India’s largest luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz today set new sales record with sales of 8061 units representing a growth of 12.4% in the January-June 2018 period (January to June 2017: 7171 units). The sales growth also marks the brand’s highest ever half-yearly volumes in India.
Roland Folger, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented,
Pursuing our philosophy of ‘The Best Keeps Leading’, Mercedes-Benz continues to retain the top customer billing in the luxury car segment, growing 12.4% in the first six months of 2018. We attribute this growth momentum to our customer centric measures coupled with an unmatched product and customer service offensive. Our sales performance is in line with our expectation despite last year’s extraordinary demand in Q2, owing to the anticipation of GST implementation. With our wide range of New Generation Cars, sedans, SUVs and the performance cars, we are confident to continue the drive, we set for ourselves in the first half.
This strong sales growth in January-June 2018 is aided by the most comprehensive and young product portfolio comprising the New Generation Cars, the sedans, the SUVs and the AMG performance cars. During the first half of the year, customers continued their preferences for the E-Class long wheelbase sedan, which remains a success story for the Indian market. The launch of S-Class also enabled Mercedes-Benz to cater to the increasing demand of this segment benchmark luxury business sedan. Similarly, the C-Class continues to remain on top of customer preference.
The successful run of the New Generation Cars, continues across markets and added new young customers to the brand’s increasing customer base. The high performance AMG models are expected to sustain their growth momentum in the performance segment and achieve steady growth in the remaining quarters of the year.
The sedan segment comprising Mercedes-Benz CLA, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, and Mercedes-Maybach S-Class grew by 15.2% in January-June 2018 period. The luxury SUV segment comprising GLA, GLC, Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe, GLE, Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 Coupe, GLS, Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 and the Mercedes-AMG G 63 grew strongly and recorded a strong growth of 15.9% in January-June 2018 period. The demand in this segment was majorly driven by GLC followed by GLE and GLS.
Mr. Folger elaborated,
We want to continue our leadership position in the Indian luxury car market, upholding the number 1 position for the last three years. Customers in India want to be a part of a winning brand imagery which is associated with Mercedes-Benz.
(All figures of Mercedes-Benz India are that of retail sales.)
Highlights
- The sedan portfolio continues to grow registering 15.2% growth in the H1 2018 period
- The SUV portfolio of Mercedes-Benz grew by 15.9% in the Jan-June 2018 period, underlining the continued penchant for SUVs by the Indian consumers
- Seven fascinating products launched in the first six months of 2018; more exciting product interventions and service initiative to follow in the second half
