Daimler Sees Increased Sales, Strong Chinese Demand

Dec. 7, 2009
China is now the group's fourth biggest market.

Daimler said on Dec. 7 that November sales gained 16% on a 12-month basis owing to strong demand for Mercedes-Benz cars and rising Chinese demand.

The group's Mercedes division posted sales of 98,400 vehicles.

The positive result owed in part to growth in the so-called BRIC nations, particularly in Brazil and China, it added.

Daimler sold 8,500 cars in China last month, "almost three times as many as in the previous month," and a total of 59,150 in the 11 months from January through November, for a rise of 68% the company said. China was now the group's fourth biggest market.

Global sales slipped by 11.8% over the 11-month period to 1.02 million cars however, Daimler said, owing to a heavy slump in sales early in the year.

Sales of Mercedes-Benz own brand cars rose by 19% at 88,600 cars in November, with the E-Class and new S-Class models drawing lots of attention.

The group also sells Smart city cars, sales of which slipped by 3.8% in November, and Maybach limousines.

Overall sales improved last month by 7.3% in Western Europe, and by 9.1% in the U.S.

Looking ahead, Daimler forecast "fourth quarter sales clearly above the level in the same period a year earlier."

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009

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