Daimler Annual Report 2011 - Alle jaarverslagen

4 | The Divisions | Mercedes-Benz Vans
A yacht on four wheels: With the Viano Vision Pearl showcar, Mercedes-Benz demonstrates what is possible in the van vehicle category.
In 2011, we sold 163,300 units of the Sprinter (+14%).
Sales of the new generations of the Vito and the Viano grew
by 26% compared with the prior year. Sales of the Viano
actually reached a new record, rising by 40% to 30,500 units.
We thus increased our market share in the segment of mediumsized
vans in the European Union by 2 percentage points to
18%. Moreover, Mercedes-Benz Vans was able to defend its
market leadership in the European Union’s medium-sized
and large van segments.
Mercedes-Benz Vans committed to growth in China.
The key strategic pillars for profitable growth at Mercedes-Benz
Vans are the division’s consistent internationalization and
the expansion of its product portfolio. This strategy, which is
called “Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global,” is particularly
apparent in China. To date, we are the only van manufacturer
here with local production facilities, which we operate in
a joint venture with Fujian Motors Group. In 2011, Mercedes-
Benz Vans produced around 10,300 Vito and Viano vans
at the plant in Fuzhou. And in October 2011, we launched our
third premium vehicle – the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter flagship
van – in the rapidly growing Chinese market. We supply a bus
version of the Sprinter to meet the increased demand for highquality
shuttle services in China. These vehicles are also produced
at the Fuzhou plant. In the medium term, the division
will also substantially expand its dealer network in China, which
currently comprises approximately 50 sales partners.
New products for Latin America and a major anniversary.
In Argentina, Mercedes-Benz established its first plant out side
Germany 60 years ago, thus laying the foundation for today’s
automotive group with global operations. In September 2011,
Mercedes-Benz Argentina celebrated this anniversary in
Buenos Aires. At the celebration, we also presented two new
products: the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that is currently
available in Europe and the Mercedes-Benz OM 651 diesel
engine. Both products will be produced at our “Centro
Industrial Juan Manuel Fangio” plant in Argentina, beginning in
early 2012. We have invested approximately €70 million in
retooling the plant for production of the new Sprinter and the
diesel engine. Over the next five years, Mercedes-Benz Vans
plans to increase its unit sales in Latin America by more than
30%. We have been producing, marketing and selling the
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter locally since 1996. The Sprinter is the
undisputed market leader in Argentina and a hugely successful
export product that is sold in around 50 countries world wide,
including Brazil, South Africa and Australia.
Emission-free driving with the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL.
Besides the utilization of new growth opportunities, technology
leadership is another key pillar of Mercedes-Benz Vans’
strategy. In this regard, we are focusing in particular on
developing environmentally compatible technologies and using
them to the benefit of our customers. Our Mercedes-Benz Vito
E-CELL is the first series-produced electric-powered van that
customers are already using in everyday operations. Thanks
to its locally emission-free drive system, the Vito E-CELL is ideal
for logistics operations in inner cities and areas with very
sensitive environments. Approximately 500 units of this vehicle
are already in use in seven European countries, and this
number will gradually be increased to about 2,000 throughout
Europe by the end of 2012. Experts agree that the Vito E-CELL
employs the right concept for sustainable mobility in the van
segment.
The right van for each application. During the year under
review, Mercedes-Benz Vans presented three new models and
a show vehicle. One of the new vans was the Viano Avantgarde
Edition 125 special model, which was launched to coincide
with the 125th anniversary of the invention of the automobile.
The compact van, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor
Show, impresses with its V6 engine, sporty exterior styling
and high-quality interior appointments. Meanwhile, at the International
Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, our Viano Vision
Pearl show vehicle gave a glimpse of what we will achieve in
the premium van segment in the future. The vehicle combines
spaciousness with exclusive interior styling, a redesigned front
end and special paintwork. Last but not least, two new models
have been added to the Mercedes-Benz Vito product lineup: the
Vito Crew and the Vito Shuttle. The Vito Crew provides customers
from the tradesman and services sectors with a robustly
equipped vehicle for transporting tools and materials, making
it ideal for the construction industry, providers of cleaning
services and installation firms. The Vito Shuttle targets
customers offering professional passenger transport services.
Such customers will be able to use the vehicle as a shuttle
bus for hotels and airports or as a van taxi. It combines a
comprehensive range of comfort features with a spacious
interior.
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