The FINANCIAL — Mercedes-Benz handed over 140,941 vehicles to customers in October (+11.5%), more than in any previous October. The Stuttgart based brand has also achieved a new sales record since the beginning of the year with sales of 1,336,097 cars (+12.4%), according to Daimler AG.
In October, the Stuttgart based company sold 60,632 Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Europe (+9.8%). The growth markets were in particular Spain (+56.3%), Switzerland (+19.5%) and Belgium (+12.4%). Unit sales in the German market rose by 4.5% to 23,784 units last month. Thus, Mercedes-Benz stays the most registered premium brand in its home market.
In the past month, Mercedes-Benz posted particularly strong growth rates in the Asia-Pacific region: In China 23,150 customers picked up their vehicles, 33.4% more than in the previous year’s month – another sales record. In Japan, where Mercedes-Benz continues to lead the market among the importers, the brand also saw a new sales record (+10.6%). In Australia, the company even increased its October sales by 37.8%, thus posting another sales record, according to Daimler AG.
Also in the NAFTA region, the company achieved a 6.6% increase in sales to 296,867 vehicles since the beginning of the year. In the USA, October was the best-selling month in 2014 to date with sales of 28,593 units. In the first ten months of the year, the company has handed over 261,804 vehicles to customers (+6.8%). Due to the unusually high unit sales in October 2013, the growth rate in October 2014 was below the previous year’s level (-4.9%).
Among the Mercedes-Benz model series, sales of the new compact cars developed very well: From January to October, a total of 375,435 customers chose a model of the A-, B-, CLA- or GLA-Class (+23.7%).
With an increase of almost 40% compared to the previous year’s month the C-Class sedan and estate met with great response among the customers in October, according to Daimler AG.
The models of the E-Class segment are also in high demand: With 285,481 delivered vehicles since the beginning of the year, the brand achieved a new sales record (+9.2%). In October, the long-version of the E-Class, which is sold only in China, was the most popular one (+69.6%).
Mercedes-Benz continues to expand its leading position in the luxury segment with the S-Class. Only in October, 8,397 sedans were handed over to customers (+60.2%). One year after the launch in all core markets, the company has already delivered more than 100,000 units of the new S-Class. Never before have so many vehicles of the luxury sedan been delivered to customers in the first year of full availability. As the third model in the luxury segment, the S-Class coupe also excites customers: Since the beginning of the year, more than twice as many vehicles of the model have been delivered compared to the same period in the previous year.
The SUVs again posted rising sales numbers: Since the beginning of the year, 278,811 vehicles were sold, as many as never before (+5.6%). In October, the M-Class was chosen by a particularly large number of customers (+13.4%).
Since January, 72,041 customers worldwide have opted for a smart fortwo (PY 82,449 units). After Germany, China is meanwhile the second largest sales market for the compact city car, followed by Italy. Beginning on November 22, the new smart fortwo and forfour will be available at the dealers, according to Daimler AG.
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