OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
* 84,400 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach vehicles sold in August
* Mercedes-Benz brand sells 75,200 vehicles in August
* smart achieves record sales worldwide at tenth anniversary of production launch
Stuttgart, Germany, Sep 05, 2008 � The Mercedes-Benz Cars division has increased sales by five percent since the beginning of the year. A total of 857,600 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles were delivered to customers in the first eight months of the year (January-August 2007: 817,600 units). In August 2008, which had two working days less than August 2007, 84,400 customers opted to buy passenger vehicles from Daimler (August 2007: 96,200). With the increasing weakness of the Western European automobile markets, a total of 75,200 Mercedes-Benz brand vehicles were sold in August (August 2007: 89,100 vehicles). For the year to date, sales of the car with the star rose by one percent to 767,100 units (January-August 2007: 758,600).
Two days ago, the smart brand achieved a special milestone when the one millionth smart fortwo rolled off the production line at the Hambach plant. �The smart fortwo became especially successful over the years. In fact, the fuel-efficient two-seater is now in greater demand than ever before, and we have delivered more than 90,000 smart fortwos this year, with more than 16,000 of them going to customers in the U.S.,� says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President responsible for Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars. To mark the tenth anniversary of the car�s production launch, smart unveiled the latest generation of the smart fortwo electric drive, which is equipped with a lithium-ion battery and which will be produced from the end of 2009 in a small series.
In August, demand was once again particularly high for the new models from Mercedes-Benz. For example, 1,500 customers picked up their new CLC sports coupes at their local dealerships. This represents an increase of 60 percent on the 900 vehicles sold in August 2007. The SLK-Class roadster also continues to be very popular with customers. In August, Mercedes-Benz sold 1,800 units of the compact roadster, nine percent more than in the same month of 2007 (1,700 units). As a result, Mercedes-Benz delivered 30,900 units of all models in the C-Class segment reaching a sales level slightly above the already high level of August 2007 (30,800 units).
Strong growth was also posted by the SL-Class, which now features an even sportier design. Sales of the luxury roadster increased by 31 percent in August, to 1,100 vehicles (August 2007: 800).
In the first eight months of the year, developments were very positive for Mercedes-Benz in the Asia-Pacific growth region. In all, the brand sold 99,400 vehicles there during this time period, representing an increase of 14 percent on the 87,300 units sold between January and August 2007. Sales growth was particularly strong for Mercedes-Benz in China. Since the beginning of the year, sales there rose by 58 percent to 25,100 passenger vehicles (January-August 2007: 15,900).
In Germany, deliveries of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles have risen slightly during the year to date, to 199,400 units (January-August 2007: 198,800). The brand recorded a sales increase of one percent in the U.S. between January and August, with sales there totaling 158,500 vehicles (January-August 2007: 157,800).
Overview of Sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars
August 2008* | % change | Jan.-August 2008 | % change | |
Mercedes-Benz | 75,200 | -15.7 | 767,100 | +1.1 |
smart** | 9,200 | +29.3 | 90,500 | +53.4 |
Mercedes-Benz Cars | 84,400 | -12.3 | 857,600 | +4.9 |
Western Europe | 42,700 | -19.0 | 500,500 | +0.6 |
- of which Germany | 23,900 | -15.5 | 220,500 | +2.0 |
NAFTA | 23,600 | +2.7 | 196,000 | +12.4 |
- of which U.S. | 20,900 | -0.3 | 174,900 | +10.8 |
Asia/Pacific | 11,500 | +2.0 | 100.600 | +13.8 |
- of which Japan | 2,200 | -27.5 | 25,200 | -8.5 |
* Two working days less than in August 2007 ** smart brand sales include the smart roadster and smart forfour
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