MERCEDES-Benz believes that with the launch of the S-class it has a range of cars to suit all fleet needs. As the S-class was unveiled at the Motor Show, Adrian Atkinson, Mercedes' key account manager, said the German manufacturer was turning its spotlight on fleets of all sizes.

'From the new flagship S-class down to the A-class, our whole product range means we have a chance to suit every fleet driver's needs, from the employee who wants a car that swallows up motorway miles all the way to the chairman of the company who wants the prestige of owning an S-class.

'The nice thing is the product differential. None of our cars look the same, unlike BMW, for example, where it's hard to tell the difference between the 3, 5 and 7-series.' He added that in the crucial consideration of wholelife costs Mercedes-Benz will compete with the biggest names in the fleet business.

Mercedes plans to import 15,000 of the A-class next year and hopes to put about 3,000 into the major corporate fleets. The S-class is aimed firmly at the opposite end of the market to the A-class and appeals to outright purchasers, primarily company executives.