Its a concept more associated with the West. Limousine services, popular and famous in the developed US and European countries where people rent high-end super luxury cars for special occasions like weddings, anniversaries or birthdays, may soon be available in India. Car rental company, the US-based Hertz is all set to to offer limousine services in India and plans to entice Indians, who are fast growing in affluence with huge economic growth and ever-bulging pay packets, with some top-of-the-line cars to make their special occasions memorable.
“We plan to offer limousine service in India offering expensive cars like BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S-Class and Audi A8 along with customised services soon,” Hertz India MD Rajiv K Vij told FE. Vij, who said the business is an extension of Hertz’s plans to expand its services in the direct consumer area, said the company had carried out a study on the potential of the business in Delhi and Mumbai. “The whole idea is to provide a first-class service. We plan to offer a two-tier service option to customers that includes a basic package over and above which they can choose services as per various options available,” he said.
Vij said the limousine services would have the ‘Honda Accord’ or ‘Toyota Camry’ as the entry-level cars while also providing option to people to go in for super expensive cars. “A Camry or an Accord limousine could carry a charge of Rs 4,000-5,000 for a day while the BMW 7-Series or Mercedes S-Class could cost about Rs 15,000,” he said. The standard services along with the limousines would be a chauffeur well versed in English, mineral water and cold towel. “The cahuffeur will be more like a guide who understands the city well and can take you through the city,” he said, adding that the optional services could include Internet usage, chocolates, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.
Asked whether the company had plans to offer stretch limousines, that are very popular in the West, he said current regulations were not clear on the matter. “We would like to bring them in but currently there are no clear homologation rules for such cars to be brought in India,” Vij said.
But just while Hertz is planning to drive into the limousine service business in India, the service is already being offered by domestic car rental companies, though it is limited in terms of service quality and reach.