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Mercedes-Benz USA Sales Increase 11.8 Percent in August

1 September 1999

Mercedes-Benz USA Sales Increase 11.8 Percent in August; Best August Sales Ever; Best Eight Months Sales Record

    MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 1 -- Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc. continued
its record-setting momentum in August with 14,516 new vehicles sold, an
11.8 percent increase over the 12,983 vehicles sold in August 1998, making it
the best August ever for the company.
    Year-to-date sales surged to an all-time high of 120,966 for the first
eight months of the year, a 9.2 percent increase over the 110,757 vehicles
sold during the same period last year, making it the best eight month
year-to-date total ever.
    Sales for the month were led by the award-winning M-Class, which recorded
3,897 vehicles, an increase of 11 percent over the 3,512 vehicles sold during
the same period last year.  Trailing closely behind the M-Class, the E-Class
recorded sales of 3,439 (vs. 3,863).  The all-new model year 2000 S-Class,
MBUSA's flagship model line, continues its record-setting momentum with
2,303 vehicles sold, an increase of 76.2 percent over the 1,307 vehicles sold
in August 1998.  S-Class sales represent the best August on record for the
model line.
    C-Class sales for the month came in at 2,614, a slight decrease of
1.4 percent (vs. 2,652).  The legendary SL coupe/roadster recorded an
impressive 167.3 percent increase with sales of 572 (vs. 214).  The
ever-popular CLK coupes and cabriolets posted a 126 percent gain (938 vs. 415
last August), while the SLK roadster recorded sales of 753 (vs. 1,020).
    On a year-to-date basis, the strongest gain was recorded by the CLK, which
jumped 128.5 percent to 9,583 (vs. 4,194).  The S-Class also increased its
eight-month performance significantly with an increase of 56.3 percent
(17,528 vs. 11,216), while sales of the E-Class increased 7 percent to
32,838 (vs. 30,707).  Sales of the SLK increased 13 percent to
7,878 (vs. 6,974).  SL-Class sales increased 10 percent to 5,353 (vs. 4,868).
Year-to-date totals through August of the E-Class, S-Class, CLK and SLK are
the highest on record.
    Temporarily trailing on a year-to-date basis were the C-Class (20,577 vs.
24,227) and the M-Class (27,209 vs. 28,571).
    Through its Starmark pre-owned vehicle program, Mercedes-Benz recorded
sales of 2,093, an increase of 146.5 percent compared to August 1998 sales of
849 pre-owned vehicles.  On a year-to-date basis, Starmark increased
200 percent to 15,360 (vs. 5,122 in August 1998).