Mercedes-Benz: China sales to surpass UK, U.S.

Due to robust sales in the world's most populous country, Mercedes-Benz expects China to unseat the United Kingdom (UK) as the company's third-largest passenger car market in the world in 2010.

Joachim Schmidt, executive vice-president of Mercedes-Benz Cars for sales and marketing, told China Daily last week that China would then soon supplant the United States for the No 2 spot.

"I personally believe that China will surpass the United States within two or three years," Schmidt said.

China now is the luxury carmaker's fourth-biggest market after Germany, the US and UK.

He said Mercedes-Benz expects to sell around 100,000 cars on the Chinese mainland next year.

Klaus Maier, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz China Ltd, said recently that the company's mainland sales would reach 65,000 cars this year, up 65 percent from 2008.

Mercedes-Benz's sales on the mainland surged 68 percent in the first 11 months to 59,200 units, including 12,500 units of the S-Class, 6,400 new-generation E-Class cars, 14,500 locally produced C-Class vehicles and 14,000 SUVs.