European-brand cars see registration jump on LI

For the first time, at least in recent memory, Long Islanders registered more vehicles with European nameplates in November than Detroit Three nameplates - 2,765 vehicles, as Mercedes-Benz registrations rose by 20 percent from a year earlier, BMW's rose by 4.4 percent and registrations for Volkswagen and Volvo held steady.

The Michigan-based auto data company R.L. Polk couldn't immediately provide a model-by-model breakdown for Long Island, but national sales figures from another source, the California-based market research company J.D. Power and Associates, indicate that the biggest percentage gainer for Mercedes was the redesigned E-class sedan.

But the Polk numbers for November 2009, the latest available, showed Long Island's favorite brand was Toyota, followed by Honda and Nissan.