FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) _ Automaker DaimlerChrysler AG said Monday sales at its Mercedes Car Group dipped three per cent last month from a year ago as it sold 97,800 Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and Smart brand cars.

The year-to-date tally reached 384,600, down 2.8 per cent from last year's 395,800 cars sold.

The April decline was felt across all of its regional markets, with a 5.5 per cent drop in western Europe, a 1.6 per cent decline in North America and a 0.3 per cent fall in Asia.

The decrease was marked by a drop in demand in the German market, the group's traditional base, with sales down 6.8 per cent to 23,300 vehicles last month. For the year-to-date, sales were down 5.4 per cent from last year, with 95,000 cars sold.

Sales of the Smart Fortwo rose by 14 per cent to 6,900 sold.

Shares of DaimlerChrysler were down more than one per cent to 60.46 euros ($81.99).