Mercedes brings small cars to Korea

Harald Behrend

The local unit of Germany-based automaker Mercedes-Benz plans on expanding its offering of smaller models starting next year to meet the growing demand for more efficient and affordable cars.

“The issue of more efficient cars, and to have in the portfolio cars that have a small engine displacement, is becoming more and more important,” Harald Behrend, the chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Korea, said yesterday during a press luncheon in central Seoul. “And we’re determined to meet those targets, which means that we’ll expand our portfolio towards smaller models.”

Currently, the automaker imports 30 models into the Korean market, of which My B is the only model that belongs to the small segment. Its main models are the S-Class or the E-Class sedans. Globally, Mercedes-Benz has two models in the small segment: the A-Class and My B.

The automaker’s plan to expand its portfolio in the small car segment is a reaction to rising oil prices and more interest in efficient cars.

Mercedes-Benz Korea sold a total of 16,124 units last year, up 81 percent from the previous year. According to Behrend, the new E-Class model, launched in August 2009, was especially well received. It sold a total of 8,904 units last year and became the bestselling car in the import segment of the Korean market. In addition to the new E-Class, positive sales of the S-Class and the C-Class contributed to a successful year.

This year, Mercedes-Benz Korea plans to launch the new CLS-Class in the first half and the SLS AMG roadster in the second half of this year.

“When you look into last year, of course, we had fantastic growth,” Behrend said. “It will be an exceptional year as we cannot expect that [high growth rate] every year. This year, we expect to see moderate growth.”

Nevertheless, Behrend said that the importance of the Korean market is becoming more and more obvious.

“Korea is ranked as one of the top 15 markets in the world [among the company’s international markets],” he said. “Korea is not only an important market to sell our products in, but it is also a major source of our parts supply.”

By Lee Eun-joo [angie@joongang.co.kr]