Mercedes-Benz sees sales trend rising

With this excellent result, the company maintained its market leader status with a 49% share of the German luxury automobile market in the region.

Despite the softening of sales, Mercedes-Benz reported a rising trend in sales for the first three months of 2009 with January sales of 1,100 and February deliveries of 1,303.

Total Q1 deliveries of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and SUVs was 3,818, down 23% compared to the same period in 2008.

"Although sales have softened, we are seeing more confidence in the market with customers realising that with our value added packages, Mercedes-Benz vehicles still represent great value for money. We expect these addition packages to end in July so there has never been a better time to buy a new Mercedes-Benz vehicle."

said Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East & Levant.

The volume leaders in Q1 were E-Class and S-Class while the surprisingly affordable M-Class continued to improve in popularity with strong take up of the new ML 350 AMG Sports Package model.

Mr. Bernthaler added that he was confident that sales would be strengthened with the introduction of the new E-Class in May and the arrival in Q3 of the new-look S-Class together with the S400, the first luxury hybrid to be available in the region.

Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East & Levant, headquartered in Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is responsible for the sales and marketing for of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the Middle East and Levant.