Mercedes-Benz Delivers Hit Over 180,000 Vehicles Worldwide in January
Mercedes-Benz delivered 180,539 vehicles to its customers all over the world in January (-6.7%). The second-best start to a year for sales was influenced by important model changes in the high-volume SUV and compact-car segments. In particular, the model change of the B-Class, CLA and GLE, each with a double-digit sales decrease, had a negative impact on total unit sales worldwide despite the ongoing high demand for the cars with the star. From today’s perspective, the company expects the model changes to affect deliveries in the first quarter. With a high degree of probability, the full year will be affected also by exogenous challenges and geopolitical risks.
At the same time, Mercedes-Benz Cars assumes that the model offensive will lead to sales growth in the second half of the year. The company with the three-pointed star therefore expects to slightly increase its worldwide unit sales overall, and to achieve another record in 2019. Last month, Mercedes-Benz defended its market leadership in the premium segment in markets including Germany,theUnitedKingdom,France,Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Finland, Czech Republic, South Korea, the United States, Canada and Brazil.
“With more than 180,000 vehicles delivered, Mercedes-Benz has started the year 2019 with the second-best January ever. Last month was below the strong figure for the previous year; this was in line with our expectations, however, due to important model changes. With the B-Class, the CLA and the GLE, we look forward in the coming months to the new generations of models very popular with our customers and expect the model offensive in our high-volume segments to provide significant sales impetus,” said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales. “2019 will be a challenging year for the entire industry. But we expect to inspire our customers with new models – especially in the second half of the year – and therefore aim to achieve a slight increase in unit sales and a new record in the full year.”
Mercedes-Benz unit sales by region and market
In Europe, Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 57,963 vehicles in January (-11.2%). In the core market of Germany, 19,296modelswiththestarweredelivered – representing an 11.9% decrease in unit sales. The new A-Class continues to be especially popular with customers in Europe and Germany, with strong double-digit growth at the start of the year.
In the Asia-Pacific region, 93,234 vehicles with the star were handed over to customers last month (-1.3%). In China, the largest sales market, 71,697 units were delivered to customers - the best start to a year so far (+4.8%). In addition, for the first time more than 70,000 Mercedes-Benz cars were sold in China in one month. The main drivers of this development were once again the long-wheelbase versions of the C-Class and E-Class sedan, both of which posted double-digit growth.
Ford Motor Company has received an A grade for its water security efforts from CDP, the environmental impact nonprofit that drives sustainable economies. This marks the fourth year in a row Ford has earned an A from CDP for its water management efforts, according to a statement by the autocompany.
The statement said Ford is the only automaker and one of fewer than 30 companies globally to be awarded an A for water security, in recognition of its efforts to manage water sustainably. Since 2000, the company has worked to conserve water through its global water initiative and has reduced operational water use by 62.5 percent, saving 10.4 billion gallons of water. Ford is on track to achieve its goal of reducing water use by nearly three-fourths by 2020, with a long-term goal of using zero drinkable water in its vehicle manufacturing processes.
“Access to clean water is a fundamental human right,” said Kim Pittel, vice president, sustainability, environment and safety engineering, Ford Motor Company. “We know we play an integral role in establishing best practices to help protect the environment – both for Ford and our supply chain. Through our integrated approach to sustainability, our goal is to improve the lives of not only our customers, but communities around the world.”
Ford received an A- for its climate change efforts for the third year in a row.As part of the company’s commitment to deliver on its share of CO2 reductions consistent with the Paris ClimateAccord, Ford is investing $11 billion to introduce 16 fully electric vehicles within a global portfolio of 40 electrified vehicles through 2022. Additionally, in 2017 Ford achieved its goal to reduce the company’s global carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing operations by 30 percent per vehicle produced by 2025, eight years early.
“Congratulations to all companies that made it onto CDP’s A list this year,” said Paul Simpson, CEO of CDP. “As the severity of environmental risks to business becomes ever more apparent, these are the companies that are positioning themselves to provide solutions, seize new market opportunities and thrive in the transition to a sustainable economy.
We need to urgently scale up environmental action at all levels to meet both the goals of the Paris Agreement and sustainable development goals. It’s clear the business world is an essential player in this transition and the A list companies are set to make a substantial contribution to those goals.”
Ford’s annual sustainability report has tracked the company’s comprehensive approach to managing corporate social responsibility issues related to climate change, water conservation and air quality among others, and has identified opportunities for significant impact across the business since 2000.