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Mercedes-Benz cars are not just for the elite or senior people owning it for pride; they are for youngsters too. Today, many youngsters love the German car for styling, dynamics and modern features like ‘connected cars,’ said Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Martin Schwenk, reacting to the general perception in the market that youngsters prefer other luxury brands.
“We have worked on this over the years. At the auto expo next year, we will display several new next generation cars that will be an attraction for youngsters. If a boy or girl takes a test ride of our vehicle, I am convinced he/she will like it. We have developed the design, styling and introduced many variants. We have 25 different models in India. There is no other OEM that has that level of variants. There is a car for everyone who wants to have a luxury car,” he told BusinessLine on the sidelines of inaugurating one of Chennai’s largest luxury car dealerships, Sundaram Motors. The 3S facility (sales, service and spares) dealership at Ambattur Industrial Estate will be a one-stop-shop for all sales and customer service requirements in Chennai and adjoining areas.
Also read: Mercedes-Benz inaugurates Chennai’s largest luxury car dealership
First-mover advantage
Mercedes-Benz India had the first-mover advantage in the luxury car segment, but lost to competitors like Audi and Volvo. However, Mercedes-Benz has bounced back with new style and designs liked by youngsters. “We enjoy a 40 per cent market share in the luxury car segment,” he said.
Speaking on the slowdown, Schwenk said, “We are relatively in good spirit and happy. We had 29 per cent more sales in September than in August... We are on the track to recovery,” he said.
“The fourth quarter should be okay. Obviously, we are not euphoric. I hope this is an industry trend. Our numbers in the third quarter are better than others. It is not about our industry; the overall economical situation needs to improve. I don’t want to cry for government help always. That does not help... ” he said.
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