The Hindu Business Line : Maybach set to hit the road next year — Rs 3 crore price tag for luxury Benz car

MERCEDES Benz is expected to close the year with a 30 per cent increase in unit sales and is all set to launch one of the world's costliest car, Maybach in mid-2004.

"We expect to sell around 1,575 cars during 2003, nearly 30 per cent more than last year," DaimlerChrysler head for corporate affairs and finance, Mr Suhas Kadlaskar, told Business Line.

Mr Kadlaskar said the company is witnessing several converts to its new finance scheme, star choice finance scheme, through which one can own the ultimate status symbol at an EMI (equated monthly instalment) of around Rs 33,000. He said since the launch of the scheme a few months ago, nearly 100 customers have switched over to the new finance scheme floated jointly with ICICI Bank.

The `star choice' finance scheme offers the customer an EMI of a minimum of Rs 33,000 at around 7.5 per cent interest rate on reducing balance for a 48-month period.

Mr Kadlaskar said currently the company is conducting a feasibility study for Maybach, which should get over next month. Once past that, the car will be sent for homologation. "We will definitely launch Maybach in India, though we need to put after sales-service in place first," Mr Kadlaskar said.

Launched worldwide in 2002, Maybach, which can cost up to Rs 3 crore in India, will be imported through the CBU route. Maybach was revived last year by Daimler rekindling memories of a luxury car, the last of which was manufactured during World War II.

Currently, Maybach has two models: Maybach 57 and Maybach 62. The numbers denote the length of these saloons: 5.73 and 6.17 metres. Maybach 57 costs around 325,000 euro (approximately Rs 1.8 crore) while the top model Maybach 62 is priced at 360,000 euro (approximately Rs 2 crore).

The car's features include, a 600-watt sound system with 21 speakers, aircraft-type reclining seats, double-glazed windows, refrigerator, two cordless telephones plus a mobile phone and the all-important retractable window partition between the driver and rear passengers.

The company has also invested in a $30,000 (approximately Rs 3.6 lakh) laptop computer with a Maybach programme, which allows customers to configure the car to suit their personal taste.

Maybach has a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V12 engine with over 500 horsepower and a 664 Ibs-ft of torque and is equipped with electronic braking, to provide faster brake response with exactly the right brake pressure at each wheel.

DaimlerChrysler India has sold a total of 1,496 units of all its models between January and November 2003.

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