Mercedes-Benz Canada reports strong sales performance in November

TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2012 /CNW/ - Mercedes-Benz Canada and its national dealer network reported today that the company has retailed 2,970 Mercedes-Benz and smart units throughout November. This brings overall growth for the group to 7.3% or 2,174 units with a grand total of 32,111 vehicles delivered year-to-date.

A total of 2,413 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and luxury light trucks were sold in November. Mercedes-Benz passenger car and luxury light truck sales show an overall gain of 4.1% or 1,070 units with 27,206 vehicles retailed in 2012.

Passenger car sales totaled 1,297 units for the month. This was fueled by particularly notable E-Class, S-Class and SL-Class sales, and the start of sales for the all-new next generation B-Class.

On the luxury light truck side, a total of 1,116 vehicles were delivered. The new G-Class performed exceptionally well, and sustained demand across the entire SUV range helped propel year-to-date growth to 16.8% with 12,078 units retailed.

The diesel take rate for luxury light trucks was 79.8% for the month, while permanent all-wheel drive 4MATIC™ units accounted for 86.6% of overall passenger car and luxury light truck sales in November (excluding smart).

smart reported a total of 152 vehicles sold. This represents an increase of 17.8% for the month, and helped bring year-to-date growth to 30.8% with 2,187 smart fortwos sold so far in 2012.

The Mercedes-Benz Vans division reported an 88.4% sales increase in November with 405 Sprinter units. A total of 2,718 Sprinters have been retailed year-to-date, which represents a gain of 27.7%.

Mercedes-Benz Pre-Owned sales achieved their best November results ever with 1,018 vehicles retailed. This represents an increase of 5.6% for the month, and brings overall growth to 10.6% or 1,297 units with a total of 13,492 Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benz cars and luxury light trucks delivered.

"We are extremely pleased to officially welcome the first units of the highly anticipated 2013 B-Class to dealerships across Canada, and vehicles will continue to arrive in greater numbers throughout the next few months as we ramp up production," said Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. "In November, we also received further validation of our tremendously coveted product line-up with the M-Class and GL-Class being named the 2013 Auto123.com Luxury Midsize Utility of the Year and Luxury Large Utility of the Year respectively. Our impressive product range combined with attractive offers from our partners at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services continues to position us well as we enter the final month of 2012."

About Mercedes-Benz Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of the four brands within the Mercedes-Benz Group in Canada: Mercedes-Benz, smart, AMG, and Maybach.  Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,300 people in 19 locations across Canada.  Through a nationwide network of 13 Mercedes-Benz owned retail operations and 40 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 32,914 vehicles in 2011, the best year ever reported for Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

SOURCE: Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

For further information:

JoAnne Caza  416-847-7550 joanne.caza@mercedes-benz.ca

Michael Minielly 416-847-7509 michael.minielly@mercedes-benz.ca

Further information from Mercedes-Benz is available on the internet at: www.media.mercedes-benz.ca