Daimler : Strong growth in unit sales for Mercedes-Benz in Asia

• Mercedes-Benz sells 139,802 cars in August (+17.6%).

• Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales: "Our strong growth in the Asia-Pacific region made a key contribution to the good sales performance of Mercedes-Benz in August. Development of demand for the GLA is especially positive."

• Unit sales in China up by 53.1% to a new record

• Premium market leader in Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia and Spain

• Record unit sales of the C-Class Saloon and Estate (+81.3%)

Stuttgart - With double-digit growth in unit sales (+17.6%), Mercedes-Benz set a new best mark in August, achieving the 30th record month in succession. For one year, the brand with the star has been recording a double-digit growth rate every single month. In total, 139,802 vehicles of Mercedes-Benz were delivered in August. Since the beginning of the year, 1,187,980 customers have received their new car (+15.1%).

"Our strong growth in the Asia-Pacific region made a key contribution to the good unit sales of Mercedes-Benz in August. Development of demand for the GLA is especially positive", says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. "After 44 years, an icon is returning in the shape of the S-Class Cabriolet at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It embodies the core of our brand in a perfect way and will give us further impetus along our growth path together with the other new products", continues Källenius.

In Europe, 507,772 vehicles with the three-pointed star have been handed over to customers since the beginning of the year - more than ever before. Unit sales increased by 11.2% compared with the same period of last year. In Germany, sales in the past eight months rose by 5.9% to 177,606 units. In August, Mercedes-Benz sold 21,037 vehicles in the home market (+4.9%), thus defending its market leadership amongst the premium manufacturers. Particularly high growth rates were recorded in Portugal (+47.7%) and in the Netherlands (+31.3%). Mercedes-Benz is the market leader amongst the premium manufacturers in Spain (+28.9%).

In the NAFTA region, a total of 32,597 vehicles were sold in August (+6.8%), 28,373 of them in the United States (+4.8%). Sales records were achieved in all three NAFTA countries last month. In Canada, unit sales increased by 30.5%, allowing Mercedes-Benz to continue its market leadership amongst the premium brands.

In the Asia-Pacific region, sales rose by 34% to a new record of 51,307 units last month. Contributions to this strong growth came not only from China, but also from South Korea (+13.9%), Australia (+28.3%), and India (+18.9%), which all posted sales records in August. In China, a total of 32,763 vehicles from Mercedes-Benz were handed over to customers, 53.1% more than in August of the previous year. The localisation strategy of Mercedes-Benz in China bears fruits. The locally produced GLA and C-Class Saloon were especially successful in August. In Japan and Australia, Mercedes-Benz continues to be the market leader amongst the premium importers.

Unit sales of the compact cars from Mercedes-Benz increased by 35.2% in August. A total of 44,648 customers received their new A- or B-Class, their new GLA, CLA or CLA Shooting Brake last month - more than ever before. In China, sales of the compact cars tripled in August. The new generation of the A-Class will be presented to a large public for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The C-Class Saloon and Estate posted their next sales record in August, with an increase of 81.3% to 35,555 units sold. The two models will soon be joined by the new C-Class Coupé, which celebrates its world premiere in September.

Mercedes-Benz is about to present another new model in the S‑Class segment. The new S-Class Cabriolet is the first open luxury four-seater from Mercedes-Benz since 1971. In August, the S-Class Saloon maintained its position as the world's best-selling luxury saloon once again.

The SUVs from Mercedes-Benz continued to enjoy great popularity last month. Sales of these models increased by 24.1% to 40,420 units, with the GLA as the top-seller. The new GLE has been available at the US dealers since August; it will come to the German showrooms in September. With the launch of the GLE 500 e 4MATIC, Mercedes-Benz continues its successful hybrid offensive. A total of ten plug-in hybrid models with the three-pointed star will be available by 2017. The new GLC celebrates its trade fair premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Unit sales of the smart fortwo and smart forfour have increased by 29.4% to 77,768 units since the beginning of the year. Especially strong growth was recorded in Europe, the biggest sales region for the two smart models, where unit sales more than doubled in August. The new smart fortwo has been available in the showrooms in China since August and will be at the dealers in the United States as of September. The new smart fortwo cabrio will be unveiled for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars