Mercedes 2015 Annual Report Download - page 38

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER 43
Daimler Financial Services posted record levels of new business and contract
volume. Meanwhile, we finance or lease nearly half of all the vehicles we sell.
All of this success was made possible by our 284,000 employees and their
untiring efforts. On behalf of the entire Board of Management, I would like to
thank them for their excellent work.
There is every indication that 2016 will also be a good year. Although the
world economy is growing only moderately and there are many challenges
ahead of us, the year is an opportunity for further improvement.
Against this backdrop, the product offensive at Mercedes-Benz enters the next
phase. With the new E-Class, we have already had the year’s most important
premiere. The most intelligent business sedan sets new standards for interior
design and autonomous driving. Another major feature of the year 2016
will be our “Dream Cars.” Spread over the year, we will present a whole range
of highly emotive automobiles. In addition, the products that we launched
in 2015 will have their full market impact this year.
For our commercial vehicles, a special focus in 2016 is the IAA Commercial
Vehicles Show in Hanover, where we will once again demonstrate our
technology leadership in the areas of connectivity, safety and efficiency.
We will also expand our global presence. Last October, the first of six
international regional centers was opened in Dubai. These centers will enhance
our proximity to customers and allow us to fully utilize the potential of
new growth markets in the future. We will also expand our platform strategy.
For example, we will launch our medium-duty engine family also in the
NAFTA region in 2016.