Mercedes-Benz Finally Coughs Up A 27.9% Sales Gain In December - 13.3% Gain For 2011

The all-new sporty C-Class – the gateway to the Mercedes-Benz brand for younger and first-time Mercedes-Benz buyers – was the volume leader for the year with sales of 69,314, up 17.9% over its year-to-date volume in 2010.  The 9th generation E-Class followed with sales of 62,736, and the all-new versatile M-Class rounded out the top three with sales of 35,835.  Total diesel units sold in 2011 numbered 14,358, an 85.2% increase over the same period last year.

For December, sales at the high-end continued strong as the 2012 CLS-Class posted an increase of 155.2% for the month.  The company also sold 86 of its supercar -- the SLS AMG -- up 79.2% from December 2010, bringing its year-to-date sales to 722.

Separately, sales of Sprinter Vans also increased by 15.7% in December with sales of 1,595 – bringing a year-to-date total of 16,577 (up 93.7 % for the year).  

Sales of the smart fortwo totaled 710 vehicles in December, up 24.6% for the month (compared to the 570 vehicles sold in December 2010).  For the year, smart brand sales were 5,208 (compared to 5,927 sold in 2010).

Additionally, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 6,112 vehicles in December 2011, a decrease of 3.5%.  On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 74,571 vehicles, a decrease of 7.6% over the comparable period last year.    
 

knowitall1985 - 1/5/2012 10:27:18 AM

0 Boost

I wonder how many millions of dollars they spent to sell that many cars? Goes to show how big their ego's are. That's always gotten them in trouble. They will get spanked by Lexus again don't worry.....

Joe_Limon - 1/5/2012 12:08:20 PM

+1 Boost

lol you mean like the b-class that didn't sell a single unit in the usa?

The other ones you mentioned are listed separately. Total mb sales=25,701. MB company wide sales (uncluding your mentioned brands)=28,006.

Do you honestly view things the way you post them? Or do you actively try to make things out to be what they aren't?

OBSERVER1984 - 1/5/2012 11:44:23 AM

+3 Boost

Lexus, Acura and Infiniti have sales, good sales only in America and do you know why?

Because the rest of the world realizes that these are just more expensive Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

Actually till 2010 and now still most of the Lexus, Infiniti and Acura's models are sold in JAPAN as Toyota, Honda, Nissan. Just because they are nothing else!

knowitall1985 - 1/5/2012 12:49:34 PM

+1 Boost

Pondosinatra you are exactly right. I've been telling these trolls that for years. Mercedes benz is toyota in europe. They make stripped down cars that are nothing but shells of the cars they sell here....Most of the people on this site are not in the business and read a few car magazines and think they are experts....LOL

Joe_Limon - 1/5/2012 1:35:43 PM

-2 Boost

^ thinks supercharging has nothing to do with air induction.

Bill - 1/5/2012 1:47:12 PM

+1 Boost

The only place where Mercedes' are used as taxis are in Europe. Why? Because drivers value their durability, comfort, cabin space, payload capacity and when equipped with a diesel engine the cheap running costs.

In other countries outside of Europe a Mercedes sedan is used as a high-end "taxi" as in hotel shuttle services etc.

I find it funny how the "car experts" like Mr. Knowitall1985 and Mr. Angryinch1 don't seem to know that taxi duty is a very demanding task for both driver and machine. The wear and tear and abuse vehicles suffer in every city driving is pretty high and the fact that Mercedes' cars remain popular as taxis is to me great advertising of their build quality and durability.

There is nothing wrong with taking a luxury car like the E-Class and removing a few non-essential options to turn it into a taxi. It's still a comfortable car, it's still a durable car and it's still a safe car.

Many luxury cars over the years have been used as taxis. The Citroen DS, the Toyota Crown, the Mercedes E-Class and so forth. I don't see what the problem is.

Once again, the everyday punishment that taxis go through means that taxis need to be durable cars. Mercedes' obviously makes such cars.

Willis - 1/5/2012 2:00:36 PM

-1 Boost

You're one of the biggest trolls on this site, KnowNOTHING.

"I've been telling these trolls that for years. Mercedes benz is toyota in europe. They make stripped down cars that are nothing but shells of the cars they sell here....Most of the people on this site are not in the business and read a few car magazines and think they are experts....LOL"

^Look who is talking.^

A standard Mercedes' in Europe has a bunch of features that are deemed useful. Customers can then order whatever else they want.

In Europe people want to be given the option of specifying what goes into their car.

In America we want to have all sorts of random crap in our cars that we'll never use in our cars. We are the extremes of consumer culture - Europe not so much.

That's the biggest difference between the American and European (and rest of the world) car-buying culture. The European questions the need for gadget XYZ in their car while the American wants XYZ in their car even if they'll never use it.


For someone who claims to work in the car business, you are pretty clueless.

knowitall1985 - 1/5/2012 3:41:43 PM

+2 Boost

Must of struck a nerve...LOL I didn't say anything about taxi's just that mercedes are stripped down in europe to keep the price down which equals more volume..just like toyota's in the US. I know more than all you pin head put together...ha ha he he he!!!

Bill - 1/5/2012 3:58:51 PM

+1 Boost

Knowitall1985 said:

"I didn't say anything about taxi's just that mercedes are stripped down in europe to keep the price down which equals more volume."


Last time I checked a Mercedes, ANY MERCEDES, was pretty expensive in Europe. In fact most of their cars are the most expensive in their respective classes.

And yet they still sell in high volumes despite those expensive prices.

knowitall1985 - 1/5/2012 4:39:43 PM

+1 Boost

Mercedes is the Toyota of europe.....

Rectifier - 1/5/2012 6:23:43 PM

+2 Boost

Bill said:

"Last time I checked a Mercedes, ANY MERCEDES, was pretty expensive in Europe. In fact most of their cars are the most expensive in their respective classes."

Bill, you might want to check again. Just a few examples, base prices in Germany, MB vs Lexus:

A-class 22996 EUR
CT200h 28900 EUR

C-class 32695 EUR
Lexus IS 33240 EUR

E-class 39835 EUR
Lexus GS 60810 EUR

M-class 54978 EUR
Lexus RX 53030 EUR

S-class 60400 EUR
Lexus LS 92300 EUR

It seems that Lexus is much more upscale brand in Germany.

Wimmer - 1/5/2012 6:45:41 PM

+1 Boost

"It seems that Lexus is much more upscale brand in Germany. "

LOL. Are you serious? You're telling me Lexus is more upscale than MB based on the prices they charge? Hilarious.

I am European and I can tell you first-hand that Lexus is at the bottom with Cadillac and Infiniti when it comes to luxury car considerations here. Those brands are so ill-suited to taking on the European market it isn't even funny. I'm in the market for a station wagon for my business and I am looking at a used Mercedes W204 C-Class wagon C220 CDI. Lexus and Infiniti don't even offer an economical wagon here and the Cadillac BLS...I may as well get a Saab 9-3 Wagon.


Oh, and nice try with the MB vs Lexus pricing.

A-class 22996 EUR <--- This must be an A160 CDI / A150
CT200h 28900 EUR

C-class 32695 EUR <--- This must be the C200 CDI
Lexus IS 33240 EUR

E-class 39835 EUR <--- This must be an E200 CDI
Lexus GS 60810 EUR <--- Only the GS450h is sold here nowadays...

S-class 60400 EUR <--- S350 CDI Diesel
Lexus LS 92300 EUR <--- LS460

So you took the base prices of each Mercedes model and compared it to virtually the only offering from Lexus. Nice. *Sarcasm*

Rectifier - 1/5/2012 7:36:27 PM

+2 Boost

"LOL. Are you serious? You're telling me Lexus is more upscale than MB based on the prices they charge? Hilarious."

Not entirely, but the price is a big part of the picture. Anyway, if you objectively compare fit and finish, materials quality, etc., the picture is pretty much the same. Of course I am talking about volume selling trim levels, not top loaded AMGs.

"I am European and I can tell you first-hand that.."

I am European too and I can tell you that there is quite a bit of a difference between a fanboyish opinion and a real fact.

"...Lexus and Infiniti don't even offer an economical wagon here and the Cadillac BLS...I may as well get a Saab 9-3 Wagon."

Now, thats true - Lexus and Infiniti simply didnt target European market yet. And thats really the main reason for their low popularity.

Wimmer - 1/5/2012 9:27:29 PM

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I don't consider myself a fanboy. I generally like all brands but I find Lexus completely unappealing. They don't make a single car that I lust after, or, from a practical side, can use on a daily basis.

I'm a professional photographer and when I am buying a car I require a station wagon for space. I travel a lot, so I need something economical - like a diesel. The Audi A4 and BMW 3er wagons have laughably small trunks. The current Mercedes C class is surprisingly spacious at the rear and has a large trunk. It's my choice out of these three. I didn't consider a Lexus IS because they're cramped up front for my tastes and they don't offer a wagon and the diesel engine in the IS hasn't been updated in ages. Plus I want an automatic transmission and you can't get that with the IS diesel.


Where in Europe are you from?

I'm from Munich, Germany.

Rectifier - 1/6/2012 6:59:26 AM

+2 Boost

You seem to be one of the millions europeans that Lexus does not appeal to. Thats fine, actually it gives a kind of exclusivity to the brand.

I am from not very far away - Basel area.

Wimmer - 1/6/2012 9:21:57 AM

0 Boost

The thing about Lexus is they're such an empty and soulless brand to me. I know that sounds cliche, but when you visit say the BMW Museum or Mercedes Museum and take a tour of the Porsche Museum (I also recently visited the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt) you get a feeling for what the history and heritage of a car brand is like. When I walk through the Mercedes Museum I experience fascination and respect for the brand. There's innovation, classic cars, motorsport participation (and innovation/victories/championships/rally) etc. etc. etc. You can't help but be amazed at this brand.

I don't get that feeling with Lexus. Not one bit. To me they're dull cars primarily designed to suit American tastes (where even Hyundai can sell a luxury car - that would never work here). No history or heritage and above all no global appeal. Good cars? Yes. Desirable? Not to me. Lexus offers us no choices. Every car they sell here has only one or two engine choices and no real trim choices. How do they expect to be competitive here with such uncompetitive offerings? Last year in 2011 Lexus sold only 20 GS450h in Germany - the GS450h is the only GS for sale here.

I have my eyes set on a second hand Mercedes C220 CDI T-Modell - fuel efficient, agile and spacious (inside and large trunk). That's all I need for my business and my personal use.

Rectifier - 1/6/2012 10:47:48 AM

+3 Boost

As a physicist I tell you that automobiles are machines and thus they are soulless. The rest is an illusion created by clever marketing for the masses as history from more than 20 years ago simply has nothing to do with todays products.

What I like in a model (model, not brand) is the design and engineering behind it. What good is a C-class AMG with all the heritage, innovation and racing victories of MB when an afterthought like the IS-F offers better balance, feedback and overall feeling?
(Reference here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzp7xHaC4NA)

Its a shame GS450h sells that bad. It is an incredible vehicle with incredible technology. Its power train simply has no match in therms of smoothness, refinement and efficiency. I had one for few days and averaged 7.8 l/100 on my daily comute plus few high speed bursts on A5.

And I am totally in love with my 1st Gen IS300 after five happy years. To me it is still an incredibly beautiful and elegantly proportioned design complemented with excellent handling, road feeling and smooth engine note. I simply don't want to part with it.

merc07 - 1/5/2012 11:45:52 AM

+1 Boost

If you read the article smart and sprinter arn't included in their luxury sales. As for the B class they sold 19. So you want them to subtract 19 sales away. Big deal.

Yonder7 - 1/5/2012 2:41:20 PM

+1 Boost

Bill I agree with you..definitely..most of the other are not able withstand that punishment. If car is a taxi , be sure is a good car...

Wimmer - 1/5/2012 6:48:51 PM

+1 Boost

Exactly. He stated that very well.

I live in Munich. Up to 90% of taxis here are Mercedes B/E-Classes and the Viano vans. Of those E-Classes I see a mixture of W124, W210, W211 and W212. The W210 and W211 are the most common.

I avoid taking taxis since they're very expensive, but last week I rode in a pre-facelift W210 E200 Diesel taxi with over 670,000 km mileage and the thing still drove very nicely. No squeaks or rattles and at this mileage the diesel engine is broken in and very quiet (they get quieter with more km for some reason).

knowitall1985 - 1/9/2012 11:31:33 AM

+1 Boost

Empty and soulless brand? If you look at Lexus's history they took on the greatest automotive brands and beat them after only ten years. Everyone had to start somewhere.