Mercedes-Benz makes strong showing at Auto China 2012

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai May 9) - At the recently concluded Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, Mercedes-Benz, along with its subsidiaries, Smart, AMG and Maybach, made a very strong showing with a total of 34 models displayed on its 2,400 square meter stage.

Among its offerings, the Mercedes-Benz Style Coupé Concept, new generation G500 SUV, G63 AMG SUV (pictured above) and G65 AMG SUV all made their global debut at the Beijing show. Meanwhile, the ML63 AMG SUV made both its Asian premiere and Chinese market debut. The Mercedes B-Class line of compacts also made its Chinese debut, while the S-Class Grand Edition made its official market debut in the country. A limited edition Smart commemorating the Year of the Dragon (pictured below), based on the Fortwo subcompact, was also displayed.

"Currently, China has already become Mercedes-Benz's third largest market worldwide, and is expected to become the Daimler Group's largest market in the next few years," China Economic Times reported Hua Lixin, board chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia, as saying. Mr. Hua was proud of the brand's performance at the show, saying that it was evidence of Mercedes-Benz's long-term commitment to the Chinese market. He added that increasingly more models, both imported and domestically-made, will be available in future. The well-received GLK line of SUVs will be among those slated for domestic production by the Beijing Benz joint venture. Mr. Hua also confirmed that construction work on Mercedes-Benz's Chinese engine factory, the first of its kind on foreign soil, had already begun. The site is scheduled to begin operation next year.

According to Mr. Hua, Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 54,270 vehicles in mainland China last quarter, 24 percent higher than its sales record from the first quarter of last year.