Daimler's Mercedes-Benz Vans launched its new, locally made mid-size van – the Vito – in China at the Chengdu motor show.
Last March, it launched its mid-size multi-purpose vehicle V-Class there.
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The first Vito batch came off the production line at Daimler's local joint venture Fujian Benz Automotive in Fuzhou in August and delivery to dealers starts at the end of September.
Volker Mornhinweg, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said: "With the launch of the new Vito in China, we completed the roll-out of our highly successful mid-size segment in this growing market. This is another milestone of our 'Mercedes-Benz Vans goes global' growth strategy. We have successfully entered numerous markets with the new Vito since its launch in 2014 – over 65 in total – and we have significantly increased unit sales ever since. We are convinced it will be as compelling to customers in China, too."
In the first half of 2016, Mercedes-Benz delivered approximately 46,000 Vito models to customers worlwide (a 40% rise year on year) and 23,300 V-Class models (66%). Total sales increased 21% to approximately 176,200 vehicles – a new record.
China was the strongest growth market for the vans unit with an increase in sales of 104% to approximately 5,700 units.
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By GlobalDataAlongside the Sprinter, the Vito is now the brand's second 'world van'. Following its introduction in Europe and in other global markets in 2014, the Vito has been available in Latin America, the USA and Canada – in both North American markets it is known as the Metris – since 2015. The introduction in China completes its global launch.
Local production in Fuzhou
Fujian Benz Automotive spent around EUR200m for the production of the new mid-size models Vito and V-Class. In addition to increasing the localisation of components and features for these new models, the spend improved the preparation and modernisation of the body shell and assembly sections as well as providing for staff training. All global mid-size production sites – in the US and Argentina, in addition to China – cooperate closely with the mother plant in Vitoria.
This plant, with very high capacity utilisation, supplies all other global markets with the V-Class and – together with the plants in Argentina and the US – all other global markets with the Vito. Experts in Spain coordinate international production from tooling strategy to logistics and quality management. Numerous employees from China have undergone intensive training in Vitoria, while their Spanish colleages were on hand to assist the Chinese with the ramp-up of production on-site.
Frank Klein, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans operations, said: "The high flexibility of our production of the Vito 'Made in China, for China' enables us to adapt it specifically to our customers' needs."
Vans expanded its plant in Fuzhou in the south-east of China with its first ever research and development centre outside Germany in 2013. The centre focuses on models that are locally produced and marketed. In the development process of the new Vito it was thus possible to take full account of the market and requirements in China.
