Mercedes-Benz India to launch A-Class hatchback in June

Mercedes-Benz India, during an interaction with CarWale, confirmed that it will launch the A-Class hatchback by June of this year. It has also confirmed that B-Class diesel will be launched in May and the G63 AMG will make its India debut in April of this year. 

The third generation A-Class was launched for the global markets in the middle of last year and has been a major success as it has already garnered over 90,000 bookings. The Mercedes-Benz Rastatt plant in Germany (primary production location) is currently running a 24-hour shift to meet the demand. 

We already have a few details about the India-bound car as it has been spotted testing near Pune. The A-Class will get a 1.6-litre 123bhp petrol engine along with the A200 CDI variant, which will have the 1.8-litre turbo diesel unit. The engine will be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and power the front wheels. The A-Class will be the second car in a five-vehicle range in the German automakers sub- Rs 25 lakh range which it plans to introduce into the country by 2015. 

The first vehicle in sub-Rs 25 Lakh range was the B-Class tourer which launched in September and is booked out for the next six months. It is currently brought into the country as a CBU but we expect that CKD operations will begin soon. The B-Class diesel will be powered by the same 1.8-litre turbo diesel unit that will sit in the A200 CDI. It produces around 108bhp and 250Nm of torque. The features, accessories and underpinnings are all also expected to remain the same as the petrol version. 

The G63 AMG is the latest iteration of what Mercedes-Benz can create when it combines the performance of AMG with the ruggedness of the G-Class. The G63 is powered by the AMG standard twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine that produces 536bhp and 760Nm of torque. Apart from the engine, AMG specific alloy wheels and badges as well as few extra bits on the body, the G63 AMG will have many of the features found on the standard G-Class. 

It is brought into the country as a CBU and will most likely be priced around Rs eight to nine lakhs higher than the G55 AMG which is currently on sale for the Indian market.