With sales of 1,461,680 vehicles in 2013 Mercedes-Benz delivered more cars to customers than ever before. Dr Dieter Zetsche: “We look back on the best year of the Mercedes-Benz brand and have surpassed sales of the previous year by over ten per cent. Our growth strategy is working.” The new models E-Class and CLA introduced in 2013 are very well received by customers. The S-Class is the best-selling luxury sedan of the world also in the year of its model change-over. The Stuttgart-based premium brand increased its sales in all regions. In key markets such as Germany, the US, Japan and Australia Mercedes-Benz was the best-selling premium brand in 2013. Over 100.000 smart fortwo were sold in the last year of its life-cycle. A very successful year for Mercedes-Benz ended with the highest December sales in the company’s history. During the past twelve months a total of 1,461,680 customers all over the world opted for a vehicle bearing the three-pointed star (+10.7%). In December Mercedes-Benz delivered 139,180 cars (+11.2%). The Mercedes-Benz Cars division recorded total sales of 1,562,472 Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles in 2013 (+9.7%). Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “We look back on the best year of the Mercedes-Benz brand and have surpassed sales of the previous year by over ten per cent. Our growth strategy is working. In particular in Europe and the US we were able to gain further market shares. The double-digit sales increase in China shows: We are on the right track here as well.” Product initiative in the compact, premium and luxury segment Zetsche added: “In 2013 we have charged especially in the premium and luxury class: In the new E-Class we put a true top model on the road and with the new S-Class we have delivered on our promise to build the best car in the world. Furthermore, we also set out again on a path of conquest in 2013: Our sporty CLA coupe wins one out of every two customers from another brand.” In 2014 the company expects additional sales momentum from the full availability of the CLA and the new E- and S-Class in all markets. The product initiative continues: The new C-Class and the compact GLA SUV will come to market in spring. The successors of the smart will arrive at dealerships in the fourth quarter of the year. Mercedes-Benz plans to launch more than 30 new models by 2020. Strict customer focus in sales Ola Källenius, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for Marketing & Sales, adds: “Not just our new products will provide growth in 2014. With our marketing and sales strategy ‘Mercedes-Benz 2020 – Best Customer Experience’ we focus even more strongly on what our customers want. In this respect we have already achieved a lot in the past year: Modern inner city concepts and an intensified digital presence have brought us even closer to the customer. We will persistently continue on this path in this year.” Sales increases on all continents The brand bearing the three-pointed star recorded growth in all key regions in 2013. The brand increased its sales both in the growth regions and in established markets as well. Double-digit growth in the US, China and Japan In the US, Mercedes-Benz recorded a double-digit sales increase (+14.0%) and sold 312,534 vehicles in its largest market. The brand also generated record sales in Canada and Mexico. In China, Mercedes-Benz succeeded in better reaching customers and generating sustained sales growth by bundling the marketing and sales activities under the umbrella of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co. Ltd. (BMBS). In 2013 the company delivered 218,045 cars in China, an increase by 11.1% over the previous year. Mercedes-Benz recorded an increase in sales by 24.4% in this market in December alone. The brand bearing the three-pointed star also achieved excellent sales figures in Japan: With sales of 53,037 vehicles the brand sold one third more cars than in the previous year and thus is the best-selling premium brand in the country. Gain of market shares in Europe Mercedes-Benz was able to win additional customers in Europe’s difficult market environment this past year. The premium manufacturer sold 660,566 vehicles (+5.9%) in Europe in 2013. Sales records were achieved in Great Britain (+19.6%), Belgium (+17.3%) and Turkey (+57.3%). In Germany, Mercedes-Benz delivered 255,238 vehicles to customers in the past twelve months (previous year: 261,083 units). In a shrinking market the brand gained further market shares, thus being the premium manufacturer with the highest number of new-car registrations for over two centuries now. New compact cars continue on the road to success Mercedes-Benz successfully continued its model initiative in the compact segment in 2013. All in all 371,399 customers opted for a compact car bearing the three-pointed star, 64.0% more than in the previous year. In addition to the A- and B-Class, the compact four-door CLA coupe met with an excellent response. Especially with the A-Class and the CLA-Class the brand specifically opens itself up to new customer groups: One out of every two Mercedes customers of these model series previously owned a vehicle from another manufacturer. The A-Class has a strong appeal in particular for younger customers. In early 2014 the range of compact vehicles will be expanded by an SUV. The new GLA will be the first Mercedes-Benz SUV to be optionally available with 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution. C-Class continues to be the top-seller The C-Class held its ground in the segment even in the seventh and final year of its availability. The company recorded sales of 303,416 sedan and estate models in 2013 alone (previous year: 333,126 units). The C-Class has been the best-selling model from Mercedes-Benz for years. More than 2.2 million vehicles of the current model series have been sold since its market launch in 2007. C-Class sedans sell extremely well in the US, South Africa and the BRIC countries, while there is particular demand for the estate model among customers […]
The post Mercedes-Benz on record course appeared first on Automotive World.