--FILE--A GLS 320 4MATIC car of Mercedes-Benz car is displayed during the 16th China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition, also known as Auto Guangzhou 2018, in Guangzhou city, south China's Guangdong province, 16 November 2018. Mercedes-Benz delivered 2.31 million cars worldwide in 2018, which made it the most popular premium brand for three straight years, mainly thanks to its performance in China, said its top executive. "In a highly competitive environment, we also remained at the top from month to month, thanks to double-digit growth in China and many new models that have delighted both existing and new customers worldwide, " said Dieter Zetsche, chairman of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. China was again the company's biggest sales market last year, where 652, 996 Mercedes-Benz cars were handed over to customers, up 11.1 percent year-on-year. The sales came second only to Audi in China. But if combined with its smart brand, the car division of Daimler AG saw its sales reach a record number of 674, 125 units, topping the ranks of premium brands in the country. Its smart brand enjoyed great popularity last year as well, where it achieved its second-best full-year sales since its 2009 launch in China.
