Mercedes 2012 Annual Report Download - page 138

144
New records set for sales and revenue. Mercedes-Benz
Cars, comprising the brands Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and
smart, continued to grow with sales of 1,451,600 vehicles
in the year under review (2011: 1,381,400).

4.01 Revenue
increased by 7% to the new record level of €61.7 billion,
although major markets weakened in the second half of the
year. At €4.4 billion, EBIT was lower than the high figure
recorded in the prior year. This development was primarily due
to extensive investment in the expansion of our production
capacities, high advance expenditure for new vehicles and
technologies, and difficult overall economic conditions –
particularly in the second half of the year.
Fit for Leadership. To ensure we are able to achieve our
targets for growth and margins – even under less favorable
conditions – we have expanded our Mercedes-Benz 2020
growth strategy to include a new central component known as
Fit for Leadership. This program combines existing efficiency
actions and supplements them with additional, newly derived
elements. Our main short-term goal here is to implement
measures that will safeguard our earnings. Of particular impor-
tance, however, is our long-term component for optimizing
our development, production and sales structures. One example
of this optimization is the restructuring of our business activi-
ties in China, where we merged our two existing sales companies
into a single and much more efficient sales organization,
thereby creating the right conditions for further growth. In total,
we intend to achieve a sustainable improvement in our
cost structures of approximately €2 billion as a result of
“Fit for Leadership” by the end of 2014.
Mercedes-Benz remains on course for growth. We set a new
record in 2012 with unit sales of 1,345,800 Mercedes-Benz
brand passenger cars (2011: 1,279,100). This achievement also
enabled us to improve our position in key markets around
the world.

4.02 The S-Class sedans, the M-Class, the CLS,
the SLK and the C-Class coupe are worldwide market leaders
in their categories.
The launch of our new and attractive SUVs led to a 16%
increase in unit sales in that segment to 295,400 vehicles.
Particularly high sales increases were recorded for the
M-Class (+34%) and the updated GLK (+14%). We remained
very successful in the S-Class segment with unit sales of
80,700 vehicles, and we were able to increase our sales in the
C-Class segment by 3% to 425,000 units. Sales in the E-Class
segment declined to 313,600 vehicles (-8%) due to lifecycle-
related factors. Despite the model changeover of the A-Class
Mercedes-Benz Cars
2012 was another record year for Mercedes-Benz Cars. Our figures for unit sales, revenue,
and production volume were at all-time highs. At €4.4 billion, EBIT did not reach the high level
of the prior year. We set standards in the compact-car segment with our sporty new A-Class.
Additional new model highlights in 2012 were the new SL, the CLS Shooting Brake, and the new
GL. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, which we have been offering to customers since June 2012, is
the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in the world. In 2012, we expanded our Mercedes-Benz 2020
growth strategy to include a new key component: Fit for Leadership.
4.01
Mercedes-Benz Cars
2012 2011 12/11
Amounts in millions of euros % change
EBIT 4,389 5,192 -15
Revenue 61,660 57,410 +7
Return on sales (in %) 7.1 9.0 .
Investment in property, plant,
and equipment
3,495
2,724 +28
Research and development
expenditure
thereof capitalized
3,863
1,125
3,733
1,051
+3
+7
Production 1,455,650 1,392,083 +5
Unit sales 1,451,569 1,381,416 +5
Employees (December 31) 98,020 99,091 -1
Unit sales Mercedes-Benz Cars
2012 2011 12/11
In thousands % change
Mercedes-Benz 1,346 1,279 +5
thereof A/B-Class 231 192 +20
C/CLK/SLK-Class 425 412 +3
E/CLS-Class 314 340 -8
S/CL/SL-Class/
SLR/SLS/Maybach
81
81 +0
M/R/GLK/GL/
G-Class
295
254 +16
smart 106 100 +6
Mercedes-Benz Cars 1,452 1,381 +5
thereof Western Europe 631 625 +1
thereof Germany 290 291 -0
NAFTA 342 288 +19
thereof United States 300 250 +20
China 208 223 -7
Japan 45 32 +37
4.02