NEW YORK, June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Daimler AG (stock exchange abbreviation DAI) today reported U.S. sales of 19,871 Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles, an improvement of 21.9 percent compared to May 2009. All sales figures in this release are on an unadjusted basis unless otherwise noted.

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Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported May sales of 19,176 vehicles, an increase of 26.7%, continuing the second quarter with a 25.8% increase on a year-to-date basis. 18,548 passenger cars, light truck vehicles and 628 Sprinter vans are included in this total.

Impressive gains were made in both the Mercedes-Benz passenger car and light-truck categories. The strongest performer of the month was the 9th generation E-Class - which expanded to include the wagon and cabriolet models - with sales of 5,476 (up 140.7%).

The company's flagship sedan, the S-Class, marked increased gains with sales of 1,085 (up 21.2%) and the newly introduced supercar and brand halo - the SLS AMG - reported strong initial sales of 168. The top performer on the luxury light truck side was the versatile M-Class SUV with sales of 2,264.

On a year-to-date basis, the company sold 87,970 new vehicles, an increase of 25.8% over last year.

smart USA recorded 695 sales in May 2010, an increase over April 2010, and continues the sales momentum this year. For five months straight, smart USA has recorded month-over-month increases. smart USA is capitalizing on the fortwo's urban appeal, and its performance can be traced to the success of taking "smart to the streets," including a focus on the digital space, as part of a strong awareness building effort.

Detailed vehicle sales information for MBUSA will be announced in a separate press release issued by Mercedes-Benz USA.

     Mercedes-Benz Cars Division in the U.S. Sales Summary Through May 2010
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                        Month Sales        %        Sales CYTD        %
                      Curr Yr  Pr Yr  Change    Curr Yr  Pr Yr  Change
                      -------  -----  ------    -------  -----  ------
    Mercedes-Benz USA
     (passenger cars
     and light truck
     vehicles)          18,548 15,134     22.6%   85,405 69,933     22.1%
    -----------------                             ------
    smart USA              695  1,169    -40.6%    2,772  7,451    -62.8%
    *Mercedes-Benz
     Sprinter              628      -        -     2,565      -        -
    Mercedes-Benz USA
     /smart USA
     combined           19,871 16,303     21.9%   90,742 77,384     17.3%

*Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter Vans are sold and marketed in the U.S. by Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler Vans USA, respectively.

Further information on Daimler is available on the internet at www.media.daimler.com.

About Daimler

Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides its customers with a full range of automotive financial services including financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management.

The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As an automotive pioneer, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility. The Group applies innovative and green technologies to produce safe and superior vehicles which fascinate and delight its customers. With the development of alternative drive systems, Daimler is the only vehicle producer investing in hybrid drive, electric motors and fuel-cell systems, with the goal of achieving emission-free mobility in the long term. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment.

Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on five continents. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, the brands smart, Maybach, Freightliner, Western Star, Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt, New York and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2009, the Group sold 1.6 million vehicles and employed a workforce of more than 256,000 people; revenue totaled euro 78.9 billion and EBIT amounted minus euro 1.5 billion.

SOURCE Daimler Corporate Communications