Daimler AG merged two Mercedes-Benz sales units in China to streamline operations in a bid to boost car deliveries by a third in the country by 2015.

The new unit, Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co, will coordinate distribution for the brand in China and is a 50-50 joint venture with Beijing Automotive Group Co, the Stuttgart-based carmaker said yesterday in a statement. Mercedes formerly had separate units overseeing imported vehicles and locally-made cars.

"With the establishment of the new sales company, we are now increasing the effectiveness of our sales organization and setting a course for long-term and sustainable growth," CEO Dieter Zetsche said in the statement.

The merger is to meet sluggish growth in China, the world's largest auto market. Mercedes deliveries rose 4.2 percent through November, trailing growth of over 30 percent at rivals.