Coming off a difficult month at its U.S. division, Daimler is reporting today that worldwide sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars dropped 2.0 percent in September to 122,200 new units – this compared to 124,600 new units in September 2007.  Despite the decrease, sales of the Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart brands still remain up for the year, with the group's nine-month year-to-date total reaching 979,800 new units – 4.0 percent more than 2007's nine-month ytd total of 942,300 new units.

Individually, sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles were down 3.0 percent for the month, with the luxury division noting sales of 110,700 new units (September 2008:  114,100 units).  Helping offset the loss was a nine percent sales increase of the smart brand, with deliveries of the compact fortwo range jumping to 11,500 new units (September 2008:  10,500 units).  Through the first nine months of the year, both brands have managed to exceed the prior year's sales levels, with Mercedes-Benz and smart delivering 877,800 new units (up 0.6 percent) and 102,000 new units (up 46.6 percent), respectively.

To learn more about the worldwide sale of Mercedes-Benz Cars in both September and through the first nine months of the year, keep reading for the official press release detailing all of the division's key figures.

Enjoy.



OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Mercedes-Benz Cars with Four Percent Sales Increase through September

• 122,200 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach passenger vehicles sold in September
  
  
• 25,000 orders already placed for the new GLK even before its official market launch
  
  
• smart once again sets sales record in September

Stuttgart – In a continuing very difficult market environment in Western Europe, Japan and the U.S., the Mercedes-Benz Cars division still performed well. In total, the division has increased sales by four percent since the beginning of the year. A total of 979,800

Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles were sold over the first nine months of the year (Jan.-Sept. 2007: 942,300). Deliveries in September totaled 122,200 passenger vehicles (September 2007: 124,600, minus two percent).

The Mercedes-Benz brand sold 110,700 vehicles worldwide in September (September 2007: 114,100, minus three percent). From January to September, 877,800 units were delivered to customers thus increasing sales by one percent compared to the same period last year (Jan.-Sept. 2007: 872,700).

The smart brand once again posted a significant sales increase in September, with 11,500 customers opting for the smart fortwo worldwide (Sept. 2007: 10,500). With an increase of ten percent, sales of the two-seater reached a new record level. Deliveries of the smart fortwo through September rose by 53 percent to 101,900 units (Jan.-Sept. 2007: 66,400).

“Along with the new-generation smart fortwo electric drive, we also presented the first hybrid production car from Mercedes-Benz in September,” says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The S 400 BlueHYBRID consumes only 7.9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, which makes it the most fuel efficient gasoline-powered luxury sedan in the world and also marks a further milestone on our Road to the Future.” The S 400 BlueHYBRID will go on sale in April 2009.

Sales in the C-Class segment continued to develop very well in September: Deliveries of the station wagon model more than tripled to the record level of 8,100 units (September 2007: 2,300). Customers are also very enthusiastic about the new CLC sports coupe. Sales of the CLCalmost doubled in September to 3,100 units (September 2007: 1,600). All in all, sales of the Mercedes-Benz models in the C-Class segment rose seven percent to 44,100 units in September (September 2007: 41,300).

A- and B-Class models recorded a combined sales increase of eight percent last month, to 28,100 vehicles (September 2007: 26,000). The new GLK-Class compact SUV is already generating a huge amount of interest among customers even before its official market launch on October 18. 25,000 orders for the model had already been placed worldwide by the end of September.

High demand for updated models enabled Mercedes-Benz to increase sales on its home German market by six percent last month, to 30,300 passenger vehicles (September 2007: 28,700). Deliveries in France grew by 27 percent to 5,100 units (September 2007: 4,000), mainly due to the full availability of the new A- and B-Class as well as the high demand for the C-Class models.

Mercedes-Benz also continues to grow rapidly in China, where sales of the brand with the star rose 61 percent in September to 4,400 units (September 2007: 2,700). Sales in the Asia/Pacific region as a whole increased by six Percent to 15,300 units (September 2007: 14,300). Mercedes-Benz sold 18,800 vehicles in the U.S. last month, a decrease of 16 percent from the 22,500 units delivered in September 2007.

Overview of Sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars