It shows its commitment as well to the China market. In the words of Ulrich Walker, chairman and chief executive officer of Daimler Northeast Asia: "We finished 2010 with the most successful performance so far, for Daimler Northeast Asia as a whole, for Daimler in China, and for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car in China as well."
Walker added that, "We are confident we'll have profitable and sustainable growth in the coming years in China, which will be our biggest market by 2015."
The German premium vehicle provider saw a 75 percent year-on-year sales increase in the first quarter of 2011, in the North Asia region, with strong growth in each region, especially China.
The passenger car division also saw a steady growth for the same period.
"Yet again, we've proved to be the fastest-growing premium carmaker in China, entering the fourth consecutive year with impressive sales of more than 43,990 units in the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of 86 percent," said Klaus Maier, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd.
"We're the first and only carmaker that has brought our whole product portfolio to the China market, and we'll continue to expand and upgrade our line-up and introduce new models here to suit the requirements and needs of our customers."
Daimler, the only automaker with businesses covering all of China's auto segments, is celebrating its 125th anniversary as the inventor of the automobile. And it is bringing an exciting line-up to the Shanghai show in its most important market, with 40 passenger car models from its four brands - Mercedes-Benz, smart, AMG and Maybach, and two vans and six trucks. These will be displayed on a vast 3,000-square-meter area for the passenger cars and an 800-square-meter area for the commercial vehicles.
"We believe the strong partnership with our local joint venture partners and our further investment of 3 billion euros, over the next five years, will help us achieve our goal of making China our top market, with sales of 300,000 vehicles by 2015,"Walker said.
"We will continue to bring Chinese consumers more of our latest products to make their mobility easier, more comfortable, and convenient."
Daimler has had one world premiere, six Asia premieres, and three China launches in its passenger car sector, two China launches in the MPV sector, and one Asia debut for its truck model. And it plans to shows its auto design and innovative technology leadership at the week-long Shanghai auto show, as it looks to the automobile of the future for zero-emission mobility, while ensuring its trademark of unparalleled safety, comfort, and quality performance.
Carl Benz, one of the company's founding fathers, was quoted as saying, "The passion for invention never dies," and this is a principle Daimler still lives by.
But what exactly does Daimler have in store for the Chinese?
There has been a lot of hype about the premiere of the Concept A-Class, and a lot of buzz online, with some information and pictures already having been leaked to the net.
According to the company, the Concept A-Class is a glimpse of the future, with the latest design and technology innovations, a car that will usher in a new compact class era.
Mercedes-Benz is presenting a car that might have come from another planet, with its design symbolizing a concentrated dynamism.
Technologically speaking, the Concept A-Class has exciting features - a front-wheel drive vehicle equipped with Mercedes-Benz's trademark BlueEFFICIENCY technology.
The new CLS Sports Sedan, making its premiere in Asia at the Shanghai show, is another highly anticipated model.
This model benefits from the fact that Mercedes-Benz, as the inventor of this segment, is a whole generation ahead of the field: it has a fascinating design, lightweight construction, sporty suspension, more powerful and efficient engine, and advanced safety features.
Also making its Asia premiere is the completely new Mercedes SLK roadster. The SLK will tempt customers with attributes that characterize all the classic Mercedes-Benz roadsters and that have made many of them automotive icons.
The new generation of the C-Class sedan and estate, having their Asia premiere at the auto show, are completely redesigned inside and out for a comprehensive, sporty look, with an exciting design, dynamic driving, and the highest safety level.
The locally-produced C-Class is now one of the best-selling Mercedes-Benz models in China, The Beijing Benz Automotive Co had sales of over 50,000 units in 2010.
The new generation C-Class sedan will also be locally produced, so the three-pointed star will offer China's young elite an even more exciting lifestyle.
The show has 11 smart models on display, and US basketball star Kobe Bryant has been appointed the new smart brand ambassador for China, for the "Big, in the city" campaign.
Smart has become an increasingly popular choice for urbanites, thanks to its unique design, outstanding safety standards, and eco-friendly technologies.
The smart forspeed concept will see its Asian premiere at the show. This two-seater concept car is a fun, contemporary solution to the urban mobility problems of the future.
It was specifically designed for the China market to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, and the limited edition smart "Rabbit" will make its first appearance at the show.
The upgraded Mercedes-Benz S-Class will also be launched at the show. The new S 350 L, S 350 L 4MATIC, and S 500 L 4MATIC, all equipped with the new BlueDIRECT engine, provide more power while contributing to environmental protection.
"We are proud that, with a 60-year heritage as Mercedes-Benz's flagship model, the S-Class is still a top choice among China's elite," said Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd's Maier.
"We will continue to bring Chinese consumers our latest technologies and products to enrich their driving and seating experience."
Another highlight of the show will be the innovative B-Class F-CELL car, which has just come to Shanghai on the Asian leg of the F-CELL World Drive. This unprecedented, round-the-world tour is part of Mercedes-Benz's 125-year anniversary celebrations.
These fuel cell powered electric cars have already covered 16,000 emission-free kilometers (out of a total of 30,000 kilometers), in 125 days, and are demonstrating that they can cover long distances reliably and safely in a wide variety of road and climatic conditions.
The B-Class F-CELL proves that Mercedes-Benz already has a mature vehicle for zero-emission mobility. Its range of around 400 kilometers and short refueling times, put the car on a par with a 2.0-litre petrol car, thanks to its 100-kW/136-hp electric motor.
Other models on display include the SUV family, high-performance AMG models, particularly the SLS AMG, and the ultra luxurious Maybach.
On Monday, Daimler's MPV joint venture Fujian Daimler Automotive Co, Ltd also officially launched its Viano and new Vito van for the China market.
This will lift the position of Mercedes-Benz's MPV brand beyond the luxury segment.
Daimler is a leader in China's imported truck segment, with a 65-percent market share, and has six of its star trucks at its booth on the 800-square-meter area so the three-pointed star will shine even more at the Shanghai auto show.
All in all, the show is set to be an exciting experience. With all the latest technological innovations and designs on display, the automaker is proving that it still has a passion for inventing the automobile of tomorrow.
And, it will be interesting to see what the three-pointed star can come up with in the future.
Source link: http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news18644.html
No comments:
Post a Comment