First Locally Produced Mercedes-Benz
GLK Compact SUV Rolls off the Line in China
Beijing, China / Stuttgart, Germany –
Marking another milestone for Mercedes-Benz in China, in early December
the first locally produced Mercedes-Benz GLK compact SUV rolled off the
line at the Beijing production plant of Beijing Benz Automotive Co.,
Ltd. (BBAC). This follows the June 2011 agreement between Daimler and
Chinese Joint Venture partner BAIC to further expand their cooperation
in China with various projects, including the GLK.
Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the
Daimler Board of Management, Manufacturing and Procurement Mercedes-Benz
Cars & Mercedes-Benz Vans, explains: “The start of our local GLK
production in China exemplifies our strategy of global expansion of
production close to the market. We are thus supporting our sales success
in our regional markets also from the production side, an important
contribution to the Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy.”
Ulrich Walker, Chairman & CEO of Daimler
Northeast Asia, adds: “The GLK has provedto be enormously popular with
customers here in China, so it is an ideal addition to our lineup of
locally-produced vehicles.” Emphasizing the importance of the Chinese
market, Mr. Walker continued: “Nothing represents our long-term
commitment to China more tangibly than the production of vehicles in
China itself: The localized production of further Mercedes-Benz models
is an important element of our growth strategy for the Chinese market.
As early as 2015 we expect to locally
produce two-thirds of all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars sold in China.
The start of production of the GLK is another important milestone towards this goal.” “The GLK adds to the locally-produced
Long-wheel-base E-Class and new C-Class, and complements other current
investments in BBAC, including the new engine plant and R&D Center.
We’re also planning local production of additional Mercedes-Benz
models,” explains Frank Deiss, President & CEO of Beijing Benz
Automotive Co.
The Mercedes-Benz GLK has received a very
warm welcome from customers worldwide since its debut in 2008. In
particular in China, a growing number of customers have appreciated the
brand’s compact SUV, with sales already well in excess of 20,000 units
in the current year. China now represents one of the most important
markets worldwide for the GLK.
Mercedes-Benz sold 168,940 vehicles
overall in China (including Hong Kong) from January through November
2011, an increase of 29.9 percent compared to the same time-frame in
2010. Year-to-date sales in October 2011 already exceeded the total
number of cars sold in 2010. The next few years are also certain to see
further sales growth: in 2015, the company aims to sell more than
300,000 Mercedes-Benz passenger cars in China.
