Mercedes-Benz Cars Sells 73,200 Vehicles in August
Stuttgart,
In August, Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered 73,200 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles to customers worldwide (August 2008: 84,400, minus 13 percent). Mercedes-Benz sold 66,200 passenger vehicles in August (August 2008: 75,200, minus 12 percent). The smart brand meanwhile sold 7,000 units in August (August 2008: 9,200, minus 24 percent). The decrease in August was largely a result of the company wide summer break at German locations, leading to fewer vehicles being delivered as part of the employee sales business compared to previous months. Mercedes-Benz Cars sales received a boost in August from the dynamic growth in the Asia/Pacific region, especially in China, as well as from the new E-Class and the new generation of the S-Class. In addition, sales recovered slightly in the U.S., compared to previous months.
Says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars: “We expect sales to be on a higher level in the coming months, in part because of the new E-Class station wagon, which we will present this month at the IAA in order to build on the successful launch of the sedan.” The sedan once again defended its market leadership worldwide in August. “We also expect sales to receive a further boost from the new generation of the S-Class, which has met with a great customer response. In August we also introduced the vehicle in China, which is meanwhile the world’s biggest market for the S-Class.” In addition to doing well in Germany, the S-Class posted a substantial sales increase in Western Europe as a whole in August, even though the model has not yet been introduced in the UK. In August, sales of the S-Class rose by 22 percent in Western Europe.
In the Asia/Pacific region, Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered 13,400 passenger vehicles in August (August 2008: 11,500). Sales thus reached an all-time high and increased by 17 percent. Mercedes-Benz Cars continues to grow rapidly in China, posting another sales record in August. Total sales in the country rose by 52 percent to 6,400 vehicles (August 2008: 4,200). In the emerging market of Brazil, sales of Mercedes-Benz Cars have risen by 66 percent since the beginning of the year, to 3,700 units (January-August 2008: 2,200).
In Western Europe, Mercedes-Benz Cars posted sales increases in various countries, including the UK, and gained market shares. At 1,800 units, passenger vehicle sales were slightly higher in the UK than in the same month last year. Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 1,500 vehicles in Belgium (August 2008: 1,400), representing an increase of four percent. In August, the division also increased its sales in Austria and Greece.
In the U.S., August was the best month of the current year for the Mercedes-Benz brand, with sales of 17,100 passenger vehicles (August 2008: 18,500, minus eight percent). Mercedes-Benz has been able to gain market shares in the U.S. since the beginning of the year. Sales benefited from the launch of the new E-Class as well as from the GLK, which was once again the best-selling vehicle in its class in August. Sales of Mercedes-Benz in Canada were at a record level of 2,000 passenger vehicles (August 2008: 1,700), representing an increase of 20 percent.
