Mercedes-Benz global May sales down 12% y/y

German car maker Daimler AG said Monday that Mercedes-Benz brand global May vehicle sales dropped 12% on year.

In May, Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered 97,300 Mercedes- Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles (May.2008: 111,100) to customers worldwide (minus 12%). The Mercedes-Benz brand sold 86,300 passenger vehicles worldwide (minus 12%) in May. (May 2008: 98,100 units).

Despite the fact that many markets are still in a difficult situation, Mercedes-Benz succeeded in markedly improving sales compared to the previous month (Apr. 2009: 80,700). Factors that contributed to this improvement included the successful market launch of the new E-Class and the positive sales development in Germany and the Asia-Pacific region.

In Germany, Mercedes-Benz sold 25,600 vehicles in May. (May 2008: 23,100) and increased sales by 11%. In addition to the boost from the new E-Class, the A- and B-Class also contributed to the growth in sales. Around 5,300 customers bought an A-Class vehicle in Germany in May.(May 2008: 3,400), representing an increase of 54%. Deliveries of B-Class vehicles rose by 27% to 3,900 units (May 2008: 3,000). Sales in the A- and B-Class segment totaled 18,900 units worldwide, remaining largely unchanged from the same month last year (May 2008: 19,000).

The smart fortwo posted a sales increase of 26% in Germany with 3,200 units sold in May.(May 2008: 2,600). Since the beginning of the year, customers have bought 50,100 units of the innovative two-seater worldwide (Jan.-May 2008: 55,500, minus 10%). The smart fortwo is now in the third year of its lifecycle. Mercedes-Benz in May.was able to gain market shares in key Western European markets, such as Spain, France and the U.K.

"The new E-Class has met with an outstanding customer response," says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. "We expect sales to receive a further boost in the coming months from the introduction of the new E-Class to other important markets such as China and the U.S., as well as from the launch of the new E-Class coupe and the face lifted S-Class."

As was the case in Apr., the first month after the vehicle's launch, the new E-Class was once again the market leader in Germany in May. "The new S 400 HYBRID has also gotten off to a great start," says Maier. "In fact, around 15% of S-Class customers have opted for the hybrid version even before it officially hits showrooms on Jun. 26." In May, the S-Class was once again the world's best-selling luxury sedan.

In China, Mercedes-Benz posted another sales record in May. At 5,200 units (May 2008: 3,300), vehicle sales were up by 59%. As a result, Mercedes-Benz continues to grow fastest. In Brazil, sales of Mercedes-Benz have risen by 39% since the beginning of the year, to 1,900 units (Jan.-May 2008: 1,300).

Mercedes-Benz continues to surge ahead in Canada as well. In the first five months of the year, the brand posted record sales of 9,400 units (Jan.-May 2008: 8,100), representing an increase of 17%.