In July; It Figures for Mercedes-Benz

MULGRAVE, AUSTRALIA – Aug 5, 2010: July 2010 was another strong month for Mercedes-Benz with it’s vehicle sales in Australia performing strongly across the prestige and luxury segments the brand competes in.

The Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Mr Horst Von Sanden said

“The success of the Stereo (un)typical B-Class lead the Small >$40K class in July and cemented its very strong third place YTD.

In a segment that includes everything from small hatchbacks in both three and five door variants to mini estates, the B-Class is unique in offering a range of models that all offer true five passenger space and comfort and room for not just their luggage but even mountain bikes. We believe that the B-Class Sports Tourer offers a compelling mix of versatility, prestige, variants and value that buyers have realised is a unique offering in the segment.

In July the C-Class again led the segment with more than one in three buyers opting for this Wheels Car Of The Year vehicle. The new generation CGI petrol engines and our price value strategy are delivering to our customers what we believe is the best mix of dynamism, luxury, safety and style that discerning buyers clearly recognise as the class leader. Our C-Class Estate had its second best month ever in Australia and it is well on track to have its best ever year.

The all new E-Class in July held its commanding market share despite strong performances from its competitors and with more than a 50% market share year to date the challenge for us continues to be securing adequate supply form the factory.

In the Sports >$80K the all new E-Class Coupe and Cabrio are chosen by one in four buyers and continue to lead the segment YTD with a 25% share.

In the Upper Large >$100K the S-Class and its nearest competitor are locked in a battle for leadership with only three vehicles separating them YTD. Our S-Class volume is up year on year with a revised S-Class on the way we expect the

market share battle to continue right thought the remainder of 2010 and continuing into 2011.

In the SUV Luxury segment our updated 7-seat GL-Class models are now reaching showrooms in the quantities we would like and the performance YTD of our “Gentle Giant” continues to build its presence in this small but influential niche.

The ML-Class is continuing its year on year growth (38.5%) and we are convinced that the specification and value offered by the ML is clearly hitting a chord with customers seeking a large five seat SUV.

We have been running out the current edition of the R-Class Sports Tourer in preparation for the comprehensively updated new R-Class which will start being delivered by the end of August.