KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd is upbeat on its performance this year, aiming to outgrow its sales of 12,045 vehicles last year.
Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Mark Raine said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's sales have grown 15 per cent to 6,790 units for the first half of this year over the same period last year.
“We are confident we are on a good track, but the main indicator is that our customers are satisfied with our service and we are gaining market share, which is currently at 2.5 per cent,” he told reporters after Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's Mid-Year Media Briefing 2018.
So far this year, he said, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's locally-produced limousines, namely the Mercedes-Benz C-, E-, and S-Class, collectively recorded a total of 4,322 units sold, or 18 per cent higher over the first half of 2017.
Its range of premium compact cars comprising the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, B-Class, GLA-Class and CLA-Class recorded 20 per cent higher sales of 996 units.
Raine said the premium SUV range by Mercedes-Benz remained a growth driver recording 1,291 units sold, while the Mercedes-Benz Dream Cars collection also recorded a notable achievement with 181 units sold.
For the second half of the year, he said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia plans more than five launches (one of which will be the new A-Class).
President/chief executive officer Dr Claus Weidner said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's efforts in improving customer service, together with its expanding locally-assembled products, innovative customer touchpoints and lifestyle experiences, have formed a conducive environment to achieve ever higher customer satisfaction.
“Care for the customer is of utmost importance, falling in line with our efforts to deliver nothing but the Best customer experience,” Weidner added.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's automotive financing arm, Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MBSM), recently issued a RM3 billion corporate bond programme to diversify its funding sources in anticipation of further growth prospects in the local market.
MBSM managing director Mike Ponnaz said its first issuance of RM250 million of the bond programme in June this year had been taken up by local investors. “We expect to use up the RM3 billion in the next few years.
“At the moment, this bond programme is a first for the group, so we went with a route that we and our stakeholders are familiar with, given that our German stakeholders are guaranteeing the bond. Going forward, perhaps we will consider sukuk,” he added.
