Sales of Mercedes-Benz brand cars rose 10 percent to 118,887 in August thanks to strong demand for its compact models and robust deliveries in China and the United States. Mercedes brand’s eight-month deliveries rose 12 percent to 1.03 million. Sales of Mercedes and Smart cars increased 9 percent to 124,663 vehicles last month, a rise of 9 percent. Eight-month sales rose 11 percent to 1.09 million.
The eight-month figures put the automaker “on course to make 2014 another record year,” Ola Kaellenius, Mercedes’ global sales boss. The launch of new models this month including the C-class sedan in China and the U.S. and the S-class coupe and C-class wagon in Europe will provide a further boost to sales this year, Kaellenius said.
Sales of Mercedes’ expanding compact vehicle range rose 29 percent last month to 33,012, parent Daimler said in the statement. Next year, Mercedes will add a fifth compact model with the CLA shooting brake. Mercedes’ sales in China rose 18 percent to 21,398 last month, while eight-month China sales rose 31.5 percent to 178,241. In the carmaker’s No. 1 market, the United States, sales rose 9 percent to 27,078 in August, helping to lift volume by 8 percent to 205,894 through August.
In Europe, the brand’s gains reflected a modest overall rebound in the market as sales rose 5 percent to 45,661 last month. In the first eight months, sales increased by 7 percent to 457,086. In Germany, its biggest European market, Mercedes’ sales slipped 6 percent in August to 20,057 and were flat through August with deliveries of 167,699. Last year, Mercedes brand sold 1.46 million cars globally. BMW brand was the luxury leader with sales of 1.66 million, while Audi was No. 2 with 1.58 million vehicle sales.
