Mercedes-Benz Clocks Best Ever Q1, Sells 4556 units from Jan to March 2018
India’s number 1 premium car maker Mercedes-Benz has sold 4556 units in 1st quarter of 2018. This is the best ever Q1 sales result for Mercedes-Benz in India.
The German car maker had previously sold 3650 units in Q1 of 2017 as opposed to 4556 units this Q1 making a growth of +24.8%. Mercedes-Benz had also had its Best ever fiscal at 16,236 units delivered against 13,259 units it did in FY 2016-17, a overall growth of 22.5%.
As per a release from the company, Mercedes-Benz luxury SUV portfolio comprising the GLA, GLC, GLE, GLC Coupe, GLE Coupe and the GLS grew in double digits Q1 2017. The comprehensive SUV portfolio continued to drive growth for Mercedes-Benz as it reiterated its increasing popularity among the Indian customers. While the growth in the SUV portfolio was primarily led by the GLC, which emerged as the highest selling SUV, the bigger GLE, GLE Coupe and the GLS also witnessed strong customer preference in the January- March 2018 period. The luxury sedan segment comprising the C-Class, E-Class and the S-Class performed very well. The all-new Long Wheelbase E-Class continued its sales momentum and sustained the customer interest across markets and supported the growth of the sedan portfolio. The E-Class’ success was closely matched by that of the C-Class Sedan, which remained an important volume contributor in Q1 2018. Apart from the sedans, the New Generation Cars continued to attract younger customers to the brand, while the AMG and Dream Cars portfolio made the fascination for the brand more visible than before.
Roland Folger, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented,“2018 began with a positive note for the brand, though the spike in Q1 sales can be attributed to the advancement of sales due to the impending price correction, triggeredprimarily by the increase in basic custom’s duty. It might be a challenge to sustain this momentum in the coming quarters and we are cautiously optimistic. As the luxury industry volumes are comparatively low, the focus should remain on helping the industry grow by creating demand.
A rise in demand would translate in increased production and thus, lead to significant revenue generation, and would support the‘Make in India’ initiative.We are extremely excited to witness the strong performance ofour mainstay models, the C-, E-, S-Class and the SUVs. Particularly the success of the Long Wheelbase E-Class underlines the aptness of our decision to launch the car in India. We will continue with our product offensive and introduce a host of newproducts across segments and body shapes, to keep the consumer’s interest.
Qualitative expansion in our network spread, coupled with service differentiation driven by our cost of ownership measures and availability of tailor made financial programmes, will continue to add value to our efforts of creating delightful customer experience. It is assuring to witness growth across the portfolio which reiterates that luxury car buyers’ in India continues to appreciate our ‘Best Keeps Leading’ initiatives.”
