Green luxury

"Our success in China is a direct result of not only our dedication to the market and strategic expansion of our product portfolio, but also our passion in providing cutting-edge, eco-friendly technologies to customers," he said.

At the Guangzhou auto show late last month, Mercedes-Benz debuted three E-Class models optimized with Mercedes-Benz's BlueEfficiency measures and equipped with more efficient gasoline combustion CGI engines.

"The launch of these three BlueEfficiency models, as well as the S 400 Hybrid and SmartFortwo, demonstrates Mercedes-Benz's leadership in environmentally friendly mobility," Maier said.

According to Maier, Mercedes-Benz will focus on three phases to build a green luxury market in China in the future.

The first phase will involve "optimizing the turbo engines, such as our CGI engines", to offer car buyers in China, he said.

The second phase will focus on offering more hybrid models in China, he said.

The third phase will involve the introduction of additional low-emission and zero-emission models.

"We hope to start this phase by introducing the mass-produced electric smart cars in two years, and then the fuel cell B-Class sedans," Maier said.

"Over the next five years, we can cover all three phases to achieve our green luxury target in China, with a long-term commitment to an environmental friendly society here," he said.