In an effort to regain its decade-long leadership position in the luxury car market in India, Mercedes Benz India is launching five new products in 2010 and the biggest attractions would be the E-Coupe and the ML-Class, which would be launched towards the end of the year, along with the new S500L and the GL 350 launched on Monday and the AMG range of performance cars that will be showcased on Tuesday.
According to sources, Mercedes will be very aggressive in revamping its entire product portfolio in the country and the yet to be launched E-Coupe and ML-Class will be its major initiative in that direction. ?While the E-coupe is expected to be priced between Rs 65 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, the ML-Class will cost around Rs 60 lakh.
?We are behind BMW in India in 2009 because of limited availability of our E-Class cars. I don’t want to focus on leadership and want to have a profitable growth,? Wilfried Aulbur, managing director CEO, Mercedes Benz India said, adding that the company sold 3,247 units in 2009 as against 3,625 units in 2008 in India, a decline of 10.4%. Rival BMW India sold 3,619 units last year.
The company launched a new version of its luxury sedan S-Class and sports utility vehicle GL in the country priced at Rs 95 lakh and 64.9 lakh respectively. ?The S500L will be unassembled at our plant and it will be the most expensive luxury sedan ever produced in India. However, GL350CI will be sold as a complete built unit,? Aulbur added.
According to Aulbur, the company will also showcase the concept vehicle Fascination, which is a diesel hybrid, on Tuesday and expects a strong double-digit growth in 2010 on the back of new products.