Mercedes-Benz Hiked Global Sales 5% Last Year

Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz Cars unit sold a record 1.42 million vehicles worldwide in 2012 year compared with 1.36 million units in 2011.

The core Mercedes-Benz brand boosted sales 5% to an all-time high of 1.32 million units last year. Demand for the unit's Smart brand grew 2% year over year to 103,700 units.

The Mercedes make was buoyed by record demand in China (+2% to 196,200 units) and America (+12% to 274,100 units). The luxury brand also set internal sales records in Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Middle East, Russia, and South Korea.

The U.S. surpassed Germany to become the Mercedes marque's biggest market. The brand's volume last year dipped less than 1% to 261,100 vehicles in Germany and rose nearly 2% to 293,700 units in the rest of western Europe.

In December the luxury marque hiked global sales almost 1% to 125,200 vehicles. Smart demand dropped 4% to 7,400 cars.