Sales of Mercedes-Benz reached record figures in 2011, Germany’s Daimler has announced.
Record sales in China and what the company termed “outstanding” development in the US contributed towards the figures reaching an all-time high. The brand also remains the strongest premium marque in Germany, the car maker said.
A total of 1,362,908 vehicles of the brands Mercedes-Benz, smart and Maybach were delivered to customers—around 77,000 units more than the previous record set in 2007 (1,285,900 units).
In particular, 1,260,912 Mercedes-Benz units were sold—an increase of eight per cent compared to the prior year—and exceeding the previous sales record of 2007 (1,185,200 units). 341,624 delivered units made the fourth quarter of 2011 the best-selling in Mercedes-Benz’s history; and in December alone, worldwide deliveries rose by 15.1 per cent to 124,387 vehicles.
Commenting on the results, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “We’re very satisfied with our sales development. In 2011 we sold more vehicles than ever before. We also set the course for the future: the newly introduced generation of the C-Class, the C-Class coupe, the SLK, and the CLS are extremely popular among customers.
“The same applies to the new B-Class and new M-Class, which were introduced in Europe only recently. The full-year 2011 was also shaped by our strong development in important growth markets such as the BRIC countries and positive development in the US.”
Zetsche went on to outline the company’s plans for the coming year: “In 2012 we will consequently continue our product offensive and launch additional attractive vehicles on the market, which will give us a further boost.
“The vehicles will be spearheaded by the new A-Class, which will allow the brand to reach out more strongly to younger target groups. The new CLS Shooting Brake will underscore our leading role when it comes to innovative vehicle concepts and design.”
