Daimler AG (stock exchange abbreviation DAI) today reported sales for the Mercedes-Benz Cars division in the U.S. (Mercedes-Benz and smart combined) of 20,889 units, an increase of 0.2 percent compared to December 2008. All sales figures in this release are on an unadjusted basis unless otherwise noted.
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) reported December sales of 20,025 vehicles, its highest monthly volume of the year, bringing the company’s total 2009 volume to 190,604 and narrowing the gap versus last year to 15.3 percent.
Ernst Lieb, president and CEO of MBUSA said: “The strong finish to a year marked by challenges on every front, underscores the customer confidence in the Mercedes-Benz brand and the unstinting efforts we have undertaken in partnership with our retail network to provide an unparalleled ownership experience.”
The C-Class – the gateway to the Mercedes-Benz brand for younger and first-time Mercedes-Benz buyers – was the volume leader for the year with sales of 52,427 vehicles, a 27.7 percent decrease from last year. The all-new, 9th generation E-Class, launched in late June, bucked the industry sales trend by increasing its volume year-over year by 11.7 percent (43,072 versus last year’s 38,576). Rounding out the top three volume lines was the popular M-Class SUV which recorded a 21 percent increase in December, bringing the annual volume to 25,799.
Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 5,098 vehicles in December 2009. This boosted the MBCPO year-end total to 71,886 units, an 11.2 percent increase over the annual sales record set last year.
smart USA recorded 864 sales in December 2009. This represents a 33% increase over November 2009. Year-to-date sales total 14,595 units. Since its introduction in the United States, there are nearly 40,000 smart fortwos traveling the roads throughout America. The smart fortwo offers the right balance of power, outstanding fuel efficiency, innovative safety features, environmental friendliness and excellent value. There are 78 smart centers located in 36 states.
