Mercedes-Benz Korea will launch 10 new models in the domestic market this year. In past years it would have held a large event to announce its new-year plans, but this year it issued only a brief press release. However, the contents are by no means light. Many volume models that will inevitably put the industry on edge are included.
Mercedes-Benz Korea plans in particular to introduce a new sales method, "retail of the future," to provide a customer-centered, differentiated brand experience.
First, Mercedes-Benz Korea will launch the all-new electric CLA and the all-new CLA hybrid, born this year on a completely new platform. It will also introduce four new vehicles including the all-new electric GLC and the all-new electric GLB, accelerating the shift to electrification. In addition, it will unveil six facelift models in top-tier cars and SUVs.
This year marks the 140th anniversary of Carl Benz inventing the first automobile in 1886. To commemorate this, Mercedes-Benz Korea plans to present various edition models of major new cars and top-tier vehicles, offering differentiated value to customers seeking something special.
Last year Mercedes-Benz Korea showcased a variety of top-tier vehicles that met customers' high standards under the goal of expanding luxury leadership through product diversification.
Mercedes-Benz Maybach introduced Maybach SL, the brand's fourth lineup, and the high-performance Mercedes-AMG brand diversified its portfolio with the second-generation GT, CLE coupe and cabriolet, Mercedes-AMG SL 43, and E 53 hybrid 4MATIC+, resulting in sales growth of about 36% compared with the previous year.
At the same time, the G-Class recorded annual best sales again, selling 3,289 units, about a 25% increase year on year. As a result, Mercedes-Benz Korea maintained its leadership by recording sales in the top segment that were about 18% higher than the previous year.
Also, the brand's representative best-selling sedan and SUV, the E-Class and GLC, continued to receive unwavering customer love. The E-Class sold 28,731 units last year, claiming the top spot in imported cars' internal combustion engine sector, and the GLC sold 9,333 units, achieving its highest-ever sales record.
In July last year, the company opened the world's first Maybach-exclusive showroom and service center, the Maybach brand center, in Apgujeong, Seoul, providing a base where customers can experience a dignified, personalized service and a differentiated brand experience.
Matthias Veitl, president of Mercedes-Benz Korea, said, "We sincerely thank the customers who continued to place their trust in Mercedes-Benz last year," and added, "This year we will present a product lineup that marks the start of the largest new-car launch program in Mercedes-Benz history, and we will introduce a new sales method to deliver a differentiated retail experience to customers."
Mercedes-Benz Korea will introduce four new electrified vehicles this year. The first to be unveiled, the all-new CLA, is the smartest, most emotional and most efficient model in the brand's history, and it will be the first to adopt MB.OS (Mercedes-Benz Operating System), which will revolutionize the relationship between vehicle and driver through generative AI. It will also be offered as a pure electric vehicle and as a hybrid model using enhanced 48V technology based on the MMA (Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture) modular architecture.
In addition, the new electric SUVs the all-new electric GLC and the all-new electric GLB will be introduced in the second half of the year. The all-new electric GLC, the first pure electric SUV of the brand's global bestseller GLC, is the first model to apply Mercedes-Benz's electric-vehicle-dedicated architecture MB.EA (Mercedes-Benz Electric Architecture), setting a new standard in the midsize segment in terms of design, space utilization, driving performance and efficiency.
The all-new electric GLB, like the all-new CLA, is built on the MMA platform and offers generous space utilization, an intuitive digital experience based on MB.OS, and long-distance driving performance.
In addition, Mercedes-Benz Korea will also introduce six facelift models in top-tier cars and SUVs.
Mercedes-Benz Korea will officially introduce the new vehicle sales method, "retail of the future," in the first half of this year.
The core is to integrate the inventory and price structures that differed across the existing 11 dealers so that customers can purchase vehicles under the same optimal conditions anywhere in the country. Centralized sales, promotions and marketing activities through Mercedes-Benz Korea, along with changes to customer contracting and payment processes, are expected to simplify dealers' management tasks and improve efficiency. Through this, customers will ultimately be able to purchase vehicles while experiencing a consistent Mercedes-Benz brand and will be able to focus on the vehicle product and brand experience rather than price haggling.
Mercedes-Benz has already adopted this sales method in 12 countries including Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden, and in those markets it is evaluated as having improved customer satisfaction, price transparency and service consistency.
Since its launch in 2014, the Mercedes-Benz Social Contribution Committee has pursued co-growth with Korean society centered on five social contribution programs: child traffic safety, industry-academia cooperation, employee volunteer activities, sports donations and environmental protection. Over the past 11 years it has delivered the largest cumulative donations in the imported-car industry to Korean society, and last year it donated about 1.5 billion won to support the establishment of child protection specialized institutions in three locations nationwide — Incheon, Busan and Gwacheon — to strengthen protection activities for children and adolescents in welfare blind spots. It also successfully held the 12th "Give 'N Race" with 20,000 citizens, continuously contributing to the spread of a donation culture.
The 13th Give 'N Race and the Give & Dream scholarship program are planned for this year, and the company will focus on environmental protection activities, launching a new environmental science convergence children's education program and environmental campaigns for the climate-action practice program "Green Plus," and will carry out various contribution activities in Korean society.
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