Mercedes-Benz expects year-on-year U.S. sales growth

In the next few months, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz premium auto unit expects year-on-year U.S. sales growth. In the next year, the company recognizes its potential to increase its US market share, according to an interview with US CEO Ernst Lieb. Mercedes had a 20% drop in its US sales so far this year.

However, it posted a 21.3% rise in US sales in October, its best month of the year to date. It should be noted that the results from Mercedes followed the industry’s best monthly performance of 2009 outside of months helped by the US government cash for clunkers incentives program.

US auto industry sales achieved a 10.46 million unit annualized rate in October, the best monthly performance of the year outside of “clunkers” fueled July and August results.

Lieb also said the industrywide sales atmosphere seems to be improving but he declined to say that the US market has turned a corner since it still is too early to make the call.

At most, he’d say that it’s “maybe some stabilization.” He said that the market has become a “little bit more predictable” at least from a dealer perspective. He added that people are “a little bit more willing to look at a new car and spending money.”