Bangkok – Mercedes-Benz Thailand sets a new sales record in December 2011 with a total of 764 units sold in a single month—an all-time high since the company’s establishment in Thailand. And with customer’s trust in the company due to foreseen advantages of buying from an authorized dealer, sales for the entire year in Thailand continued to grow pleasingly to a total of 4,684 units in spite of flooding. On the global scale, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold more vehicles than ever before in a single year with a total of 1,362,908 vehicles sold in 2011. And to start in Thailand’s premium car segment, Mercedes-Benz Thailand is set to expand a new multimedia infotainment system, COMAND Online, in its C-Class and E-Class vehicles.

Dr. Alexander Paufler, President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, reveals: “Sales of Mercedes-Benz Thailand for the entire year remained pleasing with a total of 4,684 units sold in 2011 despite negative impacts of the massive floods on the automotive industry. Beyond that satifiable result, December turned out to be an impressive month with record sales of 764 units, making it the best month since our establishment in Thailand.”

“A key ingredient of our success in 2011 was the right mix of product offerings to ensure well-met demand of the market and well-served lifestyle needs of the customers, with new releases including the new generation C-Class, the new C-Class Coupe, the new E 200 NGT and the new SLK. A shift in consumer behaviour towards buying from authorized dealers was also witnessed, grounding on their confidence in reliablility of after-sales service and privileges provided by our authorized dealer network. This includes 3-year warranty with unlimited mileage, exclusive 24-hour Star Assist roadside assistance program, peace of mind from genuine parts imported directly from Mercedes-Benz in Germany, and a nationwide network of 30 authorized service centers. Above all, customers can foresee the advantages of buying from an authorized dealer, especially in terms of better cost of ownership and better resell value in comparison with parallel imported vehicles,” continues Dr. Paufler.

2011 was also a superb year for Mercedes-Benz globally as Mercedes-Benz Cars sold more vehicles than ever before, recording full-year sales of 1,362,908 units with figures edging up every month. The success was shaped by positive development in the U.S. and strong development in important growth markets, such as the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). The newly introduced generation of the C-Class, the C-Class coupe, and the SLK also contribute strongly to the sales growth in 2011.

“We will continue to lead the way in Thailand’s premium car segment, starting in this year with our expansion of the new COMAND Online multimedia system in the C- and E-Class. With this advanced technology, easy in-car connection to the Internet will be enabled, in addition to complete control of infotainment features. At the same time, the C-, E- and S-Class will continue to be our key model series this year. We appreciate the trust given by our customers, especially in that they choose Mercedes-Benz not simply because the brand’s excellence in terms of quality, safety and value, but also their confidence in buying from Mercedes-Benz’ authorized dealer network,” concludes Dr. Paufler.