Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Oct 08, 2010

- Dr. Joachim Schmidt: “The positive development of the past several months makes us very confident for the fourth quarter in which we will continue to increase our sales. We are on track to achieving our target of increasing sales at Mercedes-Benz by more than ten percent in full-year 2010.”
- Eleventh month in a row of double-digit growth - best sales month of 2010
- Record result in China; highest-volume premium brand in Germany and the U.S.
- High-value sales mix, due to increasing demand for E- and S-Class and SUVs
- Sales of the smart fortwo above previous year for the first time this year, with an increase of seven percent

Mercedes-Benz recorded the best September sales result in its history last month and was worldwide the premium brand with the highest sales volume. For Mercedes-Benz, September was the best sales month so far this year. Sales increased at a double-digit rate for the eleventh time in a row. The brand gained market shares in almost all markets. Mercedes-Benz delivered 118,600 vehicles (September 2009: 104,900) to customers worldwide in September, an increase of 13 percent. Sales since January now total 854,000 units (January-September 2009: 737,600), representing an increase of 16 percent.


“Sales developed better than expected in September,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The number of deliveries was above the record figure for September 2007 and therefore higher than at the beginning of the economic crisis. The positive development of the past several months makes us very confident for the fourth quarter in which we will continue to increase our sales. In this context, we want to grow in our two biggest markets: Germany and the U.S. We expect sales to increase particularly rapidly in Asia, especially in China, and the other BRIC countries.”

Sales will get an additional boost in the last quarter of 2010 from attractive new products such as the new generation of the CL- and the R-Class, both of which were launched in September. In addition, Mercedes-Benz is gradually introducing new and especially efficient six- and eight-cylinder gasoline engines with BlueDIRECT technology and a new generation of the six-cylinder diesel engine with ECO start/stop function in its model ranges. “We therefore are in an excellent position and on track to achieving our target of increasing sales at Mercedes-Benz by more than ten percent in full-year 2010,” adds Schmidt.

Mercedes-Benz was able to boost sales in all regions in September. The dynamic sales growth of the past months continued in the Asia/Pacific region and the BRIC countries, with deliveries of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in China (incl. Hong Kong) doubling compared to last year (13,500 units, plus 98 percent) to a new record. “We continue to be the premium brand with the fastest growth in China,” says Schmidt.

“In September, we already surpassed this year’s original sales target of more than 100,000 passenger cars. Thanks to the high demand, we have now raised the target to over 120,000 units.” Double-digit sales growth was also recorded in all of the other BRIC countries: Brazil (plus 23 percent), Russia (plus 47 percent), and India (plus 92 percent). Within the Asia/Pacific region, Mercedes-Benz also posted high growth in Japan (plus 16 percent) and record sales in South Korea and Australia.

Mercedes-Benz sales also continue to grow in the U.S. In September, customer deliveries increased by 17 percent to 19,900 passenger vehicles (September 2009: 17,000). As a result, Mercedes-Benz had the highest sales of any premium automotive brand in the United States. For the first nine months of the year, sales amounted to 159,700 vehicles (January-September 2009: 135,400), representing an increase of 18 percent. In Canada, the brand posted another record result: Sales rose to 2,300 passenger vehicles.

In Western Europe (excluding Germany), sales of Mercedes-Benz increased by seven percent in September to 33,500 units (September 2009: 31,400). Sales developed favorably in high-volume markets such as the UK (plus twelve percent) and France (plus five percent). Mercedes-Benz delivered 27,300 vehicles to customers in Germany last month (September 2009: 28,700, minus five percent). In a strongly decreasing overall market (minus 18 percent), Mercedes-Benz gained more market share than any of its premium competitors. As a result, it remains the country’s Number One premium brand, with a market share of 10.8 percent. The registration figures of Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) showed that five models lead their respective segments: the E-Class sedan, the E-Class coupe, the C-Class, the B-Class, and the smart fortwo.

Due to the rising demand for its E- and S-Class models and SUVs, Mercedes-Benz has a very high-value sales mix. The brand delivered 23,900 units of the E-Class sedan and estate in September, an increase of 23 percent on the same month last year. The growth amounts to 57 percent for the first nine months of the year. The two vehicles were once again the market leaders in their segments. Sales of the S-Class sedan increased in September by 14 percent to 6,600 units and by 29 percent in the year to date. The S-Class sedan is leading its segment as well. The C-Class is also popular with customers. Sales of the sedan and the estate increased by nine percent in September. Mercedes-Benz also recorded substantial gains in SUV sales, pushed for example by the GLK (plus 32 percent) and the M-Class (plus 27 percent). The new generation of the R-Class is also doing well, with deliveries rising by nine percent. Sales of the A- and B-Class amounted to 23,600 vehicles last month (September 2009: 22,600), up four percent on the same month of last year.

In September, sales of the smart fortwo exceeded last year’s level for the first time this year. A total of 10,100 units (September 2009: 9,400) of the two-seater were sold, representing an increase of seven percent. The first units of the new generation of the smart fortwo were already delivered last month. Sales of the two-seater were up by 13 percent in Germany and also did well in the UK (plus 13 percent) and in France (plus 35 percent). Sales of the smart fortwo also grew rapidly in China (plus 474 percent), where the car has been available since April 2009. Daimler expects the new generation of the smart fortwo to boost sales in the coming months.

Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars

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