Mercedes-Benz Korea, the local importer and distributor of the German automaker, will launch 20 models, including two plug-in hybrids, this year, with an aim to sell over 70,000 units, the company said Monday.

“All-time best performance was achieved through active investment and effort to provide differentiated customer experience in 2017,” said Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Dimitris Psillakis during the New Year’s conference held at Hotel Shilla in central Seoul.

“It will not be easy to maintain the growth which has been beyond our expectation for the past two years. However, we will continuously endeavor to realize future mobility vision through ceaseless innovation and to provide the best service and brand experience which lead to customer impression.”

Surpassing the 60,000 unit mark for the first time among import carmakers, Mercedes-Benz Korea sold 68,861 units in 2017, up 22.2 percent year-on-year, the company said.

The company has flagged No.1 in sales among import carmakers for two consecutive years.

The carmaker has set its sales goal for this year at over 70,000 units, similar to last year‘s sales.

Starting with its first electrified vehicle EQ in the first half of this year, Mercedes-Benz Korea will roll out 20 models -- nine new ones and 11 facelifted models -- this year.

The E-Class convertible will also join the flagship E-Class segment, strengthening the carmaker’s best-selling segment here.

In response to rising sales, the company will invest 35 billion won ($32.9 million) to expand its distribution center in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.

It will also add five more after-service centers from the current 55 centers nationwide.

Customers here had expressed dissatisfaction over a lack of after-service centers, which is 26 centers short compared to its German rival BMW Korea.

As part of its CSR commitments, Mercedes-Benz Korea had donated 4.1 billion won in 2017, the company told The Korea Herald.

“We are committed to top this amount in 2018. It’s the quality and initiatives that is more important than quantity,” Psillakis said.

On last year’s performance, Korea has become the sixth biggest market for Mercedes-Benz. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)