Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has announced it has sold a record-breaking 9,419 vehicles in 2014, an increase of 17% from the 8,082 units it sold in the year before. The company consistently posted monthly sales upwards of 900 units, while a strong fourth quarter – with sales up a staggering 49% – helped close an impressive year for the Tristar.
Leading the charge were passenger car sales, which rose 29% from 5,388 units in 2013 to 6,932 units last year. Its core group of models, namely the C-, E- and S-Class, saw an 11% growth to 4,575 units, with the S-Class in particular scoring a phenomenal 388% increase to 635 units. The latter can no doubt be attributed to the W222 S 400 L Hybrid, introduced last May with a tax-exempted price of RM587,888.
Meanwhile, sales of Mercedes’ range of small cars, dubbed internally as the New Generation Compact Car (NGCC), jumped nearly 100% to 2,322 units. Last year saw the launch of the CLA- and GLA-Class, joining the existing A- and B-Class.
“This past year has been incredible for Mercedes-Benz Malaysia in every way,” said MBM president and CEO Roland Folger. “We saw record sales, especially in the passenger car segment. We flexed our muscles across the entire product line with the NGCC portfolio and brought customer experience to an all-time high.”
On the commercial vehicles side of things, Mercedes sales increased by 23% to 199 units, driven by fleet deals with Interway Transport, Hexagon Highs Transport and Swift Haulage, among others. Sales of Mitsubishi FUSO vehicles, however, were down 10% to 2,288 units.
Where energy-efficient vehicles (EEV) were concerned, MBM invested a total of RM15 million in its Pekan assembly plant to prepare it for the introduction of the CKD S 400 L Hybrid and E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid, which it said reaffirms its support for Malaysia’s aspirations of becoming an EEV manufacturing hub.
Folger noted that most of its cars technically qualify as EEVs, but the company has yet to conclude talks with the relevant authorities to gain proper certification.
Moving forward, Folger said that MBM was on target to kick off sales of CKD versions of the W205 C-Class sometime around April. He also mentioned that prices of Mercedes models are not likely to change significantly even after the goods and service tax (GST) is implemented on April 1, as the company is working to minimise and offset any increase in cost instead of passing it down to the customer.
Neither is the falling exchange rate expected to affect prices, according to Folger – MBM generally imports its cars and CKD packs from Europe, and the Euro is also dropping in value against the US dollar.
Overall, MBM intends to ensure the best possible experience for its customers in 2015. “As a member of the Daimler group, we will ensure that targets will surpass what we have achieved thus far. With the help of our dealer partners and entire organisation behind us, we believe that this beautifully choreographed series of events in 2014 will lead us to another phenomenal year in 2015,” said Folger.
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Bring in S550 & S63 Coupe
Better buy Toyota, it has best RV. S class is for those who wants to show off but bank account is empty. All rich people driving camry. Just like me.
Toyota car sucks !!!
Rich people don’t come here and talk coock; they are either playing golf, on vacation or humping a mistress.
Camry is best.
Those sorhai who buy car other than sushi are all hopeless one. Better send them to psychology hospital.
mestilah due to the tax exempted S400L Hybrid
last Jun call the sales advisor which is when the price just announced for three weeks
they already said the price for that S400L Hybrid will increase back to 800k+++
for the fxxk sack to introduce this car here?
already sold out so fast and i believes most of them were bought by Government lo…got inside news before the tax exempted price announced!
no winner trying to guess where the 400% growth comes from
Meanwhile… P1 sales decrease year by year
Even Mercedes sell more S class than Proton Iriz. Why? Build quality!
Good car expensive, got people buy.
Bad car sell cheap (not cheap also), no one bother.
Even Proton fanboys also talk east talk west not dare to buy.
But why you bought the black color saga for your 25 years old son who are staying with you? I saw it park outside your cheras apartment.
Don’t talkok like you know me in person. First my son not 25 years old and secondly, junk is not prohibited at home. Junk always attract pests. Disgusting.
U do have a son? Dunno what will he think after he see his father leaving this kind of comment. EVERYDAY
so what? very proud on it?
Bad RV even thought sales increased.
Come on, have a look on honda city. This only call ‘sales’.
City RV superb good.
Sam and Matrix are 2 characters purposely invented in this blog.
By who, we all know.
Sam , i am not sure.
Matrix should be lowyat fnf member.
He always make noise and showoff his city and inspira.
Oh great, lets remove the tax on a super expensive luxury car, and keep tax on honda city and accord that normal people can afford. Because that makes total sense!
the incentive is there or all manufacturers. it is a fact that Japanese makers have more hybrids/eev in their portfolio. they just want to rake more and more profits instead of investing to CKD them like MBM did. FDI that will also help in our local economy and skilled workers.
Syukur Malaysia has many rich people can afford Mercedes.
so economy is getting better… where got fall… terima kasih bn!
bad economy only affect middle n low class income in msia. u can c fr here……
bring Mercedes AMG GT here
Again this supports my claim that the government don’t need to remove the tax. Malaysians are rich, only a few lazy people who complain
At least MBM honest (90%) about their price.
and here i’m just being poor
Well MBM’s record sales will be a one hit wonder…never will they be able to achieve its S-Class sales figure anymore unless the government allows it again.
its fine, they just have the E for this year and probably BlueTec C coming up next.
Complain, complain & complain. The comments are all the same. Lazy bums who always complain because they cannot afford what others can. Hopeless mentality. I’m sure they will respond to my post with plenty of excuses & reasons. This blog has become so lame.
mercedess just thanked me today
MB says no price increase as euro has dropped against US dollar but VW says otherwise. No prizes as to who guess correctly who is lying
The clear prove of income inequality/ widen gap in Malaysia. Malaysia Boleh! So, they now can revealed the numbers of what model sales already? I thought the anti monopoly commission says it is illegal??
maybe putting the figures into table form is illegal…so they wrote it in sentence.
If without meaningless protective tax here, I am sure Malaysian road will flood with all sorts of luxury cars. Even Dubai stand no chance. What a beautiful scene, at least now also not too bad. Especially Fri and Sat night where all sorts of luxury cars flood the street of KL and other posh area.
now you know how important good look factor of a car is esp. to the lower model..388% increase,fuu…
Well, good for Merc…. Congrads..
What economic downturn in Malaysia?
No wonder cars are taxed as is, since sales going sky high,
unlike vw, they wont increase their price cos of euro…in fact…vw should decrease price today
increase 8k and give 12k discount, it has been like that since the whole of 2014