The Hindu Business Line : DaimlerChrysler India is now Mercedes-Benz India

Mumbai, Jan. 24 In line with the changes in Daimler’s global profile, post the sell-off of its American arm Chrysler, its Indian subsidiary is going back to its original name. Company sources said that the legal name of DaimlerChrysler India would be changed to Mercedes-Benz India by the end of January.

The German carmaker Daimler entered Indian market with its flagship brand and set up Mercedes-Benz India in 1994. It was renamed DaimlerChrysler India following the parent company’s merger with Chrysler in 2001.

Consequent to the divorce, the Indian division gets back its original name. “The legal procedures and other formalities are almost complete and the change will be effective by the end of this month,” Mr Suhas Kadlaskar, Director Corporate Affairs, DaimlerChrysler India, told Business Line.

“The logic here is, in countries where Daimler is selling Mercedes models alone, the company will be known as Mercedes-Benz plus the country name. As of now, Daimler has no plans to sell any other products in India but to concentrate on Mercedes-Benz models,” he said.

Luxury buses planned

The company is selling passenger cars and heavy duty trucks in India and is expected to launch its luxury buses this year.

About city buses for mass transport, Mr Kadlaskar said, “the company sees good prospects in that segment but doesn’t have any immediate plans to enter into it”. He said that the company’s plant in Chakan near Pune would start production in January 2009.

The company sold 2,500 Mercedes-Benz cars in 2007, registering a 30 per cent growth in sales.

After the unveiling of the new Mercedes-Benz C-class at the Auto Expo in Delhi, the dealer launches of the new variant began with the first such launch in Mumbai on Wednesday.

“We have got 160 sales orders and hundreds of bookings for the new C-class after the Auto Expo. We will launch it in 12 cities across the country,” he said.