“As a company, we hold talks with political decision-makers – in the EU as well as in China and the US,” said Kaellenius.

“However, negotiations take place at EU level because trade policy falls within the EU’s remit.

“We are available as a sounding board, contributing ideas and presenting scenarios showing how certain decisions would affect us,” he added.

Mercedes-Benz, as well as BMW and Volkswagen, are in talks with Washington over a possible import tariff deal, sources told Reuters late last month.

“Under one proposal on the table, German carmakers would get credits for cars they export from the US, which could then be deducted from tariffs,” one of the sources said.

Kaellenius’ interview was published hours before Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will hold his first face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump as Europe seeks to stave off looming US tariffs.