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May Sales of 16,663 Sets All-Time Sales Record for Mercedes-Benz USA

3 June 1999

May Sales of 16,663 Sets All-Time Sales Record for Mercedes-Benz USA

        Best Month on Record and Highest Year-To-Date Ever Set Pace for
                             Record-Breaking Year

    MONTVALE, N.J., June 2 -- Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc. set another
all-time sales record with 16,663 new vehicles sold during the month of May --
a 6.5 percent increase over the 15,647 vehicles sold in May 1998 and the
highest month in the company's history.  May sales supersede the previous
all-time monthly high which was set last October when Mercedes posted
16,477 vehicles.  MBUSA also recorded the strongest year-to-date sales in its
history with a total of 73,379 vehicles sold during the first five months of
1999, a 1.5 percent increase over the 72,330 vehicles sold during the same
period last year.
    Another record was set by the SLK roadster -- which took the market by
storm when it debuted  in January 1997  --  as it continues to show unabated
demand, posting its best month ever with sales of 1,186 (vs.993), up
19.4 percent.
    Sales for May were led by the E-Class which continues its longtime role as
MBUSA's volume-leading model line with sales  of 4,654, an increase of
11.7 percent over the 4,167 vehicles sold in May 1998.   M-Class sales were
the highest so far this year with 3,354  vehicles sold ( vs. 4,016).
    The S-Class, MBUSA's flagship model line, continues to exhibit strong
momentum following the launch of the all-new MY 2000 sedan in March of this
year with sales of 2,538 vehicles, an increase of 67.6 percent over the
1,514 vehicles sold in May of last year.
    C-Class sales totaled 2,900, down 19.8 percent (vs. 3,617).  The legendary
SL coupe/roadster recorded a 12.1 percent increase with sales of 742 (vs. 662)
for the month.  The ever-popular CLK coupes and cabriolet posted a 90 percent
gain with sales of 1,289 versus 678 last May.
    On a year-to-date basis, the strongest gain was recorded by the CLK which
jumped 112.3 percent to 6,241 (vs. 2,940).  The S-Class model line also posted
a strong five-month performance with an increase of 36.2 percent (9,552 vs.
7,011).  Sales of the SLK increased 12.3 percent to 4,965 (vs. 4,421) while
E-Class sales increased 5.9 percent to 20,703 (vs. 19,554).
    Temporarily trailing last year on a year to date basis were the C-Class
(12,450 versus 16,444), the M-Class (16,064 vs. 18,466), and the SL
(3,404 vs. 3,494).
    According to Mike Jackson, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, "In
breaking all of our sales records, we have reconfirmed the enormous momentum
which we have in the marketplace on the strength of our products and our
retail network.   While we have encountered -- and may still encounter --
temporary challenges based on availability, we fully expect all model lines to
finish ahead by the end of the year enabling us to set yet another record in
this market."