Mercedes-Benz posts eighth consecutive record year and maintains number 1 position in the premium segment
- Last year, Mercedes-Benz sold more than 2.3
million cars worldwide (+0.9%), making 2018 the most successful year in
terms of sales in the company’s history.
- The passenger car division of Daimler AG sold a
total of more than 2.4 million Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles last year
(+0.6%).
- Mercedes-Benz is the best-selling premium brand
in the automotive industry for the third time in succession.
- Despite challenges for the entire industry, 2018
was the eighth consecutive record year for Mercedes-Benz.
- Mercedes-Benz completed its strongest-selling
year along with the best
quarter in the company’s history and a new sales record for December.
- The best full-year unit sales of all time were
achieved in the Asia-Pacific region.
- With an increase of more than 11%, China was once
again the market with the strongest growth in absolute terms and the
biggest individual market for Mercedes-Benz.
Stuttgart –
Mercedes-Benz continues to be the leading premium automobile brand in terms of
unit sales. In a challenging year, the company with the three-pointed star
increased its global car sales to 2,310,185 units in 2018, its eighth
consecutive record year (+0.9%), making Mercedes-Benz the best-selling premium
brand in the automotive industry for the third time in succession. The new
sales record in the car division of Daimler AG was driven in particular by the
success of Mercedes-Benz in the Asia-Pacific region and its core Chinese market
there. Worldwide, models including the SUVs and the E-Class Saloon and Estate
were able to generate significant sales impetus in 2018.
Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management
of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “In 2018, Mercedes-Benz was at the top of the premium segment in
the automotive industry for the third year in a row. In a highly
competitive environment, we also remained at the top from month to month,
thanks in particular to double-digit growth in China and many new models that
have delighted both existing and new customers worldwide. We will continue
rejuvenating our portfolio systematically in 2019. We see the major successes
in our core business primarily as paving the way for shaping the individual
mobility of tomorrow.”
Mercedes-Benz completed its strongest-selling year also with the best quarter in the
company’s history (595,098 units, +4.0%). In addition, a new December record
was set last month with sales of 206,532 units (+6.7%). In 2018, Mercedes-Benz
maintained its position as the premium brand with the most new registrations in
many markets, and secured market leadership in markets including Germany,
France, Russia, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, Denmark, Hungary,
Romania, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam,
Singapore, USA, Canada, Brazil and Argentina.
“With more than 2.4 million vehicles delivered by
Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2018, we once again surpassed our own sales record - for
the eighth time in succession. In addition, despite a challenging year, we
maintained our position at the top of the premium segment. The excitement for
our models and the loyalty of our customers spurs us on to continue giving the
best in the new year,” said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of
Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales. “In recent
months, the strong growth of the new A-Class has shown the impetus high-calibre
innovations such as MBUX can have in the market. In 2019, more than 10
Mercedes-Benz models will inspire our customers with the intuitive operating
concept of MBUX and its artificial intelligence – not only in the compact car
segment, but also in SUV segment.”
Mercedes-Benz
full-year unit sales by region
Asia-Pacific
was most important growth driver also in 2018
The number of 943,473 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars
delivered to customers in the Asia-Pacific sales region was higher than ever
before in one year (+7.8%). China was once again the company’s biggest sales
market – not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but worldwide. Last year, 652,996
cars with the three-pointed star were handed over to customers. The strategy of
“Made in China, for China” therefore helped Mercedes-Benz to achieve another
sales record in 2018 with an increase of 11.1%. And together with the models
sold of the smart brand, the car division of Daimler AG was the first premium
manufacturer to pass the milestone of 600,000 cars delivered in China in one
year – a milestone reached in November. Growth in unit sales to a new record
was achieved also in South Korea (+4.9%), the second-largest market in the Asia-Pacific
region. And Mercedes-Benz delivered more passenger cars than ever before in one
year also in Japan, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Unit sales by
Mercedes-Benz in Europe at high prior-year level
In the Europe region, a total of 933,697 passenger
cars were delivered to customers in 2018 (-2.3%). SUVs, the S-Class Saloon and
the new A-Class recorded the highest growth. In Germany, 303,862 cars with the
three-pointed star were sold in the past twelve months (+0.1%), thus secured
market leadership for Mercedes-Benz in the premium segment of its domestic
market once again in 2018. The double-digit growth of the new A-Class
contributed to this in recent months. Mercedes-Benz set new sales records in many
European markets, including Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Denmark and
Hungary.
Sales of about
380,000 units in NAFTA region
In the NAFTA region, 378,013 Mercedes-Benz passenger
cars were handed over to customers from January to December (-5.6%).
Mercedes-Benz thus continued to be the best-selling premium brand in the NAFTA
region in 2018. In Mexico, more vehicles were delivered than ever before last
year (+8.4%). In the United States, 315,959 vehicles with the star were sold in
2018 (-6.3%). Mercedes-Benz was able to maintain its market leadership in the
premium segment in the United
States for the third year in a row and increased its sales
to a new record level in the important SUV segment there. Mercedes-Benz was
also the best-selling premium brand in Canada, where it maintained its market
leadership for the fifth year in a row.
Mercedes-Benz
full-year unit sales by model
Growth in sales
of SUVs leads to new record for a year
With 820,721 units sold and a growth rate of 1.9%,
Mercedes-Benz SUVs made a significant contribution to the sales success of last
year. In all three core regions Asia-Pacific, Europe and NAFTA region, more
SUVs with the star were sold than ever before. This segment now accounts for
more than a third of all Mercedes-Benz sales. The main markets in 2018 were
China, the United States
and Germany. The best-selling SUVs last year were the GLC and the
GLA. The success story of off-road vehicles with the star is set to be
continued in 2019 by the GLE, the EQC, as well as the model upgrade of the GLC
and GLC Coupé among others.
Every fourth
car sold by Mercedes-Benz was a compact car
In the year of the A-Class model change, more than
609,000 customers worldwide received their new A-Class, B-Class, CLA, CLA
Shooting Brake or GLA. This means that every fourth vehicle sold by
Mercedes-Benz in 2018 was a compact car. The two largest markets for compact
cars last year were China and Germany. The new A-Class recorded global growth
of 3.4% in 2018 and achieved a strong sales growth of 21.8% in Germany, its
domestic market. Mercedes-Benz will continue to build on this success in 2019
with further models of the next generation of compact cars - including the
A-Class Saloon, the B-Class and the CLA.
C-Class
continues to be highest-volume Mercedes-Benz model
The C-Class Saloon and Estate were again the
highest-volume Mercedes-Benz models in the year of the model upgrade. About
397,000 units of these two models were sold last year. The long-wheelbase
version of the C-Class Saloon, which is built and sold exclusively in China,
set a new record with a double-digit growth. Developing a vehicle in China for
China pays off and shows how important it is to respond to local customers’
needs: China was both the largest and fastest-growing market for the C-Class in
2018. Overall, every second C-Class Saloon was sold in the Asia-Pacific region
last year, setting a new record (+11.4%).
E-Class
continues record-chasing in second year after launch
From January to December, more than 355,000 units of
the E-Class Saloon and Estate were delivered to customers. In the second full
year of sales of the new generation, an increase of 1.3% was achieved. Although
Mercedes-Benz is constantly expanding its portfolio, no year before has seen as
many E-Class models sold as in the past twelve months. An important driver of
this growth is the continuing popularity of the long-wheelbase version in China
(+32.7%).
S-Class:
Mercedes-Benz flagship shines with double-digit sales growth worldwide
The S-Class Saloon continued to enjoy great popularity
in 2018: Approximately one-and-a-half years after the model upgrade, 77,927
units of the S-Class Saloon were sold in 2018 (+12.2%). The S-Class Saloon also
achieved sales growth of 7% in Europe. The Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Saloon is
very successful and stands for the utmost exclusivity and quality: In 2018,
more Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Saloons were sold than in any previous year
(+21.8%). More than two-thirds of these vehicles went to customers in China.
Dream cars:
sales impetus provided by new CLS Coupé
Once again last year, many customers fulfilled their
dream of a new coupé, cabriolet or roadster from Mercedes-Benz, so that sales
remained at the previous year’s level: Almost 166,000 new dream cars with the
three-pointed star were delivered worldwide last year. The CLS Coupé
contributed to the success of the Mercedes-Benz dream car family (+69.7%). Many
customers have chosen the new C-Class Cabriolet and the C-Class Coupé, which
have been available from dealerships since the second half of 2018.
Ongoing growth
in sales of V-Class and X-Class
In 2018, the V-Class set a
new sales record for a full year with sales of 62,699 units. From January to
December, unit sales increased by 6.8%. Demand for the multipurpose vehicle was
particularly strong in Germany. The strongest absolute growth was recorded in
China. The X-Class has been available in Europe since late 2017 and was
successfully launched in additional core markets such as South Africa
and Australia in 2018. The 6-cylinder
engine, which can be ordered for the X-Class since July 2018, has delivered
further sales impetus. In total, more than 14,000 units of the pickup with the
star were sold in 2018.
Mercedes-AMG sells more than 118,000
vehicles in 2018
AMG, the performance and sports car brand from
Mercedes-Benz, achieved six-digit unit sales last year, as well as in 2017.
Despite delays in certification in some international markets, 118,204 vehicles
worldwide were handed over to customers last year (-10.4%). In China and Japan,
two of AMG’s main sales markets, the Affalterbach-based company achieved
double-digit growth rates in 2018, setting new records in both markets. The
past year at Mercedes-AMG was characterized by the continuous expansion and shift
of the product portfolio. With the “53” models of the CLS, E-Class Coupés and
Cabriolets, three new models with hybrid functions and a new type designation
were added in 2018. Another highlight was the market launch of the AMG GT
4-door Coupé, the third sports car developed entirely in-house, following the
SLS and the GT. The Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC (fuel consumption combined
7.4 - 7.3 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 169 - 167 g/km)* completes the
product range and is the new entry-level model in the world of driving
performance.
smart achieves
high prior-year volume in 2018
In the year of its 20th anniversary, the smart brand
achieved its third-strongest sales of the past decade: 128,802 customers opted
for a smart fortwo or smart forfour in the past twelve months (-4.6%). A
significant increase in sales was achieved in Germany, where more than 41,000
units of the urban microcar were delivered between January and December
(+14.0%). The smart enjoyed great popularity also in China, where it achieved its
second-best full-year sales since its launch in that market in 2009. Last year,
the changeover of the smart into an electric brand made further progress: 2018
was the first year of full availability of all three smart models with electric
drive. Never before have so many units of the electric smart models been sold
in a year as in 2018. With the integration of the electric smart into the EQ
product and technology brand last spring, the three electric smart models
represent the first series-produced models in the EQ family. The aim is to
convert the smart brand to electric drive in Europe completely by 2020,
following the conversion already completed in the United States, Canada and
Norway.
Overview of
Mercedes-Benz Cars unit sales
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