0 Current market report: HAGI Mercedes-Benz Classic Index (MBCI) in April 2013

Numerous exclusive classics from Mercedes-Benz are amongst the most valuable vehicles in the world. Just how valuable they are is regularly tracked, for example, by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Index (MBCI) of the Historic Automobile Group International (HAGI) based in London, UK. The index works in a similar way to the indices for securities, but it refers to high-quality classic cars as investment values. Here is the current original HAGI comment on the performance of the MBCI in April 2013.MBCI performance in April 2013: −0.10 points (−0.08 per cent) to an index price of 126.52. Since the beginning of the year the index has increased by 13.31 per cent, and by +12.02 per cent in the last twelve months.Dominant 300 SL (W 198) models: both the 300 SL Coupé and Roadster dominate the HAGI MBC Index in April. This applies to the weighting in the index and to the price performance compared with the other models in the MBCI universe.

Due to its market size (average price multiplied by the number of surviving vehicles) the two 300 SL variants play a dominant role in several respects in the MBCI.

In April, this “market capitalisation” means that the 300 SL Roadster, with 15.7 per cent, is weighted in first place in the index, whilst the 280 SL (W 113) is in second place with 4.7 per cent and the 300 SL Coupé in third place with 13.7 per cent. So the two 300 SL models combined make up 29.4 per cent of the MBCI. This share alone corresponds to a capitalisation of over 1.5 billion euros.

The high weighting is also reflected in the price performance in April. The MBCI remained unchanged in principle and only fell by 0.1 point. But isolating the 300 SL in the index calculation reveals that the other components of the index combined fell by more than 3 per cent in the month of April. So the increase in both 300 SL variants almost entirely compensated for the price decrease in the other models.

The HAGI generally observes a trend towards higher-quality vehicles in the overall market and also within the various model groups. High-grade original vehicles in a good condition are in principle assessed on the same footing here as those which have already been properly restored. But high-grade original vehicles can also considerably exceed restored vehicles in value. The valuation differs merely in terms of the personal taste of the buyers, regarding the particular vehicle condition they prefer. These trends were visible in April, for example in the case of such vehicle models as the 220 Cabriolet (W 187), 220 S Cabriolet (W 180), 250 SL (W 113), 280 SE Coupé 3.5 (W 111), 450 SEL 6.9 (W 116) and 600 (W 100).

Whilst the other HAGI Indices again posted an increase during April, the MBCI consolidated over the past two months. A development which certainly appears logical, for the increase in the MBCI in the first quarter already significantly exceeds the long-term annual value of almost 9 per cent which has been determined since 1980 via back test, and is also above the value for the entire year of 2012 (+11.65 per cent).

In April, the MBCI was calculated virtually entirely from private and dealer transactions all over the world. Market participants report that, due to the currently prevailing global macroeconomic framework conditions, buyers are prepared to invest their funds in valuable classic cars. In this way they can combine passion and lifestyle aspects in this sector with tactical financial considerations.

Further key indicators and index diagrams are available in the HAGI MBCI factsheet, which can be downloaded from the HAGI website http://www.historicautogroup.com (registration and login required).

Background to the Mercedes-Benz Classic Index (MBCI)

The HAGI Indices were presented for the first time in January 2009. They exist for various car brands and have become established globally as a measure of value in the market for classic vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz Classic Index (MBCI) was launched in 2012 and on 31 December 2011 it was initialised with a value of 100. It currently records the performance of 29 of the brand’s classics. Some 23 of these models are amongst the historically most important classics of all.

All HAGI Indices use as their basis a weighting of surviving vehicles, as opposed to pure production figures, which are of little relevance in the case of vehicles with an age of 30 years or more. The MBCI pools more than 30,000 surviving vehicles from the Mercedes-Benz brand with a capital value of more than 4 billion pounds sterling (as at 2012). These vehicles date back to the period from 1926 to 1995. The index takes into account further parameters in order to paint as precise an overall picture as possible.

Background: Historic Automobile Group International

The Historic Automobile Group International (HAGI), founded in 2007, is an independent research institute for investments and has specialised in rare classic cars. The HAGI Top Index is published every month on the Financial Times website. The aim is to create market transparency and to enable market participants to make decisions on the basis of data orientation. HAGI operates a database which comprises over 100,000 actual transactions. The entries start with the production date of the vehicle and are updated daily. The data are mainly taken from four sources: private contacts, brand specialists, dealers, and auction results.

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Current market report: HAGI Mercedes-Benz Classic Index (MBCI) in April 2013

0 Mercedes-Benz UK thrives in April 2013 as car registrations rise 14.2 percent

- Mercedes-Benz UK Passenger Car registrations rose by 14.2 per cent in April – following on from a record first quarter of 2013
- AMG has now registered over 1,000 cars in 2013 – the first time such a figure has been achieved so early in the year – contributing to a 71.3 per cent year-on-year rise
- C-Class Coupé, SLK-Class, CLS-Class and S-Class lead their respective market segments
- New CLA-Class makes its UK debut
- Citan, Sprinter and Fuso Canter continue strong Commercial Vehicle performance

Mercedes-Benz UK has recorded a 14.2 per cent rise in sales for the month of April, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Driving the success were the C-Class Coupé, SLK-Class, CLS-Class and S-Class – each of which led their respective market segments in April.

Likewise, the E-Class also posted a substantial rise in registrations, the Saloon achieving a 31 per cent gain in registrations compared to the same month last year.

The new A-Class also achieved its highest market share figures yet since deliveries began in January, securing 7.3 per cent of its segment in April with a total of 1,344 registrations.

Inspired by the arrival of Spring, registrations of roadsters were up in April. Registrations of the SLK-Class rose by 38.5 per cent while the SL-Class secured a substantial 27.5 per cent of its segment.

Making its debut in the SMMT figures in April was the innovative new CLA-Class – the very first examples being registered ahead of the arrival of the car in Mercedes-Benz Retailers in the coming months.

The performance arm of Mercedes-Benz, AMG, achieved over 1,000 registrations for the year to date in record time. The success continued AMG’s sustained rise in registrations, posting a 33.5 per cent gain for April, contributing to an overall rise of 71.3 per cent for the year. While the C 63 AMG Coupé and C 63 AMG Saloon continue to lead the registrations figures for AMG, it was the new E 63 AMG that recorded the biggest gain, posting a 460 per cent rise.

Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles also posted a strong month, with the Citan van achieving its highest market share figures yet with an 8.2 per cent share for April. The Sprinter was among the best-performing vans with a 48.4 per cent gain in registrations compared to April 2012 but the Fuso Canter took the top spot for the biggest gain with a rise of 100 per cent.

The Axor truck also performed well, a 21.3 per cent rise in sales being posted in April.

Marcus Breitschwerdt, President and CEO Mercedes-Benz UK, commented: ‘We’ve had a great 2013 so far – our best ever results for the first quarter and these figures for April prove that both our UK Passenger Car and Commercial Vehicle operations continue to thrive through innovation, relevant products and great customer support by our Retailer network.

‘This growth is led by AMG, which continues to be the fastest-growing performance brand in the UK.

‘This month saw the very first examples of the new CLA-Class being registered – this is just one of a number of exciting and inspiring new products in new market segments set to arrive this year as we continue to grow and offer our customers greater choice, quality and value than ever before.’ 

Credits: Mercedes-Benz UK

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Mercedes-Benz UK thrives in April 2013 as car registrations rise 14.2 percent

0 Mercedes-Benz raises April 2013 sales by 11.7% to a new record high

Mercedes-Benz delivered 116,566 vehicles to customers in April (+11.7%), more than in any previous April. Unit sales since the beginning of the year totaled 441,464 vehicles (+5.6%). The brand with the star was able to grow strongly, especially in the NAFTA region, Russia and the Asian markets. In April, Mercedes-Benz also posted double-digit sales in Europe, gained market shares, and secured its market leadership in several markets at the same time. On the domestic market Mercedes-Benz maintained its position as the premium manufacturer with the highest new vehicle registrations, holding a market share of 9.6% in April and 9.4% per April. The new Mercedes-Benz compacts and SUVs posted significant new growth and the launches of the new E-Class models and the CLA were very successful.

„April was a very successful month for the Mercedes-Benz brand. We again posted new records in many growth markets and are thus continuing the positive sales trend“, said Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing. „We are particularly pleased that we are growing in the difficult market environment in Europe and have gained market shares in many markets. Our new products are enjoying an excellent response from our customers, and we are already feeling the first sales impetus from the new E-Class and the CLA.“

Mercedes-Benz sold 56,988 vehicles in Europe in April, thus achieving growth of 11.8%. The brand posted significant gains particularly in Russia (+18.1%) and Turkey (+78.5%), as well as in the UK (+14.5%), France (+19.8%) and Belgium (+11.1%). Also in Germany the brand with the star posted growth (+6.3%) and secured its market leadership among the premium manufacturers with a market share of 9.6% in April.

In the USA, Mercedes-Benz again posted a new sales record with 23,635 vehicles sold (+5.8%) and was once more the premium manufacturer with the highest new vehicle registrations. April sales also moved very strongly in Latin America with more than twice as many vehicles sold than in the same month of the prior year.

The growth in the Asia/Pacific region was driven mainly by Japan (+47.3%) and South Korea (+42.4%). The start into the second quarter was also positive in China (incl. Hong Kong), where Mercedes-Benz posted 10.7% growth with sales of 16,241 units, thus continuing the positive trend of the preceding month.

Among the model series of the Mercedes-Benz brand, the new compacts continued to sell especially well with deliveries of 107,488 units of the A-Class, B-Class and the CLA (+52.0%) since the beginning of the year. The A-Class celebrated its market premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show in China two weeks ago and is now also available on the Chinese market. The popularity of the A-Class on its domestic market was proven in April by a poll of the Europe-wide online car market AutoScout24. About 223,000 users in eight European countries voted and elected the Mercedes-Benz A-Class the “Best Car” from 55 new releases in 2012. The third model of the new compacts, the CLA, had its launch in mid April amidst enthusiastic customer reviews. With the coupe’s positioning as a sports car, Mercedes-Benz is targeting a young, lifestyle-oriented target group to attract new customers for the brand with the star.

The new E-Class also celebrated its premiere at European dealers few weeks ago and is meeting with an excellent response from customers. Overall, 17,379 E-Class sedans and estates were sold in April (+4.3%). The CLS also posted significant gains (+6.5%) and was the market leader in its comparative class in April.

The demand for the SUVs with the star is consistently high. Since January, 103,492 units were delivered to customers, 28.5% more compared to the prior-year period. The SUVs set yet another sales record in April (26,265 units, +22.5%).

The compact two-seater smart delivered 34,372 units to customers since the beginning of the year (prior year: 36,532 units). In its seventh year of sales, it is thus nearly constant at the prior-year level. In April, the Chinese government gave the go-ahead for the smart electric drive, which made smart the first European importer to offer a fully electric vehicle in the Middle Kingdom. In Germany, the smart electric drive advanced in a record short time to become the market leader among the pure battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).

Overview of global sales in March 2013

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Mercedes-Benz raises April 2013 sales by 11.7% to a new record high

0 Mercedes-Benz USA Sails into Second Quarter with Record April Sales of 23,635 Vehicles

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported the highest second quarter start in its history with record April sales of 26,157, a 4.4% increase over April 2012. Mercedes-Benz models alone saw a 5.8% gain in sales volume at 23,635 bringing year-to-date totals for the brand to 92,822. Combined with monthly sales from smart (667) and Sprinter Vans (1,855) MBUSA saw a year-to-date total of 101,371, a 10.2% increase over the previous year, making this April the earliest month ever to break 100,000 units.

"We've entered the second quarter of 2013 at an incredible pace," said Steve Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA. "A record first quarter gave us a great start. With our completely redesigned E-Class now in showrooms, I fully expect to see continued momentum in the months ahead."

Mercedes-Benz April sales were driven by the C-, E-, and M-Class model lines. The sporty C-Class - the current gateway to the brand on the car side for younger and first-time Mercedes-Benz buyers - took the lead, posting sales of 7,338, up 14.2%. The E-Class, which receives a complete redesign for 2014 now available in dealerships, followed with sales of 4,431. MBUSA's top-selling SUV, the M-Class, rounded out the top three with sales of 3,280. At the high-end, strong performers were the company's flagship S-Class, which saw 16.4% growth, and the SL-Class, which increased 275.2% over April 2012.

The Sprinter model line saw sales of 1,855 for the month, while smart recorded sales of 667 vehicles.

Sales of the high-performance AMG models were 574 for the month, up 8.5% from the same period last year. Sales of the company's BlueTEC diesel models finished the month of April at 1,171.

Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 8,748 vehicles in April, an increase of 37.4% when compared to April 2012 (sales of 6,368 vehicles). On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 33,118 vehicles, an increase of 26.0% over the comparable period (with sales of 26,292 vehicles).


Mercedes-Benz USA April 2013 Sales Chart

Credits: Mercedes-Benz USA

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Mercedes-Benz USA Sails into Second Quarter with Record April Sales of 23,635 Vehicles