Mercedes 2015 Annual Report Download - page 147

154 B | COMBINED MANAGEMENT REPORT | OUTLOOK
Unit sales
Mercedes-Benz Cars will continue its “Mercedes-Benz 2020”
growth strategy in 2016. Overall, we intend to significantly
increase our unit sales and thus reach a new record level. This
is based on our very attractive and young model portfolio,
which we will expand with some additional new products. The
diversity of models is greater than ever before and the
attractiveness of the Mercedes-Benz brand has been signifi-
cantly enhanced. This allows us to continually establish new
concepts for individual customer communication, and thus to
address new markets and younger target groups. In line with
its “Best Customer Experience” sales and marketing strategy,
Mercedes-Benz is focusing even more on the wishes and
requirements of women. The new, holistic initiative is centered
on the “She’s Mercedes” inspiration platform.
Our new models will supply major growth impetus also in the
year 2016. In 2015, the “year of the SUVS,” the Mercedes-Benz
brand renewed almost its full range of SUVs with four new or
upgraded models. In March 2016, the new generation of the
luxurious GLS SUV will be in the showrooms as the successor
to the GL. We anticipate additional growth impetus from the
new E-Class in 2016. Mercedes-Benz is taking a further step
along the way to accident-free and autonomous driving with
the world’s most intelligent business sedan. And our new
dream cars such as the C-Class coupe and the S-Class con-
vertible, as well as the new SL and SLC generations, will also
contribute towards the ongoing success of the Mercedes-Benz
brand. Furthermore, we will launch some more plug-in hybrid
models in 2016, which combine outstanding driving performance
with the fuel consumption of a small car. Vehicles with plug-in
hybrid technology are an important component of our strategy
for emission-free driving. For this reason, we will successively
increase the number of models with plug-in hybrid drive systems
in the coming months. In 2017, a total of ten Mercedes-Benz
plug-in hybrid models will be on the market.
We expect significant growth in unit sales also from the smart
brand in 2016. This will be assisted by the new smart fortwo
convertible, which had its world premiere at last year’s Frank-
furt Motor Show. Delivery of the first cars of this model will
start in March 2016. And in the summer, the new BRABUS
models of the fortwo and forfour with a sporty profile and
more powerful engines will be in the showrooms.
From a regional perspective, we expect the Asian markets to be
particularly strong growth drivers of our growth in unit sales
in 2016. In the year 2015, China was for the first time the biggest
sales market for Mercedes-Benz. Following strong growth of
41% in 2015, we intend to expand further in 2016, above all with
the models that we produce locally. But our growth rate in
China will be more moderate this year. Last year, we expanded
the dealer network to approximately 500 dealerships. Our
local production capacities were also expanded. In addition to
the C- and E-Class, production of two SUV models (the GLA
and the GLC) started in 2015. We will achieve further growth with
our new models also in North America, and we intend to profit
to an above-average degree from the ongoing revival of demand
expected for Western Europe.
Daimler Trucks anticipates unit sales in 2016 at the level of
the previous year. We expect to sell slightly more vehicles
in Western Europe than in 2015. In Turkey, however, a significant
decrease in unit sales is likely, mainly due to purchases
brought forward to 2015 because of the Euro VI emissions
standard that came into effect also in Turkey at the beginning
of 2016.
In Brazil, we anticipate a further drop in vehicle deliveries
following last year’s market slump. The lack of economic growth
and unfavorable financing conditions are likely to impact
our business also in 2016. For the sustained strengthening
of Daimler Trucks’ competitiveness in Brazil, we will invest
approximately €500 million by 2018 in tailored products, inno-
vative technologies and the optimization of our production
network.
In the NAFTA region, we expect unit sales below the high level
of the previous year in a contracting market. With our modern
product range in combination with the strong components
of our Detroit brand, we can ideally satisfy our customers’
requirements and safeguard our market leadership. We
assume, that we will increase the proportion of our own engines
and transmissions installed in the trucks sold.
In Japan and Indonesia, unit sales are likely to be of the same
magnitude as in 2015. In India, we should increase our unit
sales with our very well-positioned product portfolio. And we
will generate additional unit sales in Asia and Africa with
the expanded range of FUSO vehicles produced in India.
Mercedes-Benz Vans plans to achieve significant growth in
unit sales in 2016. We anticipate significant increases in
sales of vans in Europe, our core market. In the context of our
strategy for the division, “Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global,”
we launched the Vito also in North America and Latin America
in 2015. This will stimulate additional demand in those markets
also in 2016. And we aim to achieve additional growth with the
Sprinter, which we will produce also in North America in the
future. Furthermore, we will launch the V-Class multipurpose
vehicle and the Vito commercial van in China, thus expanding
our presence in the market segments we address there.
Daimler Buses assumes that it will be able to defend its
market leadership in its core markets for buses above 8 tons
with innovative and high-quality new products. For the year
2016, we anticipate total unit sales at the prior-year level. This
is based on the assumption of moderate growth in unit sales
in Europe. Following the significant decrease in Brazil in 2015,
we expect another fall in unit sales in 2016. An ongoing
positive development of unit sales is expected in Mexico.