Mercedes to roll out 20 new models

MERCEDES-BENZ Korea, the country’s importer and distributor of the German automaker, will launch 20 models, including two plug-in hybrids, this year, with an aim to sell over 70,000 units, the company said yesterday.

“All-time best performance was achieved through active investment and effort to provide differentiated customer experience in 2017,” said Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Dimitris Psillakis during the New Year’s conference held at Hotel Shilla in central Seoul.

“It will not be easy to maintain the growth which has been beyond our expectation for the past two years. However, we will continuously endeavour to realise future mobility vision through ceaseless innovation and to provide the best service and brand experience which lead to customer impression.”

Surpassing the 60,000 unit mark for the first time among import carmakers, Mercedes-Benz Korea sold 68,861 units in 2017, up 22.2 percent year-on-year.

The company has flagged No1 in sales among import carmakers for two consecutive years.

The carmaker has set its sales goal for this year at over 70,000 units, similar to last year‘s sales.

Starting with its first electrified vehicle EQ in the first half of this year, Mercedes-Benz Korea will roll out 20 models – nine new ones and 11 facelifted models – this year.

In response to rising sales, the company will invest 35 billion won ($32.9 million) to expand its distribution centre in Anseong, Gyeonggi province.