AMG Posts New Sales Record For 2008

• 24,200 AMG high-performance vehicles delivered worldwide
• Germany is second-strongest market with 34 per cent growth
• 73 per cent increase for AMG sports package

Following the most successful year in its company history, Mercedes-AMG GmbH has reason to celebrate.

The year 2008 saw AMG - Mercedes-Benz’s performance arm - increase its unit sales worldwide by 19 percent, with 24,200 vehicles sold, besting the previous year’s effort of 20,300 and bucking the market trend in a difficult period.

The USA was the strongest market for AMG once again, making up a 38 percent share of the brand’s total sales.  Germany followed in second place with 13 percent, and Japan rounded out the top three AMG markets with 8 percent.

The German market has seen strong growth of late, with 2008 seeing a 34 percent increase over the previous year.  Unsurprisingly, China was one of the brand’s greatest growth markets, with a phenomenal 260 percent increase over 2007.  Brazil showed the best year on year development however, with a 565 percent increase on the previous year.

In Australia, 2008 saw more than 700 AMG cars delivered, many of them to repeat buyers.  AMG sales in Australia in 2008 accounted for five percent of total Australian Mercedes-Benz passenger car sales.

Worldwide, the C 63 AMG (above) made a considerable contribution to the success of the brand in 2008, with 8100 units delivered.  Available in both saloon and estate (wagon) form, the C 63 AMG is the most popular AMG model in Australia, and the most successful AMG offering of all time.

Pulling more than its own weight was the SL 63 AMG roadster, with 3050 units finding a home in 2008.  The SL 65 AMG Black Series also stormed through sales of  its 350 limited edition units.

Successful: AMG sports package and AMG Driving Academy

AMG also experienced success in other areas in 2008, with the AMG sports package – available for numerous Mercedes models – seeing a 73 percent increase over 2007 sales.

The AMG Driving Academy, founded in 2007, registered twice as many applications as in 2007. The strength of demand for high-class racing circuit training and events has led AMG to undertake a considerable expansion of the AMG Driving Academy options for 2009.

Above: AMG owners master the all-important ‘Scandinavian Flick’

Environmentally compatible vehicle development initiatives

Mercedes-AMG GmbH says it will be intensifying its commitment to the development of environmentally compatible vehicles, improving on its existing position as ‘best in class’ among its competitors for fuel consumption.

All AMG vehicles will surpass the EU-5 standards which come into force from 2009 and also the EU-6 standards which will apply from 2014.

To reduce fuel consumption, AMG will soon introduce efficiency-increasing engine-generator management as well as regulated oil and water pumps.

From 2010 AMG will equip its vehicles with direct petrol injection and with start-stop function.

Through constantly increasing efficiency, AMG will from 2012 achieve a reduction in consumption of 30 per cent in comparison to present levels.