Mercedes-Benz launches AMG S63 in India

Reuters: German automaker Mercedes-Benz rolled out its latest luxurious sedan Mercedes-AMG S63 in India on Tuesday (11 August), which combines high driving performance with ultimate luxury.

The vehicle is priced between rupees 25-30 million.

Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director, Eberhard Kern, said it was high level of luxury limousine driving in India.

“The car takes only 4.4 seconds from zero to 100. This is probably now new high level of luxury limousine driving in India,” said Kern in southern city of Bengaluru.

Mercedes sold 10,201 vehicles in India in 2014, an increase of 13%, but still lagged Audi by about 650 vehicles. Kern said he expects the luxury car market overall to grow to 40,000 vehicles in 2015, from 33,000 a year ago.

“Mercedes-Benz announced in the beginning of the year to launch 15 new cars in the year 2015. This is the tenth launch of this year. There are five more to come in the remaining four and half months. The business for Mercedes-Benz turns out to be pretty good. We are growing again,” added Kern.

Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the number of cars it makes in India, hoping to trim retail prices to help grab a bigger share of a luxury car market where competition is intensifying from rivals Audi and BMW.

Owned by Daimler AG, Mercedes was the first of Germany’s leading luxury car makers to enter India two decades ago, but has been overtaken by rivals in terms of sales with Audi currently leading the pack.

By doubling capacity to 20,000 vehicles a year, with more locally assembled models and a higher proportion of locally produced parts, Mercedes hopes to improve profits and increase sales in the world’s sixth-largest car market.