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Mercedes-Benz Records Highest C-Class Sales in its History

3 June 1998

Mercedes-Benz Records Highest C-Class Sales in its History; Full Line Sales Up 66 Percent Year-to-Date; Sales for the Month Up 60 Percent

    MONTVALE, N.J., June 3 -- Mercedes-Benz of North America,
Inc. (MBNA) and its 320 dealer partners across America continued 1998's
record-breaking momentum with May sales of 15,647 vehicles, an increase of
60.3 percent over May 1997 (9,759).  Year-to-date sales are also at an
all-time high with a total of 72,330 vehicles sold during the first five
months, a 65.8 percent increase over the 43,629 vehicles sold during the same
period last year.  Additionally, all model lines are ahead of last year on a
year-to-date basis.
    Leading the sales volume for the month was the E-Class with sales of
4,167 (vs. 4,280) followed by the C-Class which recorded the highest sales
volume in its history with sales of 3,617 (vs. 2,912), up 24.2 percent.  Sales
of the premium S-Class sedans and CL coupes increased 17.9 percent to
1,514 (vs. 1,284).  SL roadsters sales were 662, down 11.4 percent from the
747 sold last year.
    New-for-1998 models continued to reflect high demand: the new ML320 sport
utility vehicle posted sales of 4,016; and the CLK320 coupe recorded sales of
678 vehicles.  The SLK roadster showed the largest gain in May with an
increase of 85.3 percent (993 vs. 536) compared to the same month last year.
    On a year-to-date basis, the C-Class jumped to 16,444 (vs. 12,410): the
E-Class climbed to 19,554 vehicles (vs. 19,081); the S-Class sedans and
CL coupes increased to 7,011 (vs. 6,416) and the SL roadsters to
3,494 (vs. 3,154).  SLK sales for the year continued strong at 4,421
(vs. 2,568) while year-to-date sales of the new M-Class and CLK came in at
18,466 and 2,940 respectively.