Last year, the big news for the marquee was the new C-Class (W204) which arrived in Malaysia during the fourth quarter with deliveries commencing from November. In the initial period, over 1,000 orders were received for the model which is aimed at a broader customer base, particularly the younger buyers.

The strong appeal of the new generation was evident in the fact that average monthly sales for its successor during 2007 had been around 50 units but in just two months of deliveries, the new C-Class was averaging about 70 units a month.

The most popular Mercedes-Benz series remained the E-Class which was leader in its class with 1,506 units registered during 2007. This accounted for 41% of total Mercedes-Benz passenger car sales in Malaysia, while the C-Class had a 28% share.

483 units of the S-Class flagship were registered, the majority being the locally-assembled S300L. “The S-Class remains the preferred choice of captains of industries and the orders continue to mount,” said Mr Honegg.

The B-Class and A-Class accounted for 9% and 3%, respectively, of total units delivered to customers, while the combined volume of other models such as the R-Class and M-Class as well as the sports models accounted for the remaining 6%.

Smart, which is also in the Daimler AG Group, was not mentioned in the figures but according to the MAA data, 566 units were sold last year, of which 428 units were the smart forfour which has been discontinued from production.

“The vehicles we have in the Mercedes-Benz stable are well accepted by Malaysian customers and there is steady demand, especially for the new C-Class,” he said.

• Mercedes-Benz sets global sales record in 2007