Mercedes-Benz USA Records All-Time Best November Sales Up 3.4%

MONTVALE, N.J., Dec. 3 -- Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) reported its all-time best November on record with sales of 19,374 new vehicles, an increase of 7.5 percent over last November's record of 18,014. Year-to-date sales also hit an all-time record with 191,937 units sold, up 2.9 percent over last year's record-setting pace of 186,562.

Sales volume was led by the all-new 2003 E-Class which brought the total for the model line up to 5,511 units sold in November, a 78.4 percent increase over November 2001. On a year-to-date basis, the C-Class model line was the volume leader with 58,429 new C-Class sedans, coupes and wagons sold, a 27.5 percent increase over the same period last year.

"We've established incredible momentum this year with introductions of fun-to-drive vehicles with innovative technology, such as the S-Class with Pre-Safe, 4Matic all-wheel drive on the C-Class and S-Class and of course, the all-new SL," said Keith May, vice president of sales for MBUSA. "These initiatives have positioned Mercedes-Benz USA to finish 2002 with yet another record-breaking year."

Other highlights for the month included major sales gains for the high-end model lines which were boosted by the recent launch of the facelifted S-Class sedan. As a group -- the top-of-the-line CL coupes, SL-roadsters and S-Class sedans -- increased 46 percent for the month (4,035 vs. 2,756) and 12 percent year-to-date (34,840 vs. 31,179) compared with the same periods in 2001.

Separately, through its Starmark pre-owned vehicle program, MBUSA saw a 15.2 percent increase in year-to-date sales (39,743 vs. 34,492). For the month of November, Starmark sales increased 14.5 percent to 3,700 compared to 3,231 in November 2001.

    Model          Nov. '02  Nov. '01  Monthly %  YTD 2002  YTD 2001  Yearly %

    C-CLASS TOTAL     4,715     5,144      -8.3%    58,429    45,809     27.5%

    E-CLASS TOTAL     5,511     3,089      78.4%    36,482    40,102     -9.0%

    S-CLASS TOTAL     2,349     2,181       7.7%    18,746    23,788    -21.2%

    CL TOTAL            360       394      -8.6%     3,527     3,365      4.8%

    SL TOTAL          1,326       181     632.6%    12,567     4,026    212.1%

    CLK TOTAL         1,245     2,183     -43.0%    15,999    17,131     -6.6%

    SLK TOTAL           437       656     -33.4%     7,387    10,654    -30.7%

    M-CLASS TOTAL     3,147     3,969     -20.7%    35,921    41,470    -13.4%

    G-CLASS TOTAL       284       217      30.9%     2,879       217   1226.7%

    GRAND TOTAL      19,374    18,014       7.5%   191,937   186,562      2.9%