Mercedes-Benz is on a
record-setting spree. In 2014 it has dominated both the track (F1) and the
road. In India while it sold record cars, worldwide too it sold more cars than
ever before in 2014. The company delivered 1,650,010 vehicles to customers
(+12.9 pc) and achieved the fourth record year in a row. Record sales were
posted in every month of the year 2014 – including in December with 163,171
units sold (+17.2 pc). The past year ended for the Stuttgart based company with
the strongest sales month and the best quarter (454,854 units) in the company’s
history.
Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman
of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars said
that "Mercedes-Benz is on a course of success. The best sales in our
company's history show that our product offensive is bearing fruit. Our new
models are extremely popular among our customers. The success is due in
particular to our compact cars, the new C-Class and the S-Class. We have managed
to grow unit sales in all core markets. In 2015, we will continue our product
offensive in the SUV segment. We expect additional sales momentum by the SUVs,
the full availability of the new C-Class, the compact cars and the two smart
models."
High sales
growth in European markets
In the overall European
market, unit sales increased by 9.4pc in 2014 and are thus significantly above
the general market growth. In December, 66,777 vehicles were handed over to
customers in Europe (+21.5pc). In the toughly competitive German market,
Mercedes-Benz continued to defend its market leadership among the premium
manufacturers in 2014. Sales in Germany jumped by 13.6pc in December. In the
United Kingdom, the second largest European market of the company, 2014 was another
record year for unit sales, with a total of 123,480 vehicle deliveries to
customers (+14.6pc). The company also posted record high sales in Portugal
(+45.7pc), Switzerland (+15.8pc) and Belgium (+8.0pc). Unit sales in Spain grew
by more than 30pc.
Sales records in the two
largest markets: USA and China
In the year 2014, unit sales
in the NAFTA Region totalled 373,291 vehicles (+5.8pc), of which 330,391 were
in the USA alone (+5.7pc). Thus, the USA has maintained its position as the
largest sales market of Mercedes-Benz.
New records were posted in the
USA, Canada and Mexico in the past year.
In Canada, Mercedes-Benz holds
the market leadership among the premium manufacturers.
For the first time, China
outpaced Germany as the second largest market in 2014. With 281,588 vehicles
sold, sales in China have never been so high (+29.1pc). The C-Class
long-wheelbase version is available there since August. New sales records were
posted in 2014 in Japan and Australia, where Mercedes-Benz is market leader
among the premium manufacturers. Total sales in the Asia-Pacific region grew by
25.7% to 491,321 units.
New compacts as growth drivers
The compact car segment, which
was extended by the GLA in March, was particularly successful in 2014. Unit
sales grew by 24.7pc to 463,152 vehicles of the A-, B-, CLA- and GLA-Class.
Mercedes-Benz has never before delivered so many compacts to customers in a
single year. With the CLA Shooting Brake, the fifth compact car model will be
launched in spring of 2015.
Year of the C-Class
The C-Class Sedan maintained
its position as the top-volume model of Mercedes-Benz again in 2014. The new
sedan is the first vehicle to be produced on four continents. The annual sales
of the new sedan and the new estate, which came on the market in March and
September 2014, rose by 4.4pc to 316,792 units in the past year. Sales in
December even increased by nearly 50pc compared to the previous year's month.
In 2015, the company expects additional sales momentum from this model series
through the full availability of the two new models and further engines.
E-Class long-wheelbase version with sales record
With sales of 257,571 units,
the E-Class Sedan and Estate made a significant contribution to the good sales
result of the past year (+6.2pc). The E-Class long-wheelbase version, which is
offered in China, was especially popular: The demand for this model jumped by
49.8pc to 56,344 vehicles sold. The E-Class long-wheelbase version is often
used as a chauffeured limousine in China since the customers appreciate the
increased legroom. For fleet customers worldwide, especially the E-Class Estate
is of primary importance.
S-Class still the best-selling luxury sedan in the world
Once again, the S-Class was
the best-selling luxury sedan in the world in 2014. In the past year, unit
sales of the S-Class Sedan skyrocketed by 82.2pc to 103,737 vehicles sold. The
new Mercedes-Maybach S 600 will celebrate its market launch in 2015. In
November, the first model of the new sub-brand Mercedes-Maybach was presented
to the public for the first time in Guangzhou and Los Angeles.
The SUV boom continues
SUV sales in 2014 reached a
new record of 341,788 vehicles (+5.3pc). Record high sales were posted by the
GLK-Class (+7.7pc), the M-Class (+8.7pc) and the G-Class (+10.4pc).