NEW YORK, June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Daimler AG (stock
exchange symbol DAI) today reported U.S. sales of 20,798
Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles, an improvement of 4.7 Percent
compared to May 2010. All sales
figures in this release are on an unadjusted basis unless otherwise
noted.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080409/NYW017LOGO
)
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported May sales of 20,306
vehicles, a 5.9 Percent improvement over May
2010, and the best May on record since May 2008. On a year-to-date basis, the 95,458
vehicles sold represent an 8.5 Percent increase.
18,886 passenger cars, light truck vehicles and 1,420 Sprinter
vans are included in this total for the month.
The highest volume performers for the month were the E- and
C-Class model lines. The 9th generation E-Class led the pack with
sales of 5,751, up 5% over May 2010.
The sporty C-Class – the gateway to the Mercedes-Benz brand for
younger and first-time Mercedes-Benz buyers – continued its strong
momentum with sales of 4,936. MBUSA's compact SUV, the GLK-Class,
finished third in volume with monthly sales of 2,214, up 22.1% over
last year. Additionally, sales of the versatile R-Class crossover
were up 237% over May 2010.
Sales of Mercedes-Benz diesel models were up 108.5% for the
month (1,147 versus 550) and up 115.8% for the year (4,722 versus
2,188).
At the high end, the company sold 21 of its supercar -- the SLS
AMG -- bringing its year-to-date sales to 330.
Sales of Sprinter Vans also increased by 126.1% for the month,
with sales of 1,420 – bringing a year-to-date total of 5,184 (up
102.1%).
Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned
(MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 6,818 vehicles in May 2011, a decrease of 2.1%. On a year-to-date
basis, MBCPO sold 33,450 vehicles, a decrease of 4.1% over the
comparable period last year.
smart USA recorded 492 sales in
May 2011. Total sales increased more
than five percent month-over-month from April 2011. This is the third consecutive month
of month-to-month sales increases and the highest monthly sales
total in 2011. The instability in fuel prices is driving consumers
to consider the smart fortwo's EPA estimated 41 miles per gallon on
the highway which is the highest for a non-hybrid vehicle.
Detailed vehicle sales information for MBUSA will be announced
in a separate press release issued by Mercedes-Benz USA.
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Mercedes-Benz Cars Division in
the U.S. Sales Summary Through
May 2011
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|
|
Month
Sales
|
%
|
Sales
CYTD
|
%
|
|
|
Curr
Yr
|
Pr
Yr
|
Change
|
Curr
Yr
|
Pr
Yr
|
Change
|
|
|
Mercedes-Benz USA (passenger
cars and light truck vehicles)
|
18,886
|
18,548
|
1.8%
|
90,274
|
85,405
|
5.7%
|
|
|
smart USA
|
492
|
695
|
-29.2%
|
2,225
|
2,772
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-19.7%
|
|
|
*Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter
|
1,420
|
628
|
126.1%
|
5,184
|
2,565
|
102.1%
|
|
|
Mercedes-Benz USA / smart USA
combined
|
20,798
|
19,871
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4.7%
|
97,683
|
90,742
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7.6%
|
|
|
*Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner
Sprinter Vans are sold and marketed in the U.S. by Mercedes-Benz
USA and Daimler Vans USA, respectively.
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Further information on Daimler is available on the internet at
www.media.daimler.com
About Daimler
The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of
the automobile in the year 1886. 125 years later, in anniversary
year 2011, Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful
automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars,
Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler
Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest
producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of
commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services
provides its customers with a full range of automotive financial
services including financing, leasing, insurance and fleet
management. As an automotive pioneer, Daimler continues to shape
the future of mobility. The Group applies innovative and green
technologies to produce safe and superior vehicles which fascinate
and delight its customers. With the development of alternative
drive systems, Daimler is the only vehicle producer investing in
all three technologies of hybrid drive, electric motors and fuel
cells, with the goal of achieving emission-free mobility in the
long term. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly
accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society
and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in
nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities
on five continents. In addition to Mercedes-Benz, the world's most
valuable automotive brand, Daimler's brand portfolio includes
smart, Maybach, Freightliner, Western Star, Fuso, Setra, Orion and
Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of
Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In the
year 2010, the Daimler Group sold 1.9 million vehicles and employed
a workforce of more than 260,000 people; revenue totaled
euro 97.8 billion and EBIT amounted
to euro 7.3 billion.
SOURCE Daimler Corporate Communications