The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is considered the benchmark in its segment and it's hard to argue with that based on its craftsmanship, cachet, and amenities. But being the benchmark doesn't necessarily equate to best-selling--that title goes to the Tesla Model S, which continues to dominate sales in the large luxury sedan segment.

Tesla's recent third quarter sales figures shows a strong performance from the Model S. Based on a chart compiled by Bloomberg, Tesla sold 9,156 Model S sedans last quarter, a 59-percent increase from the same period last year. That's more than the Mercedes S-Class (including S-Class coupe and convertible) and the BMW 7 Series combined--the tally for those models was 4,921 and 3,634 units, respectively.

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That said, the S-Class and 7 Series represent just a small slice of Benz's and BMW's extensive portfolios that are bolstered by popular bread-and-butter models like the C-Class and 3 Series, along with many crossovers.

Tesla, meanwhile, is still aiming to turn a profit. Tesla hopes the third quarter will finally show positive cash flow, though we won't know for sure until later this month when the automaker releases its complete third quarter financial report.

In all, Tesla sold 24,500 units globally and is still aiming to deliver 50,000 vehicles in the second half of 2016. The automaker has said it plans to sell 500,000 units annually by 2018, assuming its Gigafactory battery facility launches on schedule and the automaker is able to increase capacity at is Fremont, Calif., production plant to accommodate the upcoming Model 3.