Mercedes 2001 Annual Report Download - page 30

26 Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars & smart
Record sales, revenues and operating profit. The
Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars & smart division in-
creased sales, revenues and operating profit once again
in the year under review. Worldwide, 1,229,700 ve-
hicles were sold (2000: 1,154,900). Revenues increased
9% to €47.7 billion (2000: €43.7 billion). Despite higher
costs associated with the development and launch
of new models and the last full year of the current
E-Class, operating profit adjusted for one-time effects
increased by 3% to €3.0 billion – also a new record.
Success continues at Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-
Benz brand posted a new record in 2001 by selling
1,113,500 vehicles, a 6% increase. The C-Class family
was particularly successful. The series includes the
C-Class sedan, the new version of the station wagon,
and the brand new sports coupe, more than 59,000
units of which have already been delivered since the
vehicle was launched last spring. The excellent perfor-
mance of the C-Class more than offset the lifecycle-
related decline of the E-Class. The A-Class, which under-
went a model update in June and is now also available
in a long-wheelbase version, has done very well in the
market. The M-Class underwent a substantial model
update in the fall of 2001, and unit sales again reached
Another record year for Mercedes-Benz and smart
■Adjusted operating profit adjusted up 3% to €3.0 billion
■New sales record of more than1.2 million units (+6%)
■New SL-Class with pioneering technology
■Growth continues at smart
a high level, despite difficult market conditions in the
US. With a worldwide market share of more than 50%,
the S-Class sedan was once again by far the number-
one vehicle in its segment.
The Mercedes-Benz brand continued to grow in
nearly all markets in 2001. Sales of Mercedes-Benz ve-
hicles in Western Europe rose 6%. In Germany, despite
a weakening market, we nearly equaled our sales level
of the previous year, while further increasing market
share to 11.9% (2000: 11.8%). We sold 206,600 passen-
ger cars in the US, thereby surpassing the record set
in 2000 by 0.5%. In Japan, the success enjoyed by the
new C-Class led to a significant increase in new
registrations of Mercedes-Benz vehicles (+5%). Sales
also developed positively in other regions, particularly
in the emerging markets of Asia and Eastern Europe.
First cycle of the product offensive successfully com-
pleted. The launch of the new SL in the fall of 2001
marked the successful completion of the first cycle of
the product offensive begun in 1993. Sales have more
than doubled since the program was initiated.
Mercedes-Benz now has one of the youngest model
ranges in the premium class, with an average age of
only 2.6 years (excluding the G-Class SUV). Completely
new models which had no predecessor series in 1993
now account for 46% of total unit sales. The A-Class and
M-Class make up 26% of total unit sales.
Operating profit
Operating profit adjusted
Revenues
Investment in property,
plant and equipment
Research and development
Production (units)
Unit sales
Employees (Dec. 31)
Amounts in millions 2000
€
2001
€
2001
US $
2,145
2,874
43,700
2,096
2,241
1,161,601
1,154,861
100,893
2,951
2,961
47,705
2,061
2,402
1,249,951
1,229,688
102,223
2,627
2,636
42,462
1,834
2,138