Mercedes-Benz Cars increases sales by eight percent in first half of 2008

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

* Sales of Mercedes-Benz branded passenger vehicles rise four percent in the first six months to 599,200 units

* Outstanding customer response to updated Mercedes-Benz models

* A-Class, B-Class and CLC to provide further momentum in the second half of the year - new GLK debuts autumn 2008

Stuttgart, Germany, Jul 04, 2008 - The Mercedes-Benz Cars division posted considerable sales growth in the first half of the year. Deliveries of Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles rose by eight percent in the first six months of the year, setting a new sales record of 668,100 units (January - June 2007: 617,700 units). The Mercedes-Benz brand also posted a new record from January to June, with sales rising by four percent to 599,200 vehicles (same period last year: 575,700 units).

�The large number of our updated models has met with a great customer response,� says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Sales and Marketing. �We expect the introduction of the updated A- and B-Class models, the new CLC as well as the GLK compact SUV, starting this autumn, to create new sales momentum in the second half of the year. Moreover, fuel-efficient BlueEFFICIENCY models are now also available in the A-Class, B-Class, and C-Class.�

In June, Mercedes-Benz Cars sales increased by two percent reaching a new all-time high with 119,300 passenger vehicles delivered to customers (June 2007: 117,200 units). The Mercedes-Benz brand sold 106,000 units worldwide (June 2007: 107,300 units; minus one percent).

During the first six months as a whole, Mercedes-Benz recorded sales growth in all regions. In the U.S., sales rose by one percent to 119,300 units (January - June 2007: 118,200 units), setting a new record. Also in June, U.S. sales show a positive development with deliveries of 19,600 units reaching the same level of June 2007.
Mercedes-Benz further continues to boost sales in the Asia/Pacific region, where it delivered 76,600 vehicles to customers, 17 percent more than the 65,800 vehicles delivered in the first half of 2007.

Despite the weak development of the Western European automobile markets in general, Mercedes-Benz deliveries in Western Europe increased by one percent from the previous year in the first six months of 2008. Sales amounted to 344,000 units (January - June 2007: 340,400 units). Deliveries also rose in Germany, increasing by three percent to 153,100 vehicles (January - June 2007: 148,900 vehicles). In June, Mercedes-Benz sold 30,500 vehicles to customers in its home market, also up three from the 29,800 delivered in the same period last year.

Mercedes-Benz continues to be particularly strong worldwide in the luxury segment, with sales of S-Class segment vehicles totaling 8,700 units in June (June 2007: 8,900 units). As a result, the flagship model of Mercedes-Benz continues to maintain its global market leadership, with sales remaining far ahead of those of competing models. Customers are particularly enthusiastic about the updated SL roadster, of which 1,600 vehicles were purchased in June. Compared to the 1,200 units sold in June 2007, sales of the SL rose by 34 percent.

The new generation SLK is also drawing very positive customer response. More than 500,000 units of the compact roadster have been delivered to customers since it was launched on the market in 1996. Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 42,900 vehicles within the entire C-Class segment in June, a 23-percent increase on the 35,100 sold in June 2007.

Demand for the smart fortwo continues to increase as well, as sales rose by 36 percent in June, to the record figure of 13,300 units (June 2007: 9,800 units). A total of 11,400 smart fortwo models have been delivered to customers in the U.S. since the vehicle was introduced there in mid-January 2008.

Copyright � 2008, fastfivecars. All rights reserved.