FRANKFURT (Thomson Financial) - Daimler AG expects to post its 15th annual unit sales record in the US this year, after selling 253,400 cars in the US in 2007, 2 pct more than a year earlier, chief executive Dieter Zetsche said.
The company also expects global unit sales to increase this year from 2007, Zetsche said at the Detroit Auto Show.
In the coming 2-3 years, the company plans to spend 4.0-4.5 pct of its revenue on research and development as the company invests in reducing the gas mileage in its vehicles, he said.
That compares with about 5.5 pct seen at peer Bayerische Motoren Werke AG over the next years, according to statements made earlier today.
Zetsche said the company is still in 'good talks' over a possible cooperation with BMW and other carmakers, but he said a tie-up with BMW would likely be on the component side, brushing off speculation the two companies may be mulling a cooperation on the development of compact cars.
Turning to the company's stake in aerospace and defense company EADS, Zetsche said there are currently no plans to further reduce the holding from 15 pct. maria.sheahan@thomson.com dpa/mas/ak COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Financial News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Thomson Financial News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Financial News.