Instead of chasing a higher target, luxury automotive maker Mercedes-Benz aims to match the number of units sold in calendar year (CY) 24, according to its vice president (VP) of sales & marketing, Brendon Sissing.
In a press interaction, Sissing owed this target to geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties, including the rejig of the goods and services tax (GST) slabs and a flat market for luxury cars in the first half of 2025.
“We touched a milestone in CY24 by selling 19,565 units, our best-ever annual sales in India. If we are able to clock similar sales this year, despite the uncertainties, I think it will be a job well done,” he said.
Focus on emerging luxury markets
While the luxury car market grew by 6% in 2024 at 51,000 units sold, experts have predicted slow to moderate growth for the sector in 2025. Mercedes, which sold the most units compared to other luxury car makers in 2024, now aims to expand its presence across India and tap into emerging markets.
“For CY25, we have already inaugurated 11 luxury touchpoints across the country, with 19 more in the pipeline for the next 5 months,” shared Sissing. “These touchpoints include ‘mini-metros’ such as Udaipur, Kanpur, Patna and Bhopal, which are emerging markets for Mercedes and will soon be able to have the bespoke Mercedes-Benz luxury experience.”
He also estimated that a large chunk of their car sales will come from established markets such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which account for 75% of the company’s total India sales.
Top-end models remain key drivers
Mercedes launched around 14 vehicles in 2024 and on Wednesday, launched its 8th car, the AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe in Ahmedabad, a top-end luxury car priced at Rs 1.3 crore. Sissing maintains that despite uncertainties around the GST panel recommending a 40% tax on luxury vehicles, the company’s top-end models will continue to constitute a major percentage of sales. “1 in 4 of our sales are of top-end vehicles. A higher GST slab may be a blip on the journey, but we are confident that discerning customers will continue buying luxury vehicles.”
