faced restive shareholders, worried the company was lagging BMW and Volkswagen's Audi brand.

In an interview with Reuters last 2016 in his office at Daimler's headquarters, he said that the company had "some deficits, cost and quality problems," and the design was "not top-notch", at the same time stating that Chrysler was no longer a premium carmaker.

Zetsche led the renaissance in the design and technology of Mercedes vehicles, as well as refocused the company's technological excellence and autonomous driving instead of short-term goals. He also adapted the mindset of Silicon Valley to the traditionally risk averse culture of Stuttgart.  

These aspects have undoubtedly re-energize the company's growth rate and success module, helping it to stay on top, said Tech Times.

On the company's 125th anniversary in 2011, Zetsche had implemented the agenda of turning Mercedes into the best luxury carmaker by 2020.

This, ironically, was the same year when Audi overtook Mercedes' car sales. The luxury brand carmaker ended up into the third position.

"Since then we worked hard and today we are leading or among the leaders when it comes to innovation, quality, design and security," said Zetsche.

Following its philosophy of "the best or nothing," the luxury carmaker is finally reaping the rewards of what the CEO says is "the logical consequence of careful preparation."