Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East and Levant continued to buck the worldwide downward vehicle sales trend with deliveries of 1,872 in September, up 24 per cent over the same period in 2007 and an all-time record month for the Dubai-headquartered company.

Deliveries across the region for the first nine months of the year reached 14,856, an increase of more than 21 per cent over the same period last year.

"September's all-time record figures continue to confirm Mercedes-Benz as the leading supplier of luxury vehicles and that regional demand for our vehicles is still hot despite the inclement financial weather around the world," said Frank Bernthaler, director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East and Levant.

The award-winning C-Class continues to dominate its segment with deliveries up 35 per cent in September while the family-favourite E-Class saw deliveries rise by nearly 7 per cent over the same period last year.

The S-Class continues to be the favourite German luxury sedan with September 2008 deliveries at 705, up just over 13 per cent over last year's figure of 597.

In the luxury SUV segment the value for money ML-Class made big gains with deliveries in September up nearly 150 per cent.

In the first nine months of 2008, deliveries in the UAE reached 5,979, making it the leading market in the region. Saudi Arabi is second with deliveries at 2,863 a rise of just under 10 per cent over the same period in 2007.

Best market performers are Jordan and Lebanon with year-to-date deliveries up over 91 per cent and 75 per cent respectively.

"Our firework of new and refreshed models continues in October with the arrival of the GLK, first compact SUV from Mercedes-Benz, and we are confident that despite the global turndown in vehicle sales, with the help of our distributors, we can reach a new annual high for this region," added Bernthaler. - TradeArabia News Service