DaimlerChrysler’s Mercedes-Benz car group is sticking to its goal of boosting unit sales this year but will not divulge production plans, a company spokesman told Reuters.
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“We do not comment on output levels,” the spokesman reportedly said in response to the WirtschaftsWoche business magazine that said the division would reduce production in Germany this year by around 100,000 vehicles from nearly 950,000 in 2004.
According to Reuters, the report, a summary of which was released ahead of publication on Thursday, cited company sources for the information – it blamed reduced demand for S-class cars ahead of a model changeover and negative publicity over E-class cars.
The news agency noted that the Mercedes-Benz car group – which includes the Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach brands – saw unit sales fall 9% in the first two months of the year to 144,200 vehicles amid problems with diesel fuel pumps and customer restraint ahead of the launch of new S-class and M-class models.
