Mercedes-Benz reports 38% drop in sales at 2,058 units in India for Q3

 German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday reported a 38.64 per cent drop in its sales at 2,058 units in India in the third quarter of the ongoing year but almost reached its pre-COVID sales level.

The company had sold 3,354 units in the July-September quarter last year.

Mercedes-Benz India said it is witnessing a V-shaped recovery of sales based on the Q3 performance, pointing to the beginning of a good festive season.

The Q3 sales also almost reached pre-COVID level for the first time since lockdown. In the first quarter of 2020, sales were at 2,386 units as against 3,885 units in the year-ago period, down 38.58 per cent, the company said.

Commenting on the sales performance, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director & CEO Martin Schwenk said,"We are glad to witness a strong comeback in the course of the last quarter, with a significant increase from month-to-month within the third quarter."

This performance is a result driven by the company's new product introductions, rolling-out of attractive financial packages, combined with the gradual pick-up in business and economic activities that has positively influenced customer sentiment, he added.

"We are confident, the upcoming festive season will deliver further momentum for the recovery of our sales development. We remain optimistic for the fourth quarter as the current demand situation and the feedback of the customers for our products is very positive," Schwenk said.

In the January-September period, Mercedes-Benz India clocked 5,007 units as against 9,951 units, down 49.5 per cent.

Mercedes-Benz India said it has strengthened its online offering in view of the current situation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the July-September 2020 period, Mercedes-Benz India online car booking contributed up to 20 per cent of sales volume, underscoring the growing prominence of online sales platforms and the changing consumer preference for online shopping, the company added.

"Mercedes-Benz India expects a significant part of its total sales to be completely online by 2025. Customers can avail new as well as pre-owned Mercedes-Benz cars online," it said adding that all of its dealers in the country are already part of the portal and enabling customers in their online buying journey, including delivery and complete services support.

Mercedes-Benz delays EV debut by a year after Jaguar, Audi SUVs flop

Mercedes-Benz is putting off the US debut of its first electric vehicle by a year, in the latest sign of just how difficult a time automakers are having replicating Tesla’s success.

Daimler AG’s luxury brand will start sales of the EQC crossover in 2021 rather than early next year. The German carmaker said in an emailed statement that it’s made the strategic decision to first support growing demand for the model in Europe, where deliveries began earlier this year.

The world’s top-seller of premium autos has touted the EQC(pictured) and the series of battery-powered models it has planned under the EQ sub-brand as an answer both to Tesla and its traditional rivals. But the initial electric vehicles, Jaguar and Audi, introduced in the US market this year, have underwhelmed on the sales charts, failing to keep up even with Tesla’s years-old Model S and X.

Not Much of a Charge

Jaguar and Audi’s electric SUVs have trailed Tesla’s years-old models.

Daimler has at least 10 purely battery-powered cars planned through 2022 to help meet tougher emissions rules around the globe. But while regulatory pressure is picking up, US demand has been tepid for models other than Tesla’s lower-priced Model 3. Consumers continue to harbor concerns about limited driving range, long charging times and high sticker prices.

Mercedes-Benz rolls out luxury 'V-Class Elite' at Rs 1.10 crore in India

Mercedes-Benz on Thursday launched 'V-Class Elite', a new luxury multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at Rs 1.10 crore in the country.

Speaking to reporters after the launch on Thursday, Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, said that the MPV has a 1950cc diesel engine and offers features such as massaging function on the luxury seats, a centre console with refrigerated compartment, surround sound system with 15 speakers, among other facilities.

The company will import V-Class Elite to the Indian market from Spain.

The V-Class, which was launched in the beginning of this year, witnessed a success, Schwenk said. The V-Class Elite targets families, sports enthusiasts, business people, who want a top-end luxury MPV.

“We strive to launch a product every month, going forward into the next year," he added.

On company's performance, he said, during the festival season, it has delivered around 800 units.

In the first nine months of 2018, it had sold 11,789 units and till October this year, the sales have been over 10,000 units. During the calendar year 2018, the company posted sales of 15,338 units.

For the fourth quarter of the year ending December, 2019, the sales is expected to be in tandem with the sales trend in 2018. He said that the company will be continuing the product offensive during the quarter.

However, there might have been a de-growth of 15 per cent in the segment during this year, compared to the last year. The company will start rolling out BS VI cars starting January next year and plans are to stop producing vehicles based on the BS IV emission norms by December this year.

He said the company will be showcasing its wider range of models at the upcoming Auto Expo to be held in Delhi.

Gave car keys to 600 customers across markets on Dhanteras, says Mercedes

German premium car maker Mercedes-Benz on Saturday announced opening of booking for its all-new SUV GLE, which is expected to be launched in India early next year.

The company in a statement also claimed it delivered 600 cars to customers across markets on Dhanteras, which is considered auspicious for buying gold, silver and other valuables and mainly celebrated in Northern and Southern India.

Owing to an unprecedented demand for the GLE, Mercedes-Benz has already sold out its current stock of this SUV three months ahead of the plan and, therefore, now has opened the booking for its upcoming refreshed version, the company said.

The all-new GLE SUV is expected to be launched in the domestic market before the next edition of the Auto Expo in 2020 it added.

Mercedez-Benz has sold some 13,000 GLE cars since the off-roader's entry in the Indian market, the company said.

The festive period saw unprecedented demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles across the country, especially in Norther region of Delhi NCR, Punjab, and in Western regions of Mumbai, Pune and Gujarat, it said adding of the 'record' 600 cars sold on the Dhanteras day, almost 50 per cent (over 250 units) were delivered to customers in Delhi NCR alone.

"The festive season has been satisfactory for us and we are glad to see an overwhelming response to our products from across markets. We are excited to see the response to the current GLE, which sold out three months ahead of the plan," said Martin Schwenk, managing director and chief executive, Mercedes-Benz India.

The impressive number of deliveries during the current festive season reiterates the increasing customer confidence, he said.

It may be recalled that the German auto major sold over 200 units of its various models in a single day on the occasion of Dussehra and Navratri on October 9.

Mercedes-Benz hopes govt measures will help sales revive in H2 of 2019

The country's largest luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India hopes the measures announced by the government will bring about a pick-up in sales in the second half of calendar 2019.

"The (Friday) announcement of the Finance minister will definitely help change the mood a little bit. It will improve financial liquidity in the market. It will also create some confidence of the customers and that goes across the industry," said Martin Schwenk, managing director and chief executive officer, Mercedes-Benz India.

"I think it isn't the car industry only, (but) also the construction industry which needs some amount of positive momentum. I am personally thinking that now in the second half (of the year) you will see some of it. How fast and how quick we will see the growth coming back we don't know. I am quite confident that the second half of the year, which is a festive season, could see the business picking up," Schwenk added.

He was in Bhubaneshwar to open a dealer showroom in Odisha.

“We are grateful that government is taking measures now and trying to support the economy”, he added.

Schwenk said, in the fiscal year also, the company is definitely positive about the uptick trends.

The German luxury carmaker, the market leader in the segment, sold 6,561 units in the first six months of calendar 2019, down 15 per cent over the same period of 2018. Mercedes-Benz India also has the largest network among luxury car makers, with a presence of in 47 cities through 94 outlets.

“We are planning to perform better than last year for sure, but I don't know whether it will happen eventually," the top official said in response to a query.

The premium car maker is expected to bring new models within the next three months. Mercedes-Benz today inaugurated one of the largest integrated luxury car dealerships in Odisha.

“Mercedes-Benz has been the pioneer of luxury car market in India, and we have been steadily growing this market ever since. Emerging markets will be the next growth engines for the luxury cars and we are excited to participate in this growth story. The inauguration of T & T Motors, one the largest luxury car dealership in Odisha, reiterates our commitment of introducing an unparalleled brand and ownership experience, which is synonymous with Mercedes-Benz," he added.

Mercedes-Benz appoints Santosh Iyer as India head of sales and marketing

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India has announced an organisational change in its sales and marketing function by appointing Santosh Iyer, currently Vice President of Customer Service & Corporate Affairs, as Vice President, Sales & Marketing of Mercedes-Benz India effective from 1st July, 2019. 

Santosh succeeds Michael Jopp who assumes the new responsibility of heading the Sales & Marketing function of Mercedes-Benz in Malaysia. 

Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, that Jopp successfully managed critical market disruptions and headwinds over the last three years and was instrumental in introducing new digital initiatives. His tenure saw Mercedes-Benz sustaining the number one market position and also topping the JD Power top ranking in Sales Satisfaction, he added. 

Iyer has played a key role in establishing the ‘service differentiation’ for the brand and driving customer centricity. 

Iyer has two decades of experience in the Indian automobile domain across sales, marketing, retail, customer service and corporate affairs. He has been with Mercedes-Benz India since 2009 and currently is responsible for the Customer Services, Corporate Affairs & CSR functions at Mercedes-Benz India. 

During his earlier stint as the Head of Marketing Communications, CRM & PR; he led some of the most exciting brand campaigns and digital outreach programmes. A MBA from University of Applied Sciences Konstanz-College of Technology, Business and Design; Santosh loves playing golf, traveling and is a self-confessed foodie, said the company.

Mercedes-Benz launches BS-VI compliant Long Wheelbase E-Class in India

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz on Monday launched the BS-VI compliant Long Wheelbase E-Class sedan in India priced between Rs 57.5 lakh and Rs 62.5 lakh.

The New Long Wheelbase E-Class features two BS-VI compliant petrol and diesel engines along with a host of new interior features, Mercedes-Benz India said.

The petrol version is powered by a 1,991 cc engine delivering 197 horse power (HP) and comes in two variants priced at Rs 57.5 lakh and Rs 61.5 lakh, respectively.

On the other hand, the diesel version has a 1,950 cc engine delivering 194HP and comes in two options priced at Rs 58.5 lakh and Rs 62.5 lakh, respectively (all prices ex-showroom).

Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Martin Schwenk said the company had rolled out India's first 'Made in India, for India' BS-VI vehicle in January 2018.

"Since then, we have been steadily transitioning our portfolio into BS-VI and the introduction of the BS-VI long-wheelbase E-Class reiterates our commitment towards the new emission norms from April 2020," he added.

The new car has safety features including seven airbags, parking pilot with active parking assist and adaptive brake lights.

It also has wireless charging for mobile phones in the rear, and the rear passengers will have touchscreen to control media, climate and vehicle functionalities.

Schwenk said the E-Class has sold over 41,000 units in India in over two decades and the Long Wheelbase E-Class has carved a niche of its own in the segment.