As expected Mercedes showcased three new products, two of which will make it to the Indian market and third one being a concept. The new M-Class was showcased which looks promising as ever. With refreshed looks and many new features in its kitty, its sure going to give a tough time to other SUVs of that segment. As we also informed you earlier Mercedes is planning to localize the M-Class, thus making it more affordable and competitive.
Also showcased was the convertible version of the uber-sexy SLS AMG which, with its roof off, looks even more appealing. The car was revealed by Mr. Bernd Maylander the Formula one safety car driver since 2000, along with MB India’s Mr. Debashis Mitra.
The Concept A-Class was also revealed but the production version wont be entering the Indian market anytime soon. Also present at the conference were four celebrities namely Ms. Gupta, a renowned fashion artist, Mr. Chetan Bhagat, the famous Indian writer, Mr. Irfan Pathan, a former member of the Indian Cricket team and Mr. Farhan Akhtar, the jack-of-all-trades of the Bollywood.
All of these products were merely showcased and not launched so no prices announced as of now. Scroll through the pictures below to get an idea about the Mercedes experience.
click through for image slideshow
Rumor has it that Mercedes Benz India is mulling the assembly of not one but two SUV models over the next couple of years. Taken aback by the growth in the SUV segments Mercedes plans to retain the GL-Class as the king of the range. This is the reason the company chose not to fly in the more expensive G-Class.
The G55 AMG (G-Class from the AMG tuning arm) offered in India is the most expensive Mercedes SUV and as it sports the AMG badges, it is viewed as a niche model and not placed in the same basket as the M- and GL-Class. If positioned at the top of the pyramid, the G-Class could take something away from the GL-Class.
See images of the all-new M-Class
The first model to change direction is the M-Class that’s passed on to the next generation. Test vehicles have reached the Pune plant according to one source who adds assembly starts in the first half of 2012. Currently the 5-seat M-Class and 7-seat GL-Class are fully imported models (CBU route).
GL-Class facelift testing in Europe
Following the M-Class, Mercedes Benz plans to assemble the GL-Class in 2013. Mercedes is testing the facelift in Europe, aligning it to the design language of the M-Class, and this is the model we can expect to see in 2013. Mercedes offers both SUVs in petrol variants, but diesels are the growth drivers.
By assembling these models in India, Mercedes can pass on some cost benefits to customers and not to forget the retain the extra margins that ups their profitability over the long run.
German carmaker Mercedes Benz, better known in India for its luxury cars recently launched the all-new 2009 version of its M-class SUV. The new M-Class is available in both, diesel as well as petrol forms and both in an avatar of a V6 engine.
With an intention of strengthening its presence in the Luxury SUV segment in India, German Auto giant Audi plans to introduce its newly launched model Q5 January next year, along with an advanced version of its existing Q7 in the country. The Q5 is a comfortable 5-seater with an enormous boot. Unlike the Audi Q7 that shares its architecture with the VW Touareg, the Q5 is nothing like it, because [ Read More ]
