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Mercedes-Benz USA Reports August Sales of 18,110 New Vehicles

4 September 2000

Mercedes-Benz USA Reports All-Time Best August on Record With Sales of 18,110 New Vehicles

         MBUSA Year-to-Date Sales Up 10.6 Percent to 133,800 Vehicles

    MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 1 Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) reported
its all-time best August on record and the third-best month ever in MBUSA's
history with sales of 18,110 vehicles during August 2000, up 24.8 percent from
the August 1999 sales record of 14,516.  On a year-to-date basis, the company
recorded a 10.6 percent increase to 133,800 vehicles, versus 120,966 sales
during the comparable period last year.
    Volume for the month was led by the E-Class with a boost from the newly
introduced 2001 model year vehicles.  August sales of 5,326 (up 54.9 percent
versus August 1999's 3,439) established a new all-time E-Class sales record
since its November 1995 series launch.  Year-to-date, E-Class sales are
virtually even with 1999's record sales level (32,928 vs. 32,838).
    Following a string of record sales months, August SLK-Class sales of 1,376
units represent an 82.7 percent increase over August 1999 (753 units) making
this the best August ever for the SLK-Class.  The powerful new SLK320 followed
July's all-time record by posting another all-time sales record in August with
771 units sold.  Year-to-date SLK-Class sales of 9,374 are 19 percent ahead of
1999's 7,878.
    With the launch of the all-new C-Class coming in mid-September, the
current C-Class sales of 2,532 for the month were virtually even
(-3.1 percent) with August 1999.  Year-to-date sales of 20,924 are 1.7 percent
ahead of last year's 20,577.
    The M-Class sport utility vehicle established a new August sales record of
4,073, an increase of 4.5 percent from the 3,897 vehicles sold during the same
month last year.  Year-to-date M-Class sales of 33,049 units have increased
21.5 percent versus 1999's sales of 27,209 units.
S-Class sales of 3,013 represented the best August ever and a 30.9 percent
increase over 1999.  Year-to-date sales are up 13.1 percent over last year
(19,787 versus 17,528).  The all-new V12-powered S600 model posted 137 sales
in its first full-month on the market.  The all-new flagship CL-Class
continues its strong momentum, recording 170 sales in its ninth month on the
market.
    SL-Class sales of 572 units were exactly even with sales in August 1999.
With the best August ever, CLK-Class coupes and Cabriolets totaled 1,048 cars
(versus 938 in August 1999), up 11.7 percent.  Year-to-date sales of the
ever-popular CLK-Class family of vehicles are up 31.9 percent (12,640 compared
to 1999's 9,583).
    Separately, through its Starmark certified pre-owned vehicle program,
MBUSA recorded sales of 2,574 for the month, an increase of 23 percent
compared to August 1999 sales of 2,093 vehicles.  On a year-to-date basis,
Starmark sales increased 29.8 percent to a total of 19,998 (vs. 15,402 in
August 1999).