Pre-orders for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class in Western Europe hit 70,000 – a figure that would represent a 10 per cent conversion rate of potential customers who were invited to pre-launch events. That would make the launch of the third-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class one of the most successful launches in Mercedes history.
Thus, Mercedes-Benz A-Class launch emerged as an auspicious start for a car maker that is currently under intense pressure from poor economic growth in Europe and cut-throat competition from rivals manufacturers like Audi and BMW.
Dieter Zetsche, chief executive of Mercedes-Benz, also said that 1 for every 10 who attended pre-launch events placed pre orders for the new Mercedes-Benz and that it was the most successful launch in the brand’s history.
However, Zetsche admitted that the brand’s absence in key segments like the small sports utility vehicle (SUV) has caused the brand lag far behind Audi and BMW.
He said Mercedes would also launch a small SUV based on the MFA platform, which underpins the A-Class. Speaking on the topic, he said, “These are not excuses, and we will close the gap in the next five years.”
The A-Class segment has been continually expanding and is expected to be an important battleground, particularly as Mercedes as well as Audi are making hard efforts to grab the number one spot in the list of luxury carmaker by the year of 2020, taking over from current leader – BMW.
