German-US automaker DaimlerChrysler on Tuesday said sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in China soared by 77 per cent last year, well above the 46-percent annual growth in the overall Chinese car market.
Mercedes-Benz China sold to 68 500 vehicles in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2009, helping it to "reinforce its place as the fastest-growing luxury brand in the country," the company said in a statement.
Sales of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles in China hit a new monthly record of 9 350 units in December, while the annual growth was led by the group's locally produced C-Class cars.
"Mercedes-Benz mirrored the success of this auto industry last year and marked 2009 as our best year ever, during which China became the fourth-largest market for Mercedes-Benz in the world," Klaus Maier, president of Mercedes-Benz China, said in a statement.
The company said it sold 15 000 of its Mercedes-Benz S-Class cars, giving it the "leading market share of the top luxury segment" in China.
German auto giant Volkswagen AG reported a 37-per-cent surge to more than 1.4 million vehicles in China last year, while US-based Ford Motor Co and its Chinese joint ventures said annual sales rose 44 per cent to 440 619 vehicles.
Some analysts have warned that the aggressive expansion plans of international and Chinese firms could lead to a surplus of passenger cars in China in the next few years. - Sapa-dpa