FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German carmaker Daimler AG says it had the best sales month ever for its Mercedes-Benz luxury brand in March.

Stuttgart-based Daimler said in a statement Thursday that Mercedes-Benz sold 228,296 vehicles globally in March, an increase of 15 percent.

The company credited stronger sales in China and customer demand for its new E-Class, both for the sedan and the station wagon version. Sales for those models jumped 65 percent.

The Asia-Pacific region saw a sales increase of 23 percent, boosted by a rise of more than 30 percent in China.

The company showed off a convertible version of the E-Class at the Geneva auto show last month that it says should help increase sales further.