SHANGHAI (Reuters) -- Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz unit in November sold 224 percent more cars in China compared with the same month last year, a senior executive said on Monday.
Bjoern Hauber, general manager of sales and marketing for Mercedes Benz in China, told reporters that 8,500 cars were sold in last month. Including Hong Kong, the automaker sold 8,900 cars in the region last month, bringing its 11-month total to 62,200, a 59.8 percent increase compared with 2008.
Hauber said that given the strong performance in the first 11 months, full-year sales in China excluding Hong Kong are expected to exceed the company's previous target of 65,000.
"Given the first 11 months' figure, I think full-year sales will be more than 65,000," he said.
The booming Chinese auto market remains one of the few bright spots for German luxury carmakers. Audi AG, China's top-selling premium brand, reported in late October that it had delivered 118,196 cars in China and expected its total for the year to rise to 130,000 -- thus setting a new company record. BMW AG, the world's largest premium brand by global sales, sold 71,952 vehicles in China through October, an increase of 36.7 percent. Both automakers will report their November sales later this month.
