September Best Sales Month for Mercedes-Benz Cars Since Start of the Year

* Dr. Joachim Schmidt: “We observed a positive sales trend in September. And here, the growth of the new E-Class played a particularly important role.”
* New E-Class defends its position as market leader
* S-Class leads its segment, successful launch of the new generation in China
* Mercedes-Benz Cars once again sets new sales record in China

Stuttgart, Germany, In September, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 114,300 (September 2008: 122,200) Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles worldwide (minus seven percent). Mercedes-Benz delivered 104,900 (September 2008: 110,700) passenger vehicles to customers (minus five percent). The smart brand sold 9,400 (September 2008: 11,500) units (minus 18 percent). With these results in September, Mercedes-Benz Cars recorded the highest sales total in any month this year. Contributing to this development were the new E-Class and the new generation S-Class, but also strong growth rates in the Asia/Pacific region, particularly in China, and a stabilization of sales in Western Europe and the United States.

“We observed a positive sales trend in September. And here, the growth rate of the new E-Class played a particularly important role,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. Deliveries of the sedan were up 64 percent worldwide, and increased in Western Europe by 95 percent compared to the result posted in September 2008. More than 70,000 units of the new E-Class have been delivered to customers since the market launch, and in September the sedan was once again the best-selling car in its class.

“The new E-Class is outstandingly positioned in its segment,” adds Schmidt. “In Germany it is the market leader by far with a market share of about 60 percent, and in the other Western European countries it has gained a market share of around 40 percent. We intend to continue this success story with the new station wagon, which we presented at the IAA.”
The new generation of the S-Class also will provide positive momentum in the fourth quarter. The sedan was number one in its segment in September. The S 400 HYBRID is especially successful, and is ordered by about 20 percent of the customers.

A look at the markets shows that Mercedes-Benz Cars continued to achieve strong growth rates in the Asia/Pacific region, with an increase of 15 percent, and sold 17,700 (September 2008: 15,400) passenger vehicles in September, a new record. Particularly in China, Mercedes-Benz Cars continues on its successful course. With a new record of 7,000 (September 2008: 4,400) vehicles in September, the division succeeded in increasing sales by 59 percent. Mercedes-Benz is still the fastest-growing premium brand in China. In addition to the new E-Class, the successful launch of the new generation S-Class also contributed to this result: 1,600 units of the luxury sedan were sold, an increase of 12 percent. Mercedes-Benz Cars is also experiencing dynamic growth in South Korea, where deliveries almost doubled to 1,500 vehicles in September, compared to the same month last year.

Mercedes-Benz sales in Germany stabilized in September, with 28,700 (September 2008: 30,300) units delivered to customers (minus six percent). Compared to recent months, Mercedes-Benz succeeded in gaining market shares in September and defended its position as the market leader in the premium segment.
Mercedes-Benz also gained market shares in the United States in September, selling 17,000 (September 2008: 18,800) vehicles (minus ten percent). Mercedes-Benz therefore is the most successful German premium brand. Also contributing to this development, in addition to the new E-Class, was the GLK, which once again was the top-selling vehicle in its class. In Canada, Mercedes-Benz had the best September ever, with record-breaking sales of 2,200 (September 2008: 1,800) passenger vehicles, corresponding to a growth rate of 25 percent.