? Mercedes-Benz posts best November sales in its history
? Record sales for the brand with the star in Europe, U.S. and Asia/Pacific in November
Stuttgart ? The Mercedes Car Group performed extremely well worldwide in November 2006, boosting sales by five percent to a record of 110,800 units (November 2005: 105,200). From January through November 2006, worldwide deliveries of Mercedes?Benz, Maybach and smart brand cars rose by five percent to an all-time high of 1,147,600 units (January?November 2005: 1,094,500).
Last month, the Mercedes-Benz brand increased customer deliveries by nine percent to 101,900 vehicles (November 2005: 93,500), which was higher than any other November in the company?s history. Growth was particularly strong around the world for the E- and S?Class models, as well as for the SUV family. During the first 11 months of the year, Mercedes-Benz delivered 1,042,500 passenger cars to customers worldwide (January?November 2005: 961,600), an increase of eight percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the U.S., Mercedes-Benz once again significantly outperformed the market as a whole in November, with deliveries rising by 21 percent to the record level of 22,100 passenger cars. Mercedes-Benz car sales also rose in Western Europe in November, with sales increasing by seven percent to 62,300 vehicles. This positive development was primarily due to the brand?s success in the German market, where passenger car sales increased by as much as 21 percent to 34,100 units. In the Asia/Pacific region, Mercedes-Benz reached the all-time high of 9,900 units.
In November, the smart brand delivered 8,900 vehicles to customers worldwide. For the period from January to November, sales amounted to 105,100 units. In view of the upcoming model changeover of the smart fortwo and the phasing out of the smart forfour, the result was in line with the expectations. Nearly all smart fortwo cars of the first generation are sold out. Deliveries for the second generation of the smart fortwo which was unveiled in November will begin in April 2007. The new model has been met with a very positive reception in the media.
Overview of Mercedes Car Group Sales
November 2006 Change in % Jan.-Nov. 2006 Change in %
Mercedes-Benz 101,900 + 9.0 1,042,500 + 8.4
smart 8,900 - 24.2 105,100 - 21.0
Mercedes Car Group 110,800 + 5.3 1,147,600 + 4.8
Western Europe 70,600 + 2.3 722,200 + 0.4
- of which Germany 36,700 + 16.2 318,600 - 3.2
NAFTA 23,800 + 18.3 240,900 + 13.7
- of which U.S.* 22,100 + 20.8 219,700 + 13.9
Asia/Pacific 10,200 - 0.6 118,500 + 14.3
- of which Japan 3,800 + 5.2 45,100 + 10.3
* Mercedes-Benz passenger cars
