Mercedes-Benz Posts Record Q1 Sales at 4,238 Units

The Pune-based automaker said demand for luxury models in India, the world's third-largest car market, has steadily risen over the last few years as rapid economic growth brought about a fundamental shift in attitude towards luxury purchases among its younger generation.

Luxury car sales account for a little over 1 per cent of India's 4 million units-a-year rapidly growing market.

" Our sharp focus on bolstering the top-end luxury (segment) has been highly successful in influencing customer preferences,” said Santosh Iyer, president and CEO at Mercedes-Benz India.

He said sales were also driven by its battery electric vehicle segment, and highlighted that a growing customer preference for exclusive luxury vehicles with hyper personalization and customization was the trend.

Sales of top-end models, like the S-Class and the Mercedes-Maybach portfolio, rose 20 per cent between April and June, while EV sales jumped more than two-fold to form 8 per cent of Mercedes-Benz India's overall sales.

Mercedes' core segment, which includes the C- and E-Class sedans and the GLC and GLE sports utility vehicles, grew 10 per cent in the quarter. These cars account for 60 per cent of the company's total sales in India.

Mercedes leads sales of luxury vehicles in India, followed by BMW and Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR).

The company also introduced a GLS AMG line, a dynamic new variant of its flagship luxury SUV. Priced at Rs 1.40 crore for the GLS 450 AMG Line and Rs 1.43 crore for the GLS 450d AMG Line, the SUV blends performance, luxury, and bold AMG styling to further strengthen Mercedes-Benz’s top-end SUV range.

At present, over 16,000 GLS units are plying on Indian roads.