Mercedes-Benz Sets Conservative Sales Goal for New V-Class Minivan

09/11/96

Reuters has reported that Helmut Werner, CEO for Mercedes-Benz AG, said early this week that he expects his company to sell about 16,000 of its new V-class mini-van, annually. Werner told journalists that the company's planning for the minivan has been very conservative.

The V-Class Minivan is based on the Mercedes Vito vehicle and will be built along with the Vito at the carmaker's Spanish plant in Vitoria, which has a capacity of 80,000 vehicles per year.

Werner said Mercedes-Benz has invested about $670.5 million in the new mini-van. The vehicle will debut in the European market on Friday and marks the last new model Mercedes will introduce in 1996. In 1997 Mercedes plans to debut a four-wheel drive vehicle and its new A-class compact.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel