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Mercedes-Benz USA Sales Jump Nearly 62 Percent in July

4 August 1999

Mercedes-Benz USA Sales Jump Nearly 62 Percent in July MBUSA Breaks 100,000 Units in July; July Sales 2nd Highest Month on Record

    MONTVALE, N.J., Aug. 3 -- Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc. (MBUSA),
after posting the best half-year sales result in the company's history last
month, continued its record-setting momentum in July by achieving yet another
year-to-date performance milestone as well as recording the second highest
month in its history.
    The 16,654 new vehicles sold during the month of July represent a
61.5 percent increase over the 10,310 sold in July 1998 making it the best
July ever for the company and the second highest month overall (following May
1999).  All model lines posted increases for the month.
    Year-to-date sales surged to an all-time high of 106,450 for the first
seven months of the year, an 8.9 percent increase over the 97,774 vehicles
sold during the same period last year.  MBUSA reached sales of 100,000 on
July 28, 15 days earlier than in 1998 (the year in which MBUSA posted its
highest annual sales volume in the U.S.).
    Sales for July were led by the E-Class, which continues its longtime role
as MBUSA's volume-leading model line with sales of 4,398,  an increase of
41.7 percent over the 3,104 vehicles sold in July 1998.  Trailing closely
behind the E-Class, M-Class sales rebounded by 60.6 percent (4,008 vs. 2,495)
reflecting increased availability.  The S-Class, MBUSA's flagship model line,
continues to show unflagging momentum following the launch of the all-new
MY2000 sedan in March of this year with sales of 2,699, an increase of
79.2 percent over the 1,506 vehicles sold in July 1998.  S-Class July sales
represent the best July on record for the model line.
    C-Class sales also represent the best July on record with 2,767 vehicles
sold, an increase of 41.8 (vs. 1,952).  The legendary SL coupe/roadster
recorded a 37.8 percent increase with sales of 660 (vs. 479) for the month.
The ever-popular CLK coupes and cabriolet posted a 434.5 percent gain
(1,069 versus 200 last July) while the SLK roadster rose to 1,053, an increase
of 83.5 percent versus 574 last year (making this the strongest July for both
model lines).
    On a year-to-date basis, the strongest gain was recorded by the CLK, which
jumped 128.8 percent to 8,645 (vs. 3,779).  The S-Class model line also
boosted its seven-month performance dramatically with an increase of
53.6 percent (15,225 vs. 9,909).  Sales of the SLK increased 19.6 percent to
7,125 (vs. 5,954) while E-Class sales increased 9.5 percent to 29,399 (vs.
26,844).  SL-Class sales increased 2.7 percent to 4,781 (vs. 4,654).  Year-to-
date totals through July of the E-Class, S-Class, CLK and SLK are the highest
on record.
    Temporarily trailing last year on a year-to-date basis were the C-Class
(17,963 versus 21,575) and the M-Class (23,312 versus 25,059).
    Through its Starmark pre-owned vehicle program, Mercedes-Benz recorded
sales of 2,138, an increase of 14.5 percent compared to July 1998 sales of
874 pre-owned vehicles.  On a year-to-date basis, Starmark sales increased
over 200 percent to 13,309 (vs. 4,271 in 1998).