Mercedes-Benz India has announced a record domestic sales increment in the month of June, the first quarter of the financial year and also the first half of the calendar year. The German carmaker’s international sales are also up by 13.7 per cent in the first half of 2017.
The Stuttgart-based carmaker recorded its best June sales till date, with a growth of 40 per cent over the corresponding month in 2016. Mercedes also clocked 18 per cent growth in the second quarter of the calendar year between April and June selling 3,521 units over the 2,975 units in same period of previous year. The first half of 2017 (H1) also witnessed a year-on-year growth of 8.7 per cent when the carmaker sold a record 7,171 units as compared to 6,597 units between January and June 2016.
Interestingly, Mercedes-Benz sold more cars in the first six months of 2017, than it did in the entire year of 2012 (7,138 units in Jan-Dec 2012). The carmaker launched seven new products in the first half of 2017 which include – the new generation E-Class LWB, facelifted GLA-Class, G63 Edition 463, GLS63 AMG, S-Class Connoisseur’s Edition, and Night Edition of A-Class and B-Class.
The long wheelbase E-Class sedan was once again the highest-selling model for Mercedes-Benz in the country in the first half of 2017; followed by the C-Class. The GLC-Class emerges as the highest selling SUV in the carmaker’s portfolio, closely followed by the GLE-Class. The luxury SUV segment which comprises of the GLA, GLC, GLE and the GLS recorded a robust 31 per cent growth in the January-June 2017 period. This suggestsa continuing penchant for SUVs amongst the Indian car buyers.
Roland Folger, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, commenting on the sales success, asserted, “We continue our leadership position in the Indian luxury car market. This sales performance further strengthens our customer-centric strategy, which is bearing fruit. We are confident of our leadership in the market by sustaining this growth story in the remaining quarters as well. The demand for the Long Wheelbase E-Class, in particular, has contributed immensely to our volumes. It is most satisfying to witness that our product introductions were highly appreciated by customers leading to a steady growth across the NGCs, sedans, SUVs and the performance cars. With some of the most awaited products in the pipeline for the remaining two-quarters, coupled with the market availability of the long wheelbase E 220 d and the new GLA, the remaining two-quarters will be exciting for the customers and the brand.”
