Daimler’s Dieter Zetsche has said he was “totally aiming at topping” 2010 sales in 2011 but acknowledged repeating last year’s 15.3% sales growth was “unrealistic.”

In an interview with Reuters ahead of the Detroit show, the automaker’s head and Mercedes-Benz Cars chief also said he expects global auto industry sales to grow 6% in 2011, a performance he said “would be a pretty nice tailwind for all of us”.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Zetsche also said “the worst was over” in western Europe and that he expected industry sales to be “flat or slightly increasing” in 2011.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact