AutóPRO - profi és prominens

The Hungarian distributor of Mercedes Benz had planned a double-digit growth for 2011 in the country, which it managed to fulfil by a 32% increase, said Ingo Fröhlich, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Hungaria Kft on Thurdsday at a press conference.

CEO Ingo Fröhlich

The CEO said that he had received lots of ideas from the previous discussion, and several of them had been realised while creating their newest service, to be introduced on February 1, the Integrated Service Package, a unique programme in the premium segment in Hungary.

Mercedes closed a successful year not only on the whole but from the aspect of passenger car sales as well: the 1,085 cars sold represent a 32.3% increase. Mr Fröhlich commented this as a pace on a “Chinese level”. Mercedes are planning a double-digit growth for 2012 as well, and the brand considers it a huge achievement that the global passenger car market could increase in Hungary after a really long time of stagnation and recession. He said: that is, even 45,000 sold cars can make you cheerful if it is the first growth since the “golden year” of 2004.

The CEO, who has worked in 7 countries before and is coming from the field of financing, was surprisingly well-informed about Hungarian economic policies. He welcomed the decrease in registration tax, the initiative against Hungarian motorists with foreign number plates, and he claimed that the changes in VAT regulations, introduced in January, could further push the Hungarian market. He pointed out: there is always a better solution than paying with cash, and he suggests customers to finance their cars for at least one year.

B Class: ready for production

He told the audience some negative things, too, he listed the increase in VAT and the fact that the general decrease of tax did not really generate any increase in consumption.

In the field of commercial vehicles, Mercedes registered 54% growth. In this segment the company introduced the new Actros last year. In the market of HCV’s the driving sector was without question international shipping.

CLS Shooting Break: arriving in 2012

In the previous year Mercedes introduced 6 new vehicles and the company will raise up the ante in 2012. Further three new models will be added to the product range of the compact segment besides the A and B Class models. 100 Kecskemét-built B Classes, completely matching the cars manufactured in Rastatt, are currently being tested by professional test drivers, who have so far given very positive feedback regarding the cars. These are already “ready to be sold”, however, the production of the first cars intended for customers will only start in March.

Ingo Fröhlich pointed out that with the new models Mercedes wishes to reach out to young people who are sensitive to design. Both the chassis and the interior are characterised by youthfulness, dynamism and up-to-date design. He mentioned Gábor Németh, who had been working in the design team responsible for the B Class.

Mercedes GLK

An exciting model of the year 2012 will be the SL, which is celebrating its 60^th birthday in May. We must not forget about the GLK, an SUV loved all around the world, which as a result of its latest facelift “received an urban, individualist, sexy character”. The growth of this segment is the largest everywhere, so it is worth the efforts invested.

The new Citan

We must also mention the G Class, which throughout the years hasn’t lost any of its appeal, and is also getting a facelift. The exclusive and elegant CLS Shooting Break will also be introduced in 2012.

The surprise of the year is a completely new transporter model. Mercedes will present the new model in the city LCV segment, the Citan, sometime during autumn. The competitive advantages of Mercedes transporters and commercial vehicles are variability and quality.

This year, Mercedes-Benz will introduce the “Jahreswagen” used car brand in Hungary. The “only you know it's not new” approach will change, and the programme will be extended as well. Within the programme maximum 6-year-old cars or cars with a mileage of maximum 150,000 kilometres can take part. The list of services includes 12 to 24 months of technical warranty, breakdown service and complete technical scrutiny. Naturally, the cars marketed within the programme are prepared for customers according to the brand’s standards.

Integrated Service Package

Mercedes-Benz Hungaria Kft has introduced the new Integrated Service Package, which provides free maintenance and repair warranty for every new Mercedes passenger cars sold and registered by a domestic brand dealership after 1 February 2012. This initiative is unique in the premium segment in the domestic market as all services are free within the first four years or until 150,000 kilometres. The costs can be planned in advance, which among others can be a value-increasing factor when putting the car to the second-hand market.

The interior of the new B Class - gallery