Mercedes-Benz USA Reports Best August Ever; Highest Year-to-Date Sales On Record

MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 4 -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) reported August sales of 18,348 vehicles, making this the best August on record for the company. On a year-to-date basis, August sales pushed the company's volume to 136,212, up 1.2 percent over last year's record-setting pace of 134,619, representing the all-time best year-to-date sales for the first 8 months of any sales year in MBUSA history.

"The new generation E-Class and CLK models -- both of which arrived in showrooms in August -- have met with an overwhelmingly positive reception. We sold 1,844 of the new E-Class models in just over a week on the market -- there's terrific demand for this model line. This is evidence of the increasingly strong momentum MBUSA has had -- and will continue to have -- in this market based on an unmatched product offensive," said Keith May, vice president, sales for MBUSA.

Other highlights for the month included an 8.5 percent increase in August sales for the M-Class (3,793 vs. 3,497) and a 38 percent increase in August sales for the CLK models (1,802 vs. 1,306). Sales of the company's high-end models -- CL, SL and S-Class - as a group were up 6 percent.

Boosted by sales of the new sporty C-Coupe, the sales volume leader for August was the C-Class model line with 6,099 units sold, a 29.7 percent increase over the 4,704 units sold in August 2001, achieving the best August on record for the C-Class. The model line was also the volume leader for year-to-date sales with 44,188 new C-Class models sold, a 44 percent increase over the first eight months of 2001 and another C-Class milestone.

Separately, through its Starmark pre-owned vehicle program, MBUSA recorded sales of 3,807, an increase of 15.8 percent over last August, marking the third-highest month in Starmark history. On a year-to-date basis, Starmark sales increased 17 percent to 29,069 units sold compared to 24,841 year-to-date in 2001.

                              MERCEDES-BENZ USA
                             Sales -- August 2002

    Model               Aug        Aug   Monthly   YTD       YTD     Yearly
                        '02        '01     %       2002      2001       %

    C-CLASS TOTAL      6,099      4,704   29.7%   44,188    30,684    44.0%

    E-CLASS TOTAL      3,169      4,084  -22.4%   21,309    31,225   -31.8%

    S-CLASS TOTAL      1,486      2,497  -40.5%   12,912    17,202   -24.9%

    CL TOTAL             296        363  -18.5%    2,650     2,413     9.8%

    SL TOTAL             768        471   63.1%    8,966     3,424   161.9%

    CLK TOTAL          1,802      1,306   38.0%   11,908    11,574     2.9%

    SLK TOTAL            704      1,326  -46.9%    5,900     8,331   -29.2%

    M-CLASS TOTAL      3,793      3,497    8.5%   26,247    29,766   -11.8%

    G-CLASS              231        n/a     n/a    2,132       n/a      n/a

    GRAND TOTAL       18,348     18,248    0.5%  136,212   134,619     1.2%