Mercedes-Benz E-Class Leads Daimler Out of Profit Doldrums
By Michelle Krebs January 20, 2010Strong sales of the newest generation of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the fourth quarter 
last year will boost Daimler's earnings for the quarter and signal an earnings recovery for the German automaker, an analyst in Europe predicts.
"The sales improvement at the Mercedes-Benz brand throughout last year was attributable to a rapidly improving model momentum, reflecting the roll-out of the new E-Class family," Creative Global Investments analyst Sabine Blumel told Just-Auto in Europe.
She said that the Mercedes-Benz Cars division of Daimler is set to post higher profit on a moderate increase in sales in the fourth quarter, a trend that will continue in 2010.
"The drivers are an expected recovery in demand in the premium car segment in Europe and North America and further cost cuts, although the model momentum is expected to decelerate from the second half of this year onwards," she says.
Indeed, the E-Class is selling well in the U.S. as it is globally. Mercedes-Benz closed the year on its highest note of the year in the States, selling 20,025 vehicles, up 8 percent from December 2008. Its strength came from the E-Class, which saw sales soar by 57 percent from December to December. In fact, the E-Class surpassed the C-Class as Mercedes' volume seller.
Mercedes unveiled the E-Class convertible last week at the Detroit auto show. It goes on sale in early 2010.
Photo by Edmunds
Mercedes unveiled the E-Class Cabrio at the Detroit auto show.
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