Stuttgart – In the first quarter of 2008, the Mercedes-Benz Cars division delivered more Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles than during the first three months of any previous year. A total of 318,700 customers worldwide opted for a model from one of the four brands during the first quarter of the year (Q1 2007: 286,800), which corresponds to an increase of 11 percent. March sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars were up four percent to 131,500 units (March 2007: 127,000).

Deliveries of Mercedes-Benz brand models over the first three months of the year rose six percent to 289,700 units, exceeding the record 274,400 vehicles delivered in the first quarter of 2007. The Mercedes-Benz brand sold 119,400 vehicles last month (March 2007:122,900). Taking into consideration the fewer working days of last month (compared to March 2007) Mercedes-Benz also posted a sales increase of 13 percent in March 2008.

The new C-Class continues its success story one year after its official market launch: the station wagon model introduced in December has generated the same outstanding response from customers as has the C-Class sedan. Record demand for the C-Class pushed sales of the sedan and station wagon up by 88 percent, to 38,700 units in March (March 2007: 20,600).

The smart fortwo also continues to perform extremely well: record deliveries in March helped to triple sales to 12,100 units, an increase of 245 percent from the 3,500 units sold in March 2007.

The Mercedes-Benz brand posted sales growth in all regions around the globe in the first quarter. Deliveries in Western Europe (including Germany) rose three percent to 165,400 units (Q1 2007: 159,900), while deliveries to Western Europe outside of Germany increased seven percent to the record level of 97,600 units (Q1 2007: 90,900), where double-digit growth was posted in Italy and Spain. Sales of 67,800 vehicles in Germany over the first three months of the year were slightly lower than the 69,000 units sold in the first quarter of 2007.

Mercedes-Benz brand sales in the U.S. continue to be driven by the strong performance of the C-Class sedan and the continued success of SUV models in the first quarter of 2008, rising three percent to the record level of 57,600 units (Q1 2007: 56,000). Mercedes-Benz also posted a new sales record in the Asia/Pacific region with deliveries increasing by 13 percent to 38,600 units (Q1 2007: 34,200).

In addition, the brand’s positive development in key growth markets has continued into 2008, with 3,500 deliveries in China in Mach - doubling sales of March 2007 (1,800 units). In addition, a total of 1,800 Mercedes-Benz models were sold in Russia last month, an increase of 78 percent from the 1,000 units sold in March 2007. Sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in India have increased by 80 percent since the beginning of the year to 1,000 units (Q1 2007: 600).

* March 2008:19 working days (March 2007: 22 working days)
** smart brand sales include the smart roadster and smart forfour