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 Zetsche has tasked Mercedes with becoming the leading premium
carmaker by 2020 after it sold 1.87 million passenger cars in 2015,
leapfrogging Volkswagen's Audi on 1.80 million but still trailing
BMW on 1.91 million.
"The volume lead should be the consequence of having the best
offering," Zetsche said. "If we accomplish this, it is a natural
consequence that more people will choose us."
"People said it will create pricing and margin pressure. Exactly the
opposite is true," he told analysts at a conference to discuss
fourth-quarter results in Stuttgart.
Having a certain level of sales volume gave Mercedes the economies
of scale to develop a coupe, a convertible and long-wheelbase
version of its top-of-the range S-Class, Zetsche said.
The Mercedes CEO was more upbeat about the brand's prospects in
China, given that the overall market was expected to grow 8 percent
this year.
"We do see significantly better chances for us based on our product
offerings," Zetsche said, adding that demand remained high for some
new locally made cars, such as the GLC offroader.
"We have waiting times which are unhealthy already," he gold told
analysts, adding that the new E-Class, another volume model, had yet
to hit showrooms.
GOOD YEAR FOR TRUCKS
Despite a new BMW 7 series model to challenge the S-Class, there has
been no dent in China sales, the CEO said.
"Competitors come up with good cars, we do not see our singular
position with the S-Class challenged with that."
Demand for Mercedes-Benz cars continued in January, monthly sales
figures showed, with global deliveries up 20 percent, boosted by a
52 percent jump in sales in China.
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Also speaking to analysts on Friday, Daimler Trucks chief Wolfgang
Bernhard said Daimler expected 2016 to be a good year for demand in
North America, despite recent signs of a slowdown.
"The sky is not falling. We still think the market will be above
2014, which was a good market," Bernhard said.
A shift to a new generation of higher-margin engines should also
help 2016 truck results, he said, adding that he expected some
growth in Europe and to gain market share in Japan.
Even if demand began to fall off sharply, Daimler had shown it could
react quickly. Last year, Daimler trucks shed 1,000 staff in North
America and 2,000 staff in Brazil, where there was a need for
further "adjustment", he said.
(Reporting by Edward Taylor; editing by David Clarke)
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