Mercedes-Benz posts record global sales in 2015

Mercedes-Benz has sold more cars in 2015 than ever before in one calendar year. The Stuttgart-based carmaker sold a total of 1,871,511 vehicles (+13.4%), posting its fifth record year in a row. It also ended the year with its strongest-selling December (178,017 units, +9.1%) and best quarter (495.159 units, +8.8%).

Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “We were able to increase our unit sales in all three core regions – Europe, NAFTA and Asia-Pacific. And with 373,459 units sold, China developed into our biggest individual market worldwide in 2015. With growth there of 32.6%, Mercedes-Benz grew significantly faster than the overall automobile market.”

Growth drivers in 2015 were the SUVs and the compact cars. For the first time, more than half a million units were sold in each segment.

“We anticipate additional sales impetus in 2016 from the new E-Class. And our new cars such as the S-Class Cabrio, the C-Class Coupé and the new generations of the SL and SLK will further boost the fascination of the Mercedes-Benz brand,” stated Ola Källenius, member of the board of management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales.

Double-digit growth in Europe

In Europe, Mercedes-Benz sold a record 798,852 cars (+10.5%). In the highly competitive German market, the carmaker maintained its market leadership amongst the premium manufacturers in 2015. Unit sales in Germany increased by 4.7% in 2015. In Great Britain, the second-largest European market, the company sold 144,474 vehicles (+17%). The carmaker also achieved achieved double-digit growth in unit sales in in Italy (+13.8%), Spain (+27.3%), Turkey (+30.9%), Switzerland (+21.6%) and Netherlands (+30.7%).

Strong growth in Asia-Pacific

Sales in the Asia-Pacific region grew last year by a quarter to 615,325 units. The biggest growth market was China, where the company launched more than 15 new or updated models and expanded the dealer network to approximately 500 dealerships last year. With 373,459 vehicles sold, an increase of 32.6%, unit sales in 2015 were significantly higher than ever before. Growth in the Asia-Pacific region was boosted in 2015 also by sales in South Korea (+26.8%), India (+32.4%) and Malaysia (+56.5%).

With this, the carmaker’s Indian arm – Mercedes-Benz India – will have posted its highest-ever sales in a calendar year: an estimated 13,506 units in 2015. In 2014, it sold 10,201 units, which was a 13% increase over the 9,003 units in 2013.

C-Class remains best-selling model

The full availability of the C-Class saloon and estate models in all core markets created additional sales impetus in 2015, so that unit sales surpassed the prior-year number by 40.1% (443,909 units), setting a calendar year record. 

Also read: 

- Mercedes-Benz India posts its highest ever annual sales

- C-Class is Mercedes-Benz India’s highest-selling model in 2015