WORLDWIDE SALES APRIL - MERCEDES/SMART - More growth from both brands in all regions.

• Mercedes-Benz increases unit sales by 11.3% to - 148,072 vehicles in April.
• Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales: "We began the second quarter with double-digit sales growth. In the course of the year, we plan to keep that momentum going with a stream of new products including four new or revised SUVs. In addition, we recently showed the Concept GLC Coupé, which will go into series production in 2016, at the auto show in Shanghai."
• Double-digit growth in the biggest sales markets: China (+20.6%), USA (+12.8%)
• Top sellers in April: C-Class Saloon and Estate (+53.8%)

Mercedes-Benz has been setting new sales records month for month for more than two years. In April, the brand with the star posted a new opening record for the second quarter: Overall, 148,072 customers picked up their new Mercedes-Benz (+11.3%).

"We began the second quarter with double-digit sales growth," said Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. "In the course of the year, we plan to keep that momentum going with a stream of new products including four new or revised SUVs. In addition, we recently showed the Concept GLC Coupé, which will go into series production in 2016, at the auto show in Shanghai," continues Källenius.

In Europe, 251,268 vehicles have been handed over to customers since the beginning of the year (+12.0%), of which 83,339 models went to Germany (+3.6%). In Great Britain, 50,196 customers opted for a Mercedes-Benz in the first four months of the year (+19.1%) - more than ever before. Since the beginning of the year, demand increased particularly strong in Spain (+33.4%), Portugal (+32.5%), Sweden (+19.7%), and Belgium (+15.7%).

In the NAFTA region, Mercedes-Benz posted sales records in all three countries in April. In the USA, 29,188 vehicles were sold (+12.8%). Mercedes-Benz achieved the market leadership among the premium manufacturers in the USA and Canada in April. Canada saw a sales increase of 28.6%, and Mexico posted growth of 29.7%. Overall, 33,668 customers were happy to receive their new Mercedes-Benz in the countries of the NAFTA region (+14.6%).

A sales record was also posted in the Asia-Pacific region with 45,034 vehicles sold in April (+23.3%). In China, where the local production of the GLA started last month, 27,069 customers opted for a Mercedes-Benz. The record could be achieved due to a sales increase of 20.6% compared to the same month of the previous year. In Japan (+37.5%) and Australia (+16.2%), Mercedes-Benz is the market leader among the premium manufacturers in April. In the emerging market of India, a new sales record was posted for the third consecutive time. There, Mercedes-Benz started into the second quarter with a sales increase of 49.1%.

One year after the market launch of the GLA, it has made a significant contribution to the record sales of the compact cars of Mercedes-Benz in April. Last month, 45,016 customers opted for a compact car (+22.9%). The latest member of the compact car family, the CLA Shooting Brake, met with an excellent customer response in the first month after its launch.

In April, sales of the C-Class remained at the same high level as in the previous months: Sales rose by 53.8% to 32,809 units of the C-Class Saloon and Estate. Thus, the two models are the top sellers of the month.

The best-selling luxury saloon in the world, the S-Class, achieved a new sales record in April with 8,736 units sold (+6.4%). Since the beginning of the year, 34,585 S-Class Saloons have been delivered to customers.

The SUVs of Mercedes-Benz continue to enjoy great popularity. In the first four months of the year, 147,708 SUVs and thus 29.4% more vehicles were handed over to customers than in the same period of the previous year. The G-Class and the GLK achieved new records.

In April, the majority of smart fortwo and smart forfour went to customers in Germany and Italy, where sales increased by more than 50%. Worldwide 10,949 smart models were sold. Thus, 30.5% more city runabouts were handed over to customers in April than in the same month of the previous year.

Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars