Brazil is 2009 the largest market for Mercedes-Benz trucks in the world

Stuttgart/São Bernardo do Campo – Brazil is the largest market for Mercedes-Benz trucks in the world in this year. Between January and September 2009, the Brazilian unit of Daimler Trucks registered sales volume of more than 23,000 units of all weight classes. This equals a decrease of -20% compared to the same period of the record year 2008, a decline that has been much lower than in other major Mercedes-Benz truck market worldwide.

“The market and the good performance of Mercedes-Benz do Brasil are very important for Mercedes-Benz Trucks and therefore Daimler Trucks”, said Hubertus Troska, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

According to Troska, the Brazilian commercial vehicle sector has recovered much faster from the global economic crisis than many other sales markets: “After a difficult first quarter in Brazil, there was a strong recovery with positive sales prospects for 2010.”

This growth perspective confirms the leading role of Brazil among the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

“As a part of our Global Excellence strategy, we focus on consequently further developing our activities in Brazil and the other growth markets Russia, India and China”, Troska continued.

Mercedes-Benz do Brasil is the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in Latin America and furthermore features the largest Mercedes-Benz truck plant outside Germany. The Company offers the market’s most complete line of products for freight and passengers.

In the course of the last 53 years, Mercedes-Benz of Brazil has reached the milestone of 1,000,000 trucks sold in the country, an unprecedented volume among manufacturers in the industry. Every second truck in Brazil today has the star. Vehicles manufactured in Brazil are now exported to 50 countries worldwide.

Stuttgart/São Bernardo do Campo, Oct 29, 2009