A mirror-image model of the Chinese version of its Long Wheelbase (LWB) E-Class model premium executive sedan has been the unsung dragon that drove the unprecedented sales volumes of the German carmaker Mercedes Benz in India.
Mercedes Benz India has been feasting on 45% market share in luxury car market segment in 2017 and is out to fan it up further by building a 100-plus dealer network across the country.
In 2017, LWB E Class model contributed to 35% of the sales volumes of Mercedes Benz. The overall sales volumes had boomed 17% compared to that in the previous year. The sale of this model grew by a whopping 61%. “We brought down the design from our factory in China and adapted the left-hand drive to right-hand drive for India. The left hand drive version of this model of Mercedes has been pretty popular in the Chinese luxury car segment. The LWB E Class model, which now emerges the favourite luxury sedan, is unique to India,” Roland Folger, managing director and CEO, Mercedes Benz India, told FE on the sidelines of a new showroom launch.
However, Indian luxury car market’s sweet spot for the Long Wheelbase E-Class was no accidental discovery for Mercedes Benz. Market research found that 80-90% of the luxury sedan users in India were mostly chauffeur-driven. This made Mercedes Benz India focus on the comfort of the vehicle owner in the second seat, with extra-special riding comfort features. Design magic?
“More than that. It’s a product management success,” said Folger.
Five southern states account for 30% of the total market of Mercedes-Benz. In south, the SUV segment has been vibrant.”Although the sales in Delhi and Mumbai have been the mainstay in the luxury car segment, the tier-1 and 2 cities are emerging crucial. The sales growth in south has been steadfast, while that in north has always shown rapid variations,” he said.