Mercedes shows its prowess at Auto China

German carmaker plans to build on strong growth momentum with industry leading lineup, expand cooperation with local partners

The first three months of 2018 has witnessed the bestselling quarter in the longstanding 132-year history of German automaker Mercedes-Benz, with a total of more than 590,000 vehicles handed over to customers worldwide, the company's executives said on Wednesday.

Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, made the remarks at a press conference during the ongoing 2018 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition - the year's first major auto exhibition in China.

Composed of three world premieres and 14 Chinese premieres, the three-pointed star dazzled assembled media with a fresh lineup consisting of 37 models from Mercedes-Benz and its smart family, on the heels of another record high - March was the marque's best sales month ever.

To reinforce the already strong momentum, not only did the automaker showcase its stunning concept car Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury to the world's largest auto market, but also unveiled its new segment creator, the all-new A-Class L sedan.

In the meantime, the all-new CLS Edition 1 and Mercedes-Maybach S 680 Two-tone were also placed on presale at the event, with pricing starting at 890,000 yuan ($140,760) and 3,300,000 yuan, respectively.

Nicholas Speeks, president and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co said that 2018 is also off to a good start for the brand.

"More than 174,000 of our Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles have been placed in customer's hands in the first three months in China," he said.

In ensuring the sustained momentum and sound achievement, Mercedes-Benz is maintaining a solid product lineup in the midst of the ever-shifting landscape of the Chinese market, as well as enhancing its high-quality offerings.

"I'm sure all these new products will contribute to making Mercedes even more attractive to our Chinese customers," Zetsche said. "That's because we keep listening to our customers to understand their specific needs, and then we work hard to deliver accordingly."

The just unveiled all-new A-Class L sedan, for instance, comes as the brand's third locally-produced long-wheelbase model, which again demonstrates its resolution to listen to and respond to Chinese customers' feedback.

In satisfying customers in China, one key skill is tapping into the trend of the accelerated pace of technological innovation development, Mercedes-Benz said.

As of 2018, China had 531 million online payment users, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of the country's online population, according to a report by China Radio International earlier this year.

Thanks to the surge in connectivity technology, the breakneck speed of telematics and infotainment technology on Mercedes-Benz cars have revolutionized people's impressions of how intelligent a vehicle could be.

The new MBUX has also taken the lead in adopting artificial intelligence. Through a unique learning ability, it turns the automobile into an "AI consultant", learning your usage habits and advising you on what to do next at every "special moment".

Technological innovation is also being accomplished through the MBUX telematics system, equipped first on the all-new A-Class L sedan.

MBUX brings a voice activated assistant capable of understanding not only Mandarin Chinese, but also several dialects such as those popular in Guangdong and Sichuan provinces.

"And not only is MBUX fluent in several Chinese dialects. It will also get used to the way you speak and articulate, and understand you even better over time," said Troska.

The new vehicle breaks ground in other areas as well, creating an entirely new segment with a long wheelbase offering between 12 and 16 centimeters more legroom than its German competitors.

It follows the positive reception of the C-Class long wheelbase in 2014, and the E-Class L released just two years later in 2016, proving that the brand is always striving to make hay while the sun shines, appealing to customers' requirements on a premium car, the company said.

Hubertus Troska, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, who is responsible for China, reaffirmed that 11.9 billion yuan will go into a second factory to be built in Beijing, enabling the Stuttgart-based automaker to enhance its bond with local partners in further satisfying customers.

The company said it has never stopped striving to innovate in terms of filling auto market niches. "We also continue to enhance our appeal through innovations to meet and anticipate the changing needs of the market and our customers," Speeks said.

Many innovative services have been introduced by the German automaker in recent years, expanding the brand's reach beyond purely automotive sectors.

The latest evidence came in the form of Mercedes me, the Bund which opened in Shanghai earlier this month, only two years after the first location in Beijing's Sanlitun was unveiled. The store in Beijing has attracted more than 1.5 million visitors.

Passionate about instituting positive change in peoples' lives, Mercedes-Benz has also taken part in the corporate social responsibility activities, such as partnering with Beijing's Palace Museum in the Forbidden City.

"With this partnership, it is our hope that we can continue to be a humble contributor to China's journey of becoming a great and modern society - not only through economic prosperity, but also through flourishing cultural development as well," Speeks said.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/26/2018 page7)