Mercedes-Benz: sales up by 13.7% to 1.144 mln units in H1 2017
Strongest half-year unit sales in the history of Mercedes-Benz. Biggest contributions to growth from China (+34.5%) and South Korea (+47.3%). Continued success with best-ever sales of E-Class (+68.4%) and SUVs (+13.4%).
In the first six months of 2017, Mercedes-Benz was more successful than ever before in a half-year. 209,309 cars were delivered to customers in June (+11.1%) and 1,144,274 in the first six months of the year (+13.7%). The Stuttgart-based company with the three-pointed star thus set new sales records, significantly surpassing its prior-year unit sales both in June and in the first six months of the year. In addition, the second quarter was the best-ever quarter with 583,649 vehicles delivered worldwide (+11.6%). In terms of new cars registered, Mercedes-Benz was the strongest premium brand in the domestic market Germany, as well as in the markets Italy, France, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, the USA, Canada and Brazil in June.
“We have posted the strongest half-year in the history of Mercedes-Benz with sales of significantly more than a million cars,” stated Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. “Not only the popularity of our
E-Class family contributed to this success; demand for our SUVs is also as high as ever in all regions.”
Mercedes-Benz unit sales by region and market
In Europe, Mercedes-Benz increased its sales to a new high: In the first half of the year, 484,120 vehicles were handed over to customers, which is 8.9% more than in the prior-year period. Of that total, 151,790 vehicles were sold in Germany (+6.3%). The Stuttgart-based company with the star set new records for the first half of a year in the high-volume markets of Great Britain, France, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland.
The region with the strongest growth in unit sales since the beginning of the year was Asia-Pacific. Thanks to an increase of 26.7%, 438,710
Mercedes-Benz cars were handed over to customers, more than ever before in a half-year. 292,679 of those automobiles with the star went to customers in China – an increase of 34.5%. This is significantly higher than the previous record number of cars sold in China in the prior-year period and to a large extent reflects the strong sales of locally produced vehicles. Mercedes-Benz achieved further first-half sales records in the markets South Korea (+47.3%), Australia (+8.5%), Taiwan (+10.9%) and India (+8.7%).
Mercedes-Benz posted the strongest first half-year in unit sales in its history also in the NAFTA region: 193,399 vehicles were sold in the USA, Canada and Mexico, which is 2.1% more than in the prior-year period. June sales of 34,894 units in that region were also at a new record level (+5.0%). Of that number, 28,994 automobiles were delivered to customers in the USA (+1.8%), more than ever before in a June.
Mercedes-Benz unit sales by model
More than 210,000 units of the C-Class Saloon and Estate were sold in the first six months of the year, making the C-Class the bestseller in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio once again. The biggest sales market was China, where double-digit growth and a new sales record were achieved thanks to ongoing strong demand for the long version of the C-Class Saloon.
Demand for the world’s most intelligent business saloon and estate continues at a high level: In the first half of the year, sales of these two
E-Class models increased to 181,940 units (+68.4%). As of now, it is also possible to order the new E-Class Cabriolet, which strengthens this successful Mercedes-Benz model series. With the Saloon, Estate, Cabriolet, Coupé and All-Terrain, Mercedes-Benz offers with the E-Class the broadest model range amongst the premium manufacturers in the upper range.
From January to June, the Stuttgart-based company with the three-pointed star delivered 385,044 SUVs to its customers, which is an increase of 13.4%. From the GLA to the G-Class, these vehicles are extremely popular all over the world. Mercedes-Benz set new records not only worldwide, but also in each of its core regions Europe, Asia-Pacific and NAFTA. The bestseller among the SUVs was the GLC, followed by the GLA.
smart
smart sold approximately 70,000 cars to its customers worldwide in the first half of the year. The urban microcar was especially popular in China and Great Britain, where more cars were sold than ever before in the first half of a year. The new smart electric drive will stimulate additional sales; deliveries of the new electric smart fortwo and forfour started in Europe last month.