In May, Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered 97,300 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles (May 2008: 111,100) to customers worldwide (minus 12 percent). The Mercedes-Benz brand sold 86,300 passenger vehicles worldwide (minus 12 percent) in May (May 2008: 98,100 units). Despite the fact that many markets are still in a difficult situation, Mercedes-Benz succeeded in markedly improving sales compared to the previous month (April 2009: 80,700). Factors that contributed to this improvement included the successful market launch of the new E-Class and the positive sales development in Germany and the Asia-Pacific region.

In Germany, Mercedes-Benz sold 25,600 vehicles in May (May 2008: 23,100) and increased sales by 11 percent. In addition to the boost from the new E-Class, the A- and B-Class also contributed to the growth in sales. Around 5,300 customers bought an A-Class vehicle in Germany in May (May 2008: 3,400), representing an increase of 54 percent. Deliveries of B-Class vehicles rose by 27 percent to 3,900 units (May 2008: 3,000). Sales in the A- and B-Class segment totaled 18,900 units worldwide, remaining largely unchanged from the same month last year (May 2008: 19,000). The smart fortwo posted a sales increase of 26 percent in Germany with 3,200 units sold in May (May 2008: 2,600). Since the beginning of the year, customers have bought 50,100 units of the innovative two-seater worldwide (January-May 2008: 55,500, minus 10 percent). The smart fortwo is now in the third year of its lifecycle. Mercedes-Benz in May was able to gain market shares in key Western European markets, such as Spain, France and the UK.

“The new E-Class has met with an outstanding customer response,” says Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We expect sales to receive a further boost in the coming months from the introduction of the new E-Class to other important markets such as China and the U.S., as well as from the launch of the new E-Class coupe and the face lifted S-Class.” As was the case in April, the first month after the vehicle’s launch, the new E-Class was once again the market leader in Germany in May. “The new S 400 HYBRID has also gotten off to a great start,” says Maier. “In fact, around 15 percent of S-Class customers have opted for the hybrid version even before it officially hits showrooms on June 26.” In May, the S-Class was once again the world’s best-selling luxury sedan.

In China, Mercedes-Benz posted another sales record in May. At 5,200 units (May 2008: 3,300), vehicle sales were up by 59 percent. As a result, Mercedes-Benz continues to grow fastest. In Brazil, sales of Mercedes-Benz have risen by 39 percent since the beginning of the year, to 1,900 units (January–May 2008: 1,300). Mercedes-Benz continues to surge ahead in Canada as well. In the first five months of the year, the brand posted record sales of 9,400 units (January-May 2008: 8,100), representing an increase of 17 percent. 

	May 2009	% change	January - May 2009	% change
Mercedes-Benz	86,300	-12.1	383,000	-22.3
smart*	11,000	-14.9	50,100	-9.9
Mercedes-Benz Cars	97,300	-12.4	433,100	-21.1
Western Europe	59,000	-6.7	253,700	-22.1
- of which Germany	28,800	+12.2	114,600	-15.3
NAFTA	19,300	-30.5	89,900	-25.7
- of which U.S.	16,300	-33.4	77,400	-28.7
Asia/Pacific	12,900	+7.8	59,700	-5.4
- of which Japan	1,700	-31.8	10,900	-33.5
- of which China	5,500	+67.5	22,900	+39.3

*smart brand sales include the smart roadster and the smart forfour