Mercedes-Benz already passes sales of 1.5 million units in the first eight months

Mercedes-Benz delivered 1,512,268 vehicles to customers worldwide in the first eight months of this year, thus setting a new record (+1.1%). Never before in the company’s history were sales of 1.5 million vehicles achieved earlier in the year. Mercedes-Benz sold 155,918 (-8.5%) vehicles worldwide in August, the 30th consecutive month with global sales of more than 150,000 units due to the ongoing strong demand for cars with the three-pointed star. As expected, however, there was an impact on unit sales in August from challenges relating to vehicle availability, including model changes and delays in vehicle certification in some markets. Nevertheless, Mercedes-Benz defended in the first eight months of the year its position as the best-selling premium brand worldwide.

“I am delighted that Mercedes-Benz reached the mark of 1.5 million cars delivered earlier than ever in the year. As a strong team, we will continue to work on meeting the ongoing high demand for our vehicles, also again in terms of delivery,” stated Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales. “And with the EQC, we have presented the first fully-electric SUV of our EQ product and technology brand to the world public in Stockholm. We will set additional markers and impulses in the market with the EQC,” Seeger continued.

Mercedes-Benz unit sales by region and market

In Europe, Mercedes-Benz sold 54,989 vehicles in August (-10.7%). In the first eight months of the year, sales totalled 597,347 units (-3.9%). In Germany, the domestic market, Mercedes-Benz delivered 21,442 vehicles with the three-pointed star in August (-14.8%) and a total of 195,163 cars were handed over to customers in Germany in the first eight months of this year (-4.2%). In France, Spain, Sweden, Poland and Denmark, more cars with the star were sold in the first eight months than ever before in that period.

In the Asia-Pacific region, demand for Mercedes-Benz models in the first eight months of the year led to a new record of 639,184 units sold (+9.8%). Last month, the brand with the star delivered 72,342 vehicles in that region, which is just slightly below the prior-year level (-1.3%). In China, the biggest market, a new high for an August was achieved with sales of 53,295 cars (+5.5%). So far this year, 446,075 vehicles have been handed over to customers – more than ever before in the first eight months of a year (+13.9%). Mercedes-Benz achieved additional sales records for the first eight months also in Japan, India, Thailand and Malaysia.

In the NAFTA region, 24,538 vehicles with the three-pointed star were delivered to customers last month (-19.5%) and a total of 240,671 Mercedes-Benz cars were sold in the period of January to August (-5.5%). Mercedes-Benz delivered 199,215 vehicles in the USA in that period (-6.6%) and 20,339 in August (-19.8%). The brand with the star defended its market leadership in the US premium segment in the first eight months. Thanks to strong growth in Mexico, Mercedes-Benz once again achieved record unit sales in that market for an August and for the first eight months.

Mercedes-Benz unit sales by model

The E-Class Saloon and Estate set a new record with sales of 25,367 units last month (+0.4%). Since the market launch of the current models, more than 700,000 customers worldwide have been delighted to receive their new E-Class Saloon or Estate.

Mercedes-Benz increased its sales of the S-Class Saloon in August by 30.3% to 5,254 units. From January to August, more than 53,000 units of the S-Class Saloon were sold (+26.6%). Thanks to a double-digit growth rate worldwide, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Saloon achieved its highest unit sales so far in the first eight months of a year.

A new record was set by the SUVs in the first eight months of this year: Worldwide, a total of 541,120 SUVs with the star were delivered, an increase of 5.4%. An important driver of this growth was the global popularity of the GLC and GLC Coupés. The sales success of the midsize SUVs from Mercedes-Benz will be continued with the EQC, which had its world premiere in Stockholm as the first fully electric SUV from the EQ product and technology brand.

smart

8,470 customers worldwide were delighted to take delivery of their new two- or four-door urban microcars in August (+9.8%) and a total of 85,534 units were sold in the period of January to August (-2.6%). The transition of smart into a purely electric brand continues successfully: Never before were so many units of the electric smart models sold in an August or in the first eight months of a year as in 2018.

Overview of Mercedes-Benz Cars unit sales