CEO Dimitris Silakis Holds New Year Press Conference
Upcoming Launch of Luxury SUV 'The New Mercedes-Maybach GLS' and More
[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Mercedes-Benz Korea announced that it will launch 9 new car models and 6 facelift models this year. It also plans to strengthen its efforts in discovering domestic startups and expanding its mobility business. Having secured the top position in the domestic imported car sector for four consecutive years, the company expressed its determination to solidify its leadership in 2020 as well.
On the 14th, at a press conference held at the EQ Future exhibition hall on Garosu-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Dimitris Silarakis, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea, stated, "In 2020, we will continue the innovation we have pursued so far and aim to reward our customers with the best products and services. In particular, as part of our efforts to lead future mobility, we will strive to contribute to the Korean economy by discovering Korean startups through a global platform." Attending the event were CEO Silarakis, Vice President Jo Myeong-ah, head of Network Development & Digital House division, and Vice President Mark Lane, head of Product & Marketing division, among others.
Mercedes-Benz recorded a historic high sales volume of 78,133 units last year, a 10.4% increase compared to the previous year, achieving the number one position in imported car sales for the fourth consecutive year. This marks the fourth consecutive year since 2016 that the company has set a new sales record. Among these, the best-selling E-Class family led sales with 39,788 units. Mercedes-Benz's market share in the imported car market rose to 31.92%, up 4.77 percentage points from 27.15% the previous year.
Encouraged by its success in the Korean market, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase its domestic investment this year. CEO Silarakis announced that the company will strengthen closer cooperation to revitalize the domestic startup ecosystem and expand open innovation. Daimler Group, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has been building a system for discovering and collaborating with startups through the ‘Startup Autobahn’ platform since 2016. ‘Startup Autobahn’ is the largest startup acceleration platform in Europe, having discovered over 5,500 startups. This year, the platform will be introduced in Korea to continue collaboration with startups.
Additionally, CEO Silarakis revealed plans to utilize solar energy to create an electric vehicle charging environment. Mercedes-Benz plans to replace all the electricity required in the delivery process of electrified models with solar energy, including installing solar panels at the delivery preparation center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province this year.
The lineup will also be strengthened. Mercedes-Benz announced that it will launch 9 new models and 6 facelift models across various brands including EQ, AMG, and Maybach. Notably, for the first time in Korea, the high-performance AMG lineup will introduce 'The New Mercedes-AMG GT C' and 'The New Mercedes-AMG GT R' models. The epitome of luxury limousines, ‘The New Mercedes-Maybach Pullman,’ and the ultra-luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) ‘The New Mercedes-Maybach GLS’ will also be introduced domestically for the first time.
Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Korea unveiled the innovative safety test vehicle ‘ESF (Experimental Safety Vehicle)’ for the first time in Korea at this press conference.
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