Beijing, April 9, 2010 - Mercedes-Benz concluded a successful first quarter in Mainland China with sales of more than 23,610 units of Mercedes-Benz, smart, AMG and Maybach, marking an impressive year-on-year increase of 112%. Contributing to this achievement was Mercedes-Benz's impressive performance in March, which witnessed sales of more than 8,280 units and a 62% growth compared to the same period last year – making China the undisputed leader in sales growth among all global markets for the three-pointed star.

"Following the historical record-breaking market achievement made by Mercedes-Benz last year in China, the first quarter of 2010 has demonstrated that we can keep the momentum," said Mr. Klaus Maier, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "With such a strong performance, we are confident that our increasingly rich product portfolio and dedication to the Chinese market will allow even more customers to enjoy the fascinating world of Mercedes-Benz."

Following an advanced upgrade of the new generation S-Class lineup earlier this year, the S-Class maintained its title as the main car-of-choice among top-elites and tallied sales of more than 3,560 in the first quarter, representing a sales growth of 33% year-on-year. Once again positioning China as its largest market in the world, Mercedes-Benz's flagship model continues to bring customers the most advanced technology and safety features that redefine the benchmarks of the industry.

Similarly, the all-new E-Class also enjoyed great success among China's business elites, as the "World's Best Business Sedan" further demonstrated its popularity with total sales amounting to almost 5,990 units in the first quarter, making it Mercedes-Benz's top-selling model in the first quarter.

The locally-produced C-Class witnessed another monumental month as well and further demonstrated its domestic prowess, as the model became the best-seller in the month of March with sales of 2,109 units representing a year-on-year growth of 84% in March. This contributed to first quarter sales achieving a year-on-year growth of 89%, making China the number three market for the C-Class in Mercedes-Benz's global markets. Looking forward, the C-Class is set to continue its role as a volume leader in the market thanks to Beijing Benz Automotive Co.'s (BBAC) in-depth understanding of the needs and desires of China's young elites.

As always, Mercedes-Benz's SUV family played a key role in leading to Mercedes-Benz's success in the first quarter, with the entire lineup achieving a 71% growth year-on-year to mark first quarter sales totaling 5,240. The M-Class shined brightest with a year-on-year increase of 86% in the first quarter, positioning itself as the leading contributor to the SUV family thus far this year with almost 2,050 units sold. Additionally, the GL-Class soared by 95% during the first three months of the year, while the GLK-Class also solidified its market success with a sales increase of 84% during the same time period. Meanwhile, the ample spaciousness, exemplary standards of multi-function and excellent comfort of the R-Class helped it to win over even more customers, as China once again remains as the largest market for the R-Class worldwide.

The three-pointed star's sports car lineup also posted a strong showing in the first quarter, nearly doubling in sales from the same period last year. The all-new E-Class Coupé led the group as it achieved its highest monthly sales yet since its nationwide launch last year. Recognized as the world's best aerodynamic car among all series production passenger cars as well as the "World's Best Looking Coupé”, the E-Class Coupé has proven itself as an immensely popular model epitomizing pure attraction. Meanwhile, the stunning CLS-Class, SL-Class and SLK-Class also witnessed strong sales growth in the first quarter, at a notable 116%, 72% and 43% respectively.

Further contributing to Mercedes-Benz's strong performance in the first quarter were the models popular among today's young elite, emanating an image of passion and youth. The luxury sports tourer B-Class witnessed sales of nearly 1,820 units in the first quarter, marking an extraordinary sales growth of 241% compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the urban mobility solution smart maintained great popularity, proving its appeal to customers desiring an active and environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Finally, Mercedes-Benz's high performance brand AMG experienced extraordinary five-fold growth in the first three months to deliver nearly 280 units to its discerning customers in China. Thus, as witnessed in the first quarter of the year, Mercedes-Benz's increasingly diverse and dynamic product portfolio will undoubtedly continue to make the three-pointed star shine even brighter in China.