Mercedes 2013 Annual Report Download - page 79

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C | Combined Management Report | Economic Conditions and Business Development
Business development
Unit sales. As previously forecast in the Annual Report 2012, the
Daimler Group further increased its unit sales in 2013. Sales
of 2.35 million vehicles were 7% higher than in 2012. This growth
was driven by all the automotive divisions: Mercedes-Benz
Cars (+8%), Daimler Trucks (+5%), Mercedes-Benz Vans (+7%)
and Daimler Buses (+5%). Each of those divisions also fulfilled
the forecasts made for it at the beginning of the year.
The Mercedes-Benz Cars division achieved another record
for unit sales in the year under review, selling 1,565,600
vehicles (2012: 1,451,600). As a result of the attractive new
models that we launched in 2013, growth accelerated as
the year progressed. The Mercedes-Benz brand increased its
unit sales by 9% to the new record of 1,467,400 vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz was the most successful premium brand not
only in Germany, but also in the United States and Japan.
Furthermore, we improved our position in many other markets.
In a volatile European market environment, Mercedes-Benz
performed very well, gaining market share in nearly all major
markets. In Western Europe, we surpassed the previous year’s
unit sales by 3% and increased our share of the weak German
market to 10.3% (2012: 10.1%). The development of unit sales
was particularly pleasing in the United States, where we sold
308,900 vehicles – significantly more than ever before. We
achieved considerable growth also in Japan (+22%), India (+27%)
and Brazil (+34%). Our unit sales in China accelerated
especially in the second half of 2013 (+15% in the full year).
Of the Mercedes-Benz model series, growth in unit sales
was especially dynamic for the new compact cars. In 2013,
383,700 customers decided on a model of the A-, B- or
CLA-Class, which is 66% more than in the previous year. Demand
was very strong also for the models of the new E-Class, with
the result that unit sales increased in the year of an extensive
model upgrade by 6% to a total of 332,300 sedans, wagons,
coupes and convertibles. With the SUV models of the M-/R-/
GLK-/GL- and G-Class, unit sales increased to a new record
of 323,300 vehicles (+9%). The C-Class models performed well
in the year before the model change, with sales of 356,700
vehicles (-16%). The new S-Class, which we started delivering
to the first customers in July 2013, had an extremely positive
reception from customers and the trade press. Also in the
year of the model changeover, the S-Class defended its posi-
tion as the world’s best-selling luxury sedan. In total, we
sold 71,400 cars in the S-Class segment in 2013 (2012: 80,700).

C.07
The smart brand performed very well in the last full year
of its product lifecycle, with sales of 98,200 smart fortwo
cars (-7%). E see pages 150 ff
Daimler Trucks was able to slightly increase its unit sales
in a market environment that differed greatly from region
to region in 2013. In total, we shipped 484,200 heavy-, medium-
and light-duty trucks as well as buses of the Thomas Built
Buses and FUSO brands (2012: 462,000); we thus achieved
the highest level of the past seven years and continue to
be the biggest producer of trucks above 6 metric tons gross
vehicle weight with a global reach.

C.08 The key factors
for this success were our extensive product offensive, our com-
prehensive range of modern Euro VI trucks and our global
positioning. The markets behind the growth in unit sales were
above all the countries of Latin America and to a lesser
extent Western Europe, while our unit sales in the NAFTA
region and in Asia were almost stable.
In Western Europe, a significant improvement in the demand
situation became perceptible but not until the second half
of the year. On the one hand, customers ordered Euro V vehicles
before the stricter emission limits came into force in 2014;
on the other hand, customers took advantage of the subsidies
for Euro VI vehicles that were available in some countries.
Daimler Trucks’ unit sales increased by 14% to 65,900 vehicles;
we thus further extended our market leadership in Germany
as well as in Western Europe overall.

C.09
Unit sales structure of Mercedes-Benz Cars
A-/B-/CLA-Class 24%
C-/SLK-Class 23%
E-/CLS-Class 21%
S-/CL-/SL-Class/SLS/Maybach 5%
M-/R-/GLK-/GL-/G-Class 21%
smart 6%
C.07
Western Europe 41%
NAFTA 23%
Asia 25%
Other markets 11%
Unit sales structure of Daimler Trucks
Western Europe 14%
Latin America 12%
NAFTA 28%
Asia 34%
Other markets 12%
C.08