Mercedes-Benz Malaysia retains top position in premium luxury segment



As the German luxury carmaker cements itself at the top of the global premium segment in 2019, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) has also just announced its 2019 sales performance figures.

MBM delivered 10,020 cars in 2019, helping the brand to retain its position as the leader in the premium luxury category. The figure also translates to a 1.8% market share in the country. 

The last year also marks the 15th year anniversary for MBM’s local production efforts, which also saw the 100,000th locally assembled vehicle to roll out of the CKD plant in Pekan.

The locally-assembled line-up stands at 13 variants from five model lines – C Class, E Class, S Class, GLC and GLC Coupe. 

The local production plant is further driven by the export initiatives to Philippines, where the left-hand drive Mercedes-Benz C 180 is currently in the first stage of export. MBM will be looking to commence further similar efforts within the SEA region.

MBM Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Michael Jopp said, “Despite facing headwinds, we ended the year on a strong note to cement our position in premium automotive segment.

“We are fully confident that 2019 has set up a great tone as we power up a great momentum for the new decade,” he added.

Last year, the company also launched a whole slew of new and updated models, including the updated E Class range, the new A Class hatchback and sedan, GLC and GLC Coupe, GLE, as well as the S Class hybrid – S 560 e. 

The Mercedes-AMG performance division also saw a few new additions, such as the A35 sedan, GT R and GT C, GT four-door coupe, as well as the updated C 63 S.

MBM President and CEO, Dr Claus Weidner said, “2019 was a year where we placed great emphasis on expanding our product offensive with innovative technology and emotional design, catering to the needs of our customers.”

MBM’s financial arm, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia (MBSM) also saw positive developments in 2019. Throughout the year, MBSM financed five out of 10 Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold.

The financial arm held a servicing portfolio of RM2.6 billion in 2019, with new contracts worth over RM1 billion recorded. 

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz’s after-sales service recorded a throughput of 165,229 vehicles – an 11% increase over 2018. The record-breaking figure can be partially attributed to the various customer experience improvements introduced by MBM, including Express Service 2.0 and online appointment bookings. 

“2020 will be a memorable, exciting year for Mercedes-Benz with refreshing innovations and new products to elevate the customer experience,” added Dr Weidner.