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Mercedes-Benz Starts 2000 with January Sales Record

2 February 2000

Mercedes-Benz Starts 2000 with January Sales Record; Sales of 13,647 Best January Ever for Mercedes-Benz

    MONTVALE, N.J., Feb. 1 -- Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc. (MBUSA)
reported sales of 13,647 new vehicles during the month of January 2000, an
11.6 percent increase over last year's January 1999 sales record of 12,225.
This represents the highest January sales volume ever by MBUSA and follows the
all-time best month ever for the company in December (with sales of
19,118 new vehicles).  January sales also represent the ninth consecutive
month where MBUSA has posted year-over-year sales gains.
    Sales for the month were led by the award-winning M-Class which recorded
its highest January ever with 3,847, up 34.8 percent (vs. 2,854).  The M-Class
reached 100,000 total sales in January, less than two and one-half years after
launch (September 1997).  Trailing closely behind the M-Class, the E-Class
posted sales of 3,614, a slight decrease of 0.8 percent from 3,643 vehicles
sold during the same month last year.   C-Class sales recorded 1,883 units, a
3.6 percent increase from 1,817 in 1999.  The S-Class, MBUSA's flagship model
line, also achieved a record month as sales increased 50.4 percent to
1,888 (vs. 1,255).  The all-new CL500, which debuted in December, posted
64 units for the month. The SL-Class finished the month with 403 units sold, a
decrease of 25.1 percent (vs.538).  The CLK model line established a January
sales record for the month with 1,479 units, an increase of 9.7 percent (vs.
1,348).  The SLK showed a decrease of 39.1 percent to 469 (vs. 770).
     Separately, through its Starmark pre-owned vehicle program, MBUSA
recorded sales of 2,101, an increase of 30 percent compared to January
1999 sales of 1,616 vehicles.