Stuttgart, 8 February 2008 - Worldwide sales by Daimler Buses in 2007 totaled 39,000 units from the Mercedes-Benz, Setra, and Orion brands, which correspond to an eight-percent increase from the high sales figure recorded in the prior year. Bus chassis increased its sales by 9.5% to 26,600 (2006: 24,300) units, while complete buses business achieved a sales increase of 4% to 12,400 (2006: 11,900) units.

"We set a new sales record once again in 2007," says Harald Landmann, head of Daimler Buses. "And we successfully defended our position as the global leader for buses over eight tons GVW, while maintaining our leadership in all core markets. This outstanding sales result was largely due to the launch of new products."

In Europe, where the overall market for buses remained stable, Daimler Buses increased sales by around five percent to 9,100 units (2006: 8,700), boosting its market share from 21 percent to 22 percent. The unit also further consolidated its leading position on the in total weaker German bus market, by increasing its market share from 52 percent in 2006 to 55 percent last year, with sales in Germany rising nearly eight percent to 2,800 units (2006: 2,600).

The Latin American bus market on the whole grew at the remarkable rate of 23.5 percent in 2007, and Daimler Buses boosted its sales in this key market by more than 20 percent to 20,100 units (2006: 16,700). Market share in Latin America declined slightly to 47 percent (2006: 49 percent) due to overall market developments.

The market for buses remained stable in the NAFTA region, where Daimler Buses North America sold 6,100 units last year (2006: 6,300). Market share in NAFTA totaled 34 percent (2006: 35 percent ). In December 2007, Daimler Buses North America -- the world market leader for hybrid buses -- received orders totaling 1,052 Orion VII Next Generation hybrid urban buses from two of North America's largest transit authorities. The buses, which are powered by the HybriDrive(R) diesel-electric hybrid system produced by BAE Systems, will be delivered to the customers between now and 2010.

Last year, Daimler Buses unveiled the new Setra TopClass 400 and new variants of the Setra ComfortClass 400. The Mercedes-Benz brand also presented its recently revamped bus line-up, which includes the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Travel 65 minibus. All the buses are equipped with BlueTec technology, which enables them to meet the Euro 4 and Euro 5 emission standards. Several also comply with the voluntary EEV (Enhanced Environmentally Friendly Vehicle) standard. All of the buses are thus exemplary, future-oriented developments designed to promote bus transportation that helps protect the environment.

In the fall of 2007, as part of Daimler's "Shaping Future Transportation" initiative for a cleaner environment, Daimler Buses presented the first prototype of a Mercedes-Benz Citaro urban bus equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid drive. "With more than 1,500 Orion hybrid buses on the street and an additional 1,100 ordered units, we've been the leader in urban bus hybrid technology in North America for years," says Landmann.

"Now, the Mercedes-Benz Citaro BlueTec Hybrid will bring a similar forward-looking solution to the streets of Europe. Because of its technologically sophisticated series hybrid system, the bus will, in some cases, be able to run solely on battery power and therefore produce no emissions." The Mercedes-Benz Citaro BlueTec Hybrid will begin test operations with the SSB transportation company in Stuttgart in 2008; the series production launch of this bus is scheduled for 2009.

To further consolidate its leading global position in the segment for buses over eight tons GVW, Daimler Buses has been investing in entering the Indian market. Toward this end, the unit launched a partnership with the Indian company Sutlej Motors Ltd in September 2007. Already this year, the two companies will begin manufacturing luxury coaches for the Indian market. The vehicles will be based on Mercedes-Benz bus chassis. "We need to consistently expand our activities in growth markets in order to safeguard our leading position in our core markets over the long term, and to consistently exploit growth opportunities in the new markets," says Landmann. "In doing so, we will nevertheless maintain our claim as a premium bus supplier, of course."

Source: www.media.daimler.com