In June, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 111,300 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles (June 2008: 119,300) worldwide (minus seven percent). Despite ongoing market difficulties, a total of 100,300 Mercedes-Benz brand vehicles were delivered to customers worldwide in June (June 2008: 106,000; minus five percent). Mercedes-Benz thus continued the positive trend from the prior month, and succeeded in cutting its sales decline by more than half compared to May. This development was in part due to the successful launch of the new E-Class, which remained the global market leader in its segment in June. In addition, sales of Mercedes-Benz models recovered noticeably in many Western European markets, while also continuing to develop positively in China.
“The development of sales in June exceeded our expectations,” said Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “By the end of the second quarter of the year we had reduced our inventory and the inventory at the dealerships to the lowest levels in years. As a result, our inventories at the end of June were even lower than our original targets. We expect to see our sales stabilize in the second half of 2009.” The contributing factors will include the introduction of the new E-Class sedan and the E-Class coupe in important markets such as the U.S. and China, the new generation of the S-Class, the launch of the E-Class station wagon, and efficient, high-volume engine variants in models like the C-Class.
Mercedes-Benz remained the market leader in Germany in the premium segment in June, with 30,100 vehicles sold, a result that matches last year´s level of sales (June 2008: 30,500). In addition to the new E-Class, positive sales development on the brand’s home market was recorded in the A-Class and B-Class segment in June, with sales increasing by 14 percent to 11,300 units (June 2008: 9,900). Worldwide deliveries in the compact segment rose eight percent to 22,900 A-Class and B-Class models (June 2008: 21,300). Sales of the smart fortwo on the German home market were also up, having increased by seven percent to 16,700 units since the beginning of the year (January – June 2008: 15,600). A total of 61,100 customers worldwide purchased the innovative two-seater since the beginning of the year (January – June 2008: 68,900; minus 11 percent).
Mercedes-Benz outperformed the market as a whole in Spain, France, and the UK in June, while boosting market shares. Deliveries in the difficult market environment in the UK were at the same level as in June 2008, totaling 7,400 vehicles. Also at the same level compared to last year were sales in Italy, where Mercedes-Benz delivered 5,000 units in June. In France, the brand posted a sales increase of two percent to 6,100 units (June 2008: 6,000).
Mercedes-Benz continued its dynamic growth in the emerging markets of China and Brazil in June. Sales in China once again reached record levels last month, increasing by 34 percent to 4,900 vehicles (June 2008: 3,700). Mercedes-Benz is the fastest-growing premium brand in China since the beginning of the year. The B-Class, which has been available in China since January, and the smart fortwo, which was launched in the country in April, are both a big hit with Chinese customers. In Brazil, sales of Mercedes-Benz models have increased by 44 percent since the beginning of the year, to 2,300 units (same period last year: 1,600 units).
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