Keen to boost sales, German global automaker, Mercedes Benz will unveil a slew of cars at the Auto Expo, which runs from Tuesday to January 11, as the company turns to one of the few remaining growth markets to keep its engines humming.

Wilfred Aulbur, CEO & MD of Daimler Chrysler India, shares with FE?s Rajat Guha the company?s future plans in India. Excerpts:

How do you see 2010 panning out for your company?

One thing I can guarantee is that we would clock great numbers in 2010. We expect to post double-digit sales growth this year vis-a-vis a year ago. We have been doing great for the last few years in Asia?s fourth largest auto market and would continue to do so. We managed to clock sales of 3,220 cars in India last year despite the slowdown. As of now, India is at par with Thailand and Singapore, while China boasts a market 20 to 25 times the size.

Do you plan to bring your hybrid models in India as the country may have growth prospects here with many companies latching on to the hybrid bandwagon?

We are keen on bringing diesel hybrids into the country. We believe that diesel hybrids are best suited for the Indian market. And, it would be all the more good if the government offers incentives on hybrid cars in India.

You have been number one in the luxury sedan segment for long but of late you have lost your leadership position to BMW?

We are behind BMW in 2009 because of limited availability of our E-Class car and as of now the company does not want to focus on leadership. We want to have a profitable growth.

And how would you tackle the growing competition from your competitors?

Ans. Mercedes is undertaking a dealer upgradation exercise across the country which entails an investment of up to Rs 200 crore, which will be borne by both dealers and the company. We are happy that our dealers are also supportive in the effort to maintain a profitable growth track in India.

What all can we expect from Mercedes in the Auto Expo in the next few days?

The company would launch a new edition of C-class sedan, which is apparently one of the most awaited car launches at Auto Expo, a 3-axle bus, besides showcasing E-Coupe, M-class SUV and diesel hybrid among others.

Apart from your company?s effort, should the government also do something to rev up sales of big car manufacturers?

If the government does away with the policy of multiple taxation in the Indian passenger car market it would be a great boon for sales of big cars in India. It is true that larger the sales, bigger would be our investment in India. Volumes drive investments. Hence, we need fair treatment across the line that will lead to volumes leading to investments. We want uniform tax for all cars.

Give an insight into the commercial vehicle business and component business in India.

We sold 231 units in 2009 against 240 units in the previous year. We are expecting that 2010 will be a good for trucks while the bus segment will also pick up momentum slowly. As far as the component business is concerned, we will focus on supplying parts from India and China as these two countries are low cost countries. Revenue generation from component sourcing is equal to our car, truck and bus sales in India.