Mercedes Benz sold just over 150,000 vehicles across the globe in February, bringing their 2019 total to more than 330,000.
The figures are nevertheless 6.7 per cent lower than those of the previous year, with the German car manufacturer attributing the decline to the discontinuation of predecessor models of the CLA and GLE.
The model changes in the highest-volume segments SUVs and compact cars had an impact on sales in all regions in February, the carmaket said.
The new B-Class had a positive effect on sales in Europe, with deliveries up more than 16% in Europe in the month of its launch and more than 40% in Germany.
“We are delighted that the new B-Class has had such a positive impact on Mercedes-Benz unit sales so soon after the market launch in Europe. At the Geneva International Motor Show, we presented the latest generation of our top-selling SUV, the GLC, which will ensure further enthusiasm among our customers this year,” said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales.
“We assume that the ongoing model changes will result in significant sales impetus in the coming months. At Mercedes-Benz, we continue to see strong demand worldwide for our current and new models.”
Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 63,560 vehicles in Europe in February. In Germany, the company’s core market, 23,119 cars with the three-pointed star were delivered, representing an increase of 7.3%. This was the best February in the past ten years for unit sales in Germany.
In the Asia-Pacific region, Mercedes-Benz delivered 59,253 cars to customers (-9.8%). In China, where sales are traditionally weaker in the month of the Chinese new year, 40,733 customer bought a Mercedes-Benz that month (-5.4%). Sales in January and February totalled 112,430 units, more than ever before in the first two months of a year in China (+0.9%).
In the NAFTA region, Mercedes-Benz posted total unit sales of 25,757 cars delivered last month (-14.0%). In the United States, a total of 21,660 customers bought one of the German carmaker’s models (-12.5%). Model changes also had an impact in the USA, with a double-digit drop in unit sales of the GLE for example. Sales of the new C-Class Saloon increased at a double-digit rate in the USA in February.
Mercedes-Benz unit sales by model
Sales of Mercedes- Benz compact cars in the first two months of 2019 were slightly above last year’s levels. The new A-Class recorded sales growth worldwide for the sixth month in succession (+20.8%). Following the market launch of the new B-Class in Europe on February 16, the new model achieved double-digit growth in deliveries in Europe, especially in Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Spain.
Sales of the new C-Class Saloon and Estate models reached a new high, with approximately 66,500 cars delivered in the first two months of this year (+4.9%). Sales of the new C-Class Estate in particular increased worldwide in February (+15.8%). Last month, every fifth vehicle sold worldwide by Mercedes-Benz was a C-Class Saloon or Estate.
Approximately 11,000 Coupés, Cabriolets and Roadsters were delivered to customers worldwide in February (-3.0%), including the popular CLS Coupé. In the first two months of the year, every fourth dream car with the star sold worldwide was a CLS Coupé.
smart
In February, 7,854 smart cars were sold (-6.1%). Sales in Germany of the two- and four-door urban microcars reached a new record with an increase of more than 11% in the first two months of the year. The smart models were popular also in France, Portugal and Switzerland in February, with double-digit sales growth in each of those markets.
Since the beginning of the year, Mercedes-Benz has maintained its market leadership in the premium segment in markets including Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, South Korea, Australia, the United States, Canada and South Africa.