U.S & Asian sales rise lift Mercedes
REUTERS | FRANKFURT — Global sales at DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes Car Group rose 1.2 per cent to 88,600 units in August, nudging past archrival BMW in the race to be the world's biggest premium carmaker.
Powered by record deliveries in the U.S. and Asian markets, Mercedes-Benz brand sales advanced 3.2 per cent to 81,700 vehicles, the world's fifth-biggest automaker said.
Sales at the loss-making Smart minicar brand fell 18.2 per cent to 6,900 cars as it scaled back its model lineup. Sales at Mercedes Car Group — which includes the Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach brands — rose 6.9 per cent in the first eight months of 2006 to a record 818,200 units as an 10.8 per cent gain at Mercedes-Benz offset a 19.8 per cent drop at Smart.
BMW earlier reported that group sales fell 10.9 per cent in August to 88,394 vehicles as BMW brand sales retreated 10.1 per cent to 76,502 cars. Its year-to-date sales still led Mercedes, however. DaimlerChrysler shares were down 1.2 per cent at 40.12 euros by 1007 GMT, when the DJ Stoxx European car sector index was off 1.3 per cent. BMW shares slipped 1.2 per cent to 39.14 euros. DaimlerChrysler has forecast that full-year sales at Mercedes Car Group would at least match 2005 levels thanks mainly to a new model offensive at Mercedes-Benz, whose unit sales were expected to rise in 2006.
An earnings rebound at the division helped the group beat market forecasts for second-quarter operating profit, and Mercedes remains on track to boost operating margins to 7 per cent next year, the company says. Mercedes-Benz is riding a wave of demand after launching revamped versions of its M-Class offroader and S-Class executive car last year.
It also rolled out the new R-Class and B-Class sport wagons while introducing new V6 and V8 engines. Year-to-date deliveries of the S-Class — which Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche has boasted outsells the BMW 7-Series and Audi A8 combined — hit 61,500 units. Sales got another boost from a freshened-up version of the E-Class sedan that hit European showrooms in June and the U.S. market in July.
August sales of the model hit 19,300 units. Sales of Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicles more than doubled in the first eight months to 103,200 units, making the brand the best-selling premium SUV in western Europe, it said.
Powered by record deliveries in the U.S. and Asian markets, Mercedes-Benz brand sales advanced 3.2 per cent to 81,700 vehicles, the world's fifth-biggest automaker said.
Sales at the loss-making Smart minicar brand fell 18.2 per cent to 6,900 cars as it scaled back its model lineup. Sales at Mercedes Car Group — which includes the Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach brands — rose 6.9 per cent in the first eight months of 2006 to a record 818,200 units as an 10.8 per cent gain at Mercedes-Benz offset a 19.8 per cent drop at Smart.
BMW earlier reported that group sales fell 10.9 per cent in August to 88,394 vehicles as BMW brand sales retreated 10.1 per cent to 76,502 cars. Its year-to-date sales still led Mercedes, however. DaimlerChrysler shares were down 1.2 per cent at 40.12 euros by 1007 GMT, when the DJ Stoxx European car sector index was off 1.3 per cent. BMW shares slipped 1.2 per cent to 39.14 euros. DaimlerChrysler has forecast that full-year sales at Mercedes Car Group would at least match 2005 levels thanks mainly to a new model offensive at Mercedes-Benz, whose unit sales were expected to rise in 2006.
An earnings rebound at the division helped the group beat market forecasts for second-quarter operating profit, and Mercedes remains on track to boost operating margins to 7 per cent next year, the company says. Mercedes-Benz is riding a wave of demand after launching revamped versions of its M-Class offroader and S-Class executive car last year.
It also rolled out the new R-Class and B-Class sport wagons while introducing new V6 and V8 engines. Year-to-date deliveries of the S-Class — which Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche has boasted outsells the BMW 7-Series and Audi A8 combined — hit 61,500 units. Sales got another boost from a freshened-up version of the E-Class sedan that hit European showrooms in June and the U.S. market in July.
August sales of the model hit 19,300 units. Sales of Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicles more than doubled in the first eight months to 103,200 units, making the brand the best-selling premium SUV in western Europe, it said.
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9/07/2006 06:59:00 AM
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