Kuala Lumpur, 28 January 2009 – Mercedes Benz Malaysia registered a stellar performance with a total of 6151 passenger cars and commercial vehicles sold surpassing its overall sales target for 2008 and achieving a growth of 16 per cent compared to sales in 2007.
 
Mercedes Benz Malaysia's market share increased with a majority share of 46.7 percent in its competitive segment in comparison to 2007. This was further aided by a distinct 14 per cent growth in its luxury segment.
 
In the passenger car segment, Mercedes Benz recorded sales growth of over 15 per cent for 2008 with 4160 units sold, making it a record high since the brand’s introduction to Malaysia 58 years ago.
 
Sales of its C, E and S-Class alone stood at 3680 units contributing a 20.2 per cent increase compared to 2007. The E and S-Class continued  to maintain their  number one positions in their respective segments while the C-Class, which has performed exceptionally well since its debut, has clearly established itself as the leader in its segment. The encouraging sales figures for passenger cars in 2008 continues to reinforce Mercedes-Benz as the leading luxury brand choice in the passenger car market for all the C, E and S-Class segments.
 
According to Peter Honegg, CEO & President of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the 2008 sales performance was indicative of the company’s strength in the premium segment.
 
“Our performance clearly shows that we have consolidated our position as the leading choice of cars for consumers in the premium segment. The figures to date are very encouraging and we are looking forward to extending this performance to 2009 in light of the current global financial downturn. We hope to continue to work closely with our distributors to enhance service facilities and to provide the best for our customers as we place greater emphasis on the Mercedes-Benz hallmark attributes of safety, comfort and class.”
 
Honegg also touched on the company’s production facility in Pekan which had performed par excellence to deliver capacity output in 2008.
 
“We would like to thank our colleagues in Pekan for their outstanding delivery in 2008 to cope with the surge in demand. The excellent quality of the C, E and S-Class CKD models assembled at the plant have definitely strengthened our performance significantly and added to customer confidence. ” he said.
 
Several key launches in 2008 boosted sales performance including the trendy Mercedes-Benz C 230 AVANTGARDE which was unveiled in June. With its sleek design and exciting features, the new model made a significant contribution resulting in the C-Class leading in its segment with over 1700 units sold. The C-Class recorded an extraordinary 64 per cent sales growth in 2008 to capture 44 per cent of the local market share.
 
The E-Class continued to uphold its strong position as the preferred choice in its segment with sales of more than 1500 units. The top spot was assured in mid-2008 when the company launched the Mercedes-Benz E 230 AVANTGARDE. The E-Class, well known for its comfort and elegance, also managed to secure 50 per cent share of the Malaysian market.
 
Late 2008 saw the launch of the S 500 L to help close of the year on a high with a market share of 74 per cent. With its hallmarks of luxury and sophistication, the S-Class continues to dominate the market as the go-to car for excellence in comfort, safety and style.
 
Mercedes-Benz also registered a 76 per cent increase in sales of its R-Class and G-Class with sales exceeding 95 units which includes sales of the new Mercedes-Benz R280 launched in March 2008. The B-Class also posted encouraging numbers with 330 units sold thanks in part to the new B170 attracting buyers due to its spacious comfortable design and active parking assistance.
 
On the Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle front, the company kept pace with its passenger cars segment by delivering a total of 457 units to register an overall sales growth of 18 per cent. The Mitsubishi Fuso line fared exceptionally well with a growth of 18 per cent locking in 1537 units sold making it the best year since Mercedes-Benz Malaysia took over the Mitsubishi Fuso wholesale responsibility in 2005.