Record first quarter for Mercedes
For the three months to the end of March, Mercedes-Benz Cars increased its sales by 18% to 459,700 vehicles, achieving its best first quarter in terms of units. Group revenue of €34.2 billion was 16% above the same period last year.
Sales in the UK rose 17%, by 11% in Germany, 14% in the US and 24% in China.
Dieter Zetsche, head of Mercedes, said: “Our growth strategy, our product offensives and our efficiency programmes are paying off. We have already achieved a lot, we look to the future with great confidence, and we aim to achieve even more.”
The company is positive about the trajectory. It said: “In line with the continuation of moderate economic dynamism, worldwide demand for cars is expected to increase by about 3% in 2015. Demand in China, the world’s biggest car market, should grow again significantly and make by far the biggest contribution to global growth.”