Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

- Sales up 77.2 percent between January and April, setting a new record
- Dr. Joachim Schmidt: “We’re very satisfied with our development in Russia. Since the beginning of the year, we have been the premium brand with the highest sales volume and we are growing faster than our core competitors. We want to maintain this position for the full year.”
- “In 2011, we aim to surpass last year’s sales record and to grow faster than the total market. We are creating the conditions for this also by further expanding our dealership network.”

Stuttgart, Germany, May 27, 2011 – During the first four months of the year, Mercedes-Benz grew stronger in Russia than in any other market. Sales were at record levels in each month and rose a total of 77.2 percent to 7,764 passenger cars. In full-year 2010, Mercedes-Benz sold 19,724 units in Russia. This is a new all-time high and represents an increase of 63.7 percent. Over the past ten years, sales in Russia have risen nine fold.


Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars, said, “Along with China, Russia is one of our most important growth markets and will remain so for the next years. We’re very satisfied with our development there. Since the beginning of the year, we have been the premium brand with the highest sales volumes and we are growing faster than our core competitors. We want to maintain this position for the full year as well. In 2011, we aim to surpass last year’s sales record and to grow faster than the total market. We are creating the conditions for this also by further expanding our dealership network.”

Russia has one of the world’s fastest growing automotive markets. The overall market grew by 30 percent last year, with the number of new passenger car registrations rising to 1.8 million. The company currently expects substantial growth in 2011 as well, with the total passenger car market expanding by 25 percent.

Mercedes-Benz has 54 dealerships and franchise service workshops in Russia and plans to add ten more this year. As a result, Mercedes-Benz is represented in 37 cities throughout Russia. The national subsidiary Mercedes-Benz RUS is responsible for sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles in Russia. After its foundation in 1994, it was the first sales company of a Western automaker in Russia.

Mercedes-Benz leads the market with the E-Class sedan and in the SUV segment

Since the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz has posted high double-digit growth in all product segments in Russia. The best-selling model is the E-Class sedan. Sales of the sedan have increased by 75.0 percent to 1,827 units since January, enabling it to remain the market leader in its segment. The company sold 4,788 sedans in full-year 2010 (+112.1%). The C-Class sedan is also very popular, with 1,039 customers opting for this vehicle between January and April. This represents an increase of 83.6 percent. A total of 2,847 units were sold in 2010 (+89.2%). The new-generation C-Class was introduced in Russia in April, further boosting sales in the country. In July, it will be followed by the new SLK. Mercedes-Benz is also the market leader in the SUV segment. Sales doubled during the past four months, rising to 3,398 units. Deliveries of SUVs totaled 7,979 units in all of last year (+63.9%). Sales of the S-Class sedan are also growing at a dynamic rate, increasing by 18.6 percent to 478 units. In all of 2010, a total of 1,718 customers (+28.8%) decided to buy one of the luxury sedans.

Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, and Daimler Financial Services in Russia

The Russian market is also very attractive for Daimler Trucks. Since last year, the Mercedes-Benz Trucks Vostok joint venture between Daimler and the Russian truck manufacturer KAMAZ has been producing commercial vehicles at Naberezhnye Chelny. A joint venture was also established last year between the Daimler subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso and KAMAZ in order to produce the Fuso Canter in Russia. In December 2010, Daimler and the Russian commercial vehicle manufacturer GAZ signed a memorandum of understanding with the goal to produce the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in Nizhny Novgorod. Daimler Financial Services has been offering leasing and motor insurance in Russia since 1999, and Mercedes-Benz Bank Rus was established for the financing business in 2007. As a result, Daimler became the first foreign automaker to operate both a bank and a leasing company in Russia. At the end of the first quarter, Daimler Financial Services had a contract volume of €203 million in Russia.

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