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Published: 15 December 2021

• Registrations
• Daimler AG
• Germany

Mercedes now sells more CLA models than C-Class in Europe

- Since 2013, Mercedes has two sedans models that are very close to each other, one based on the A-Class platform called CLA (therefore theoretically marketed on the C-segment) and the other based on the mid-range MRA platform, named the C-Class (therefore theoretically marketed on D-segment). In terms of dimensions and general appearance, the two sedans CLA and C-Class are very similar as the CLA is 4.63 m long and 1.83 m wide while the Class C is 4.75 m long and 1.82 m wide.

- In terms of powertrains, the CLA is equipped with 1.3 and 2.0 petrol and 2.0 diesel engines, as well as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) engine based on the 1.3, while the C-Class adopts 1.5 and 2.0 petrol and 2.0 diesel engines. A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version based on the 1.5 is scheduled for next summer. The engines are therefore also quite similar.

- As for the prices, they range from 37,000 to 47,000 euros for the CLA (excluding AMG versions) and from 50,000 to 60,000 euros (excluding AMG versions) for the C-Class which is positioned slightly above due to a D-segment platform and slightly more spacious.

- In this context, the CLA sedan has succeeded for a year in chasing sales of the C-Class in Europe, then supplanting sales of the C-Class for several months (since august 2021), the C-Class being at the end of its life a year ago. But now, as the new C-Class kicks off, the CLA manages to sell twice as much as the C-Class (4,000 sales compared to 2,000 in October 2021). The question is whether the CLA will be able to stay ahead of the Class C and for how long.

    

 

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Read more... Mercedes now sells more CLA models than C-Class in Europe

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Published: 15 December 2021

• Production
• Geely

Volvo wants to build a new plant in Europe

- In order to meet the objective of being a full electric car producer in 2030, Volvo has opted for the construction of a new assembly plant in Europe. The Swedish carmaker Volvo (a subsidiary of the Chinese group Geely) has decided to increase its production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles per year, against 900,000 units today.

- Certainly, Volvo's sales have never reached this figure of 900,000 units per year, as they did not exceed 662,000 units in 2020 against 705,000 in 2019 and 642,000 in 2018. In 2021, Volvo will produce 700,000 cars, returning to the level of 2019. But the Swedish carmaker believes that the expansion of its range will certainly increase its sales, reaching and even exceeding one million vehicles per year (Mercedes and BMW each producing between 2.2 million and 2.3 million vehicles per year).

- Volvo now has two plants in Europe, one located in Sweden (Gothenburg) and the other in Belgium (Ghent), with a total capacity of 550,000 vehicles per year (300,000 for Ghent and 250,000 for Gothenburg). Outside of Europe, Volvo has two plants in China (Daqing and Luqiao) which have not yet reached saturation (162,000 cars produced in 2021 out of 300,000 capacities) and a factory in the USA (Ridgeville) which is far from being saturated (26,000 cars produced in 2021 out of 50,000 capacities).

- Volvo's bet is therefore risky especially at a time when the demand for vehicles in Europe is likely not only to stabilize over the next few years, and even to contract due to the price to acquire a car, especially a battery electric vehicle, and more generally, due to the  politic to restrain automobiles in big European cities.

    

 

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Published: 15 December 2021

• Registrations
• Russia

The Russian market is down by only 2% in 2021 compared to 2019

- The Russian auto market grew 9.3% year-to-date in the first 10 months of 2021, compared to the first 10 months of 2020, to 1,392,929 passenger cars and light utility vehicles, but was down 2.1% from in the first 10 months of 2019.

- The Lada brand remains the leader of the Russian market, with 294,422 sales (21% market share), ahead of Kia (175,756 sales) and Hyundai (148,153 sales). Renault is in fourth position (107,666 sales), largely with models inherited from the European Dacia range (Duster, Logan, Sandero). The French brand is ahead of Volkswagen (81,466 sales), Toyota (79,966 sales) and Skoda (78,237 sales). These seven brands represent 69% of the Russian market in the first 10 months of 2021.

- By groups, Renault-Nissan remains the leader of the Russian market with the Lada, Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi brands, totalling 466,336 sales over 10 months 2021. It is well ahead of the Hyundai-Kia (323,909 units) and Volkswagen groups (179,666 units). These three carmakers alone achieve 70% of sales on the Russian market over 10 months 2021.

- The best-selling models in the first 9 months of 2021 are the Lada Granta (90,986 units) and Vesta (82,860 units), followed by the Kia Rio (63,220 units), Hyundai Creta (53,399 units), Hyundai Solaris ( 48,840 units), Volkswagen Polo (39,689 units) and Lada Niva (39,631 units). These seven models alone represent 30% of the Russian market in 2021.

- It is to be noted that exports are rising sharply (+39% compared to the first 8 months of 2020). The top exporting countries are Belarus (40% of exports) and Kazakhstan (35% of exports). Imports are also rising sharply (+79% compared to the first 8 months of 2020). The top importing countries are Japan (24% of imports), China (18%) and Germany (14%).

 

    

 

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Published: 06 December 2021

• Production
• Daimler AG
• Germany

Inovev forecasts 5,000 units per year of the new Mercedes SL roadster

- Heritor to a long line of roadsters, the first of which dates back to 1955, the eighth generation Mercedes SL was unveiled by the German carmaker a few weeks ago. The legendary two-seater model returns to its fundamentals, abandoning the concept of a coupé-cabriolet with a hard roof-top to adopt the canvas top as before.

- The Mercedes SL roadster had declined a lot in recent years, due to the development of Mercedes supercars such as the SLR, SLS then AMG GT. Production of the SL roadster had gradually decreased from 14,000 sales in 2012 to 6,000 in 2016, then 3,000 in 2019 and 1,500 in 2021.

- Rather than permanently abolishing this prestigious line, as Mercedes did for the S-Class coupés and convertibles, the Stuttgart brand preferred to launch what will be the last model of this family in this configuration, since in 2035 the European Commission wants to stop the sale of thermal engine models and the new SL is only available in thermal version.

- The new Mercedes SL is 4.71 m long, 8 cm longer than the old one, weighs almost 2 tonnes (1,970 kg) with the 4.0 V8 engine developing 585 hp, an engine from the AMG GT R. The SL roadster replaces not only the old SL but also the AMG GT roadster, a new coupe version of which will be launched in 2023.

- The new Mercedes SL will be produced in Sindelfingen alongside the E-Class E, EQE, S-Class S and EQS, at the rate of 5,000 units per year according to Inovev.

    

 

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Read more... Inovev forecasts 5,000 units per year of the new Mercedes SL roadster