Stuttgart  - Mercedes is expanding its "young classic" business segment to cater to a growing demand for original and well-preserved vehicles built between 1970 and 1990, the car maker has announced.

Many of the Mercedes cars built in that period enjoy "cult status" in Europe and the United States and there is huge demand for vintage cars, Mercedes said in a press statement.

A Mercedes-Benz Young Classics Store has been opened at the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart as a pilot project. Customers can buy, rent, insure and finance the young classics on offer. The store offers a variety of cars dating from the 1970s onwards, all in first-class condition, the company said.

The vehicles currently on offer can be viewed online at: http://www.mercedes-benz.com/young-classics.

According to German car registration figures, there are about 6.6 million young classics on the roads in Germany alone, 1 million of which were built by Mercedes. (dpa)