Wednesday, October 19, 2016

MERCEDES-BENZ MALAYSIA 3RD Quarter 2016 Performance Report - On the way to another record year with 9,047 cars delivered between January-September 2016


 Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) is on the way to another record year in terms of sales and growth. The Mercedes-Benz brand is still the number one premium automotive brand in Malaysia with 10% growth and 9,047 cars delivered to customers in the first nine months of 2016. Seriously folks, there may be an economic slowdown in various sectors but not here. And definitely not for the people who are buying these Mercedes-Benz cars.


Tag team extraordinaire, (from left) Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Passenger Cars, Mr Mark Raine; and President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner.

This year, MBM has launched 10 new Mercedes-Benz models, ranging from the traditional towkay favourite, the E-Class; a whole lot of Mercedes-Benz SUVs, to the latest additions in the Mercedes-Benz sports cars, which MBM calls it the dream car range consisting of the Mercedes-Benz C-Coupe, SLC and C-Class Cabriolet. The most recent model launched was the third locally assembled hybrid vehicle by Mercedes-Benz the C350e which further extends MBM’s EEV offensive strategy. The Energy Efficient Vehicle tax breaks are definitely put to good use by MBM and is part of their long term strategy which is in line with Malaysia's aim to be the regional hub for such vehicles.

There is strength in MBM these days, from sales as well as after sales where customer satisfaction hasn't suffered any drop according to what was reported by MBM. All of this proactive and revolutionary steps in growing the brand was quite the opposite to what the brand was a decade or so ago here in Malaysia. The cars were conservative and for an older age group. You can clearly see the difference these days in the current line-up.

 The diversity in its current line-up and the youthful attractiveness of their smaller models have made the Mercedes-Benz brand what it is today. I somehow feel like its back to the 1980s where every other premium car was a Mercedes-Benz here in Malaysia. There were less cars back then but you could see Mercedes-Benz cars as the vehicle in which the 'towkays' and the 'orang kaya' travelled in. 

So progress is a full circle in some ways. 

PRESS RELEASE
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia - Premium Leadership through Excellence

·         Mercedes-Benz redefining the benchmark in the premium segment with superior products, service and customer experience.
·         Mercedes-Benz Malaysia strengthens market position as premium market leader.
·         Another record year with 10% growth and 9,047 cars delivered to customers in the first nine months of 2016.

Kuala Lumpur, 19 October 2016 – Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MBM) rounded up yet another record quarter with a solid performance across the board.  For the 3rd quarter of 2016, MBM extended the lead as the No. 1 Premium Brand in the Malaysian automotive market by recording further growth in sales and customer deliveries. The increase in investments of MBM’s local assembly, continuous enhancements of the Mercedes-Benz premium service and customer experience combined with a superior product portfolio were the key success factors.

“At Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, we are committed to achieving premium leadership through excellence and this is the reason why we continue to maintain the lead as Malaysia’s top premium automotive brand. On a global level with record sales, Mercedes-Benz is the No. 1 premium brand. The performance of Mercedes-Benz in Malaysia is a strong contributor to the global growth,” said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner.

“In the first nine months of 2016, MBM recorded 9,047 vehicles delivered to customers, which represents a 10 per cent growth compared to the same period last year. Further extending our market share to 2.4%,” added Vice President Sales and Marketing, Passenger Cars, Mr Mark Raine.

Understanding and recognising the needs of the Malaysian market, MBM has strategically introduced a diverse product portfolio over the years. This year, MBM has launched 10 new Mercedes-Benz models, ranging from the Master Piece of Intelligence, the E-Class; the Mercedes-Benz SUVs, to the latest additions in the Mercedes-Benz dream car range, the Mercedes-Benz C-Coupe, SLC and C-Class Cabriolet. The most recent model launched was the third locally assembled hybrid vehicle by Mercedes-Benz the C350e which further extends MBM’s EEV offensive strategy.

The locally produced limousines and compact models contributed the biggest percentage of the Three-Pointed Star’s sales for the first nine months of 2016 with 6,017 and 1,851 units sold respectively.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class topped the sales chart for MBM’s limousine models with 3,733 units sold, representing a 90 per cent jump compared to the first nine months of last year. The Mercedes Benz E- and S-Class recorded 1,463 and 821 units sold respectively.

The A-Class remained the most popular compact model preferred by the Malaysian market with 829 units sold, representing a 21 per cent increase compared to the first nine months of last year. The CLA and GLA, continued to contribute to the positive growth for MBM’s compact range with 480 units and 473 units sold respectively. 

Following the overwhelming response for the Premium SUV range by Mercedes-Benz, the newly launched Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLC recorded an impressive 190 units and 964 units sold respectively in the first nine months of 2016. The Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars rounded up MBM’s overall positive performance with 195 units sold in the 3rd quarter of 2016.

Driven by a growing demand for its vehicles, MBM increased its local production with a total of 6,424 vehicles produced for the first nine months of 2016 (+15 %). MBM produces eight Mercedes-Benz models locally, namely the Mercedes-Benz C180 Avantgarde, C200 Exclusive, C200 Avantgarde, C250 AMG, the new E-Class, S400h AMG, together with the recently launch first locally produced SUV, the GLC250 AMG, and the first locally produced plug-in hybrid, the Mercedes-Benz C350e. Moving forward, the newly completed MBM warehouse in Pekan is expected to further support MBM’s efforts to facilitate the growing demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Driven by passion to deliver exceptional customer experience, MBM pioneered the Autohaus concept in Malaysia. MBM currently boasts the largest premium dealer network in Malaysia with a total of 29 dedicated dealerships. MBM together with its dealer partners continue to raise the bar by investing not only in the continuous improvement of the autohauses, but in after-sales capabilities as well. This is evident with the continuous roll-out of Service Differentiation elements incorporated into nine dealerships nationwide to date, with more upgrades expected in the near future.

As of Quarter 3 2016, MBM recorded the highest throughput in history, servicing a total of 79,917 vehicles across Malaysia (+18.1%). Notwithstanding the significant growth, customer service was not compromised as MBM together with its dealer partners maintained the best Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) score in history.

The seamless Mercedes-Benz brand experience is further supported by the offerings of its in-house financier, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MBSM). Known for its innovative and flexible financial solutions as well as comprehensive range of insurance offerings, MBSM recorded an equally strong performance with a year-to-date servicing portfolio of RM 1.8 billion, representing an 80 per cent jump compared to the same period last year.

“Over the years, the Mercedes-Benz brand has established itself as the top luxury brand many aspire to own. We have proactively expanded our fan base, going beyond the current boundaries by showcasing our fantastic brand in a different environment. MBM combined this new generation of Mercedes-Benz fans’ passion for cars with lifestyle elements such as art, sports and music to develop unique and engaging platforms. The recent Urban Hunting X Ultra Singapore music festival, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Party and Mercedes Trophy 2016 are examples of MBM’s strengths in engaging specific audiences,” explained Raine.

“Mercedes-Benz has for decades been at the forefront of developing vehicular engine technologies that have minimal environmental impact. We have made it our ambition to combine the sustainable with everyday practicality.  The locally produced Mercedes-Benz C350e Plug-in Hybrid displayed at the International Greentech and Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM2016) recently is another example of our commitment and support of the nation’s aspirations of becoming a regional EEV hub. We look forward to policies and tax incentives that will allow us to continue bringing the latest EEV technologies to Malaysia,” said Dr Weidner.

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