Mercedes-Benz records 40 per cent growth in the first quarter, takes lead in luxury car segment

Driven by the strong demand for the new C-Class, Mercedes-Benz has registered a 40 per cent jump in sales in the January to March period, this year. The company sold 3,566 cars in the first quarter of 2015, as opposed 2,554 units it had managed in the corresponding year, last year. These numbers also propels Mercedes to first position ahead of Audi in the first quarter.

Mercedes-Benz sold 11,213 cars and SUVs in the April 2014 to March 2015 period, recording its highest ever annual sales numbers with a 17.5 per cent growth over the previous financial year. The last month also saw the German manufacturer clock its highest ever sales numbers for a single month, as it witnessed a 53 per cent growth in monthly sales numbers, as compared to March 2014. 

Expressing delight in the company’s performance, Eberhard Kern, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “The robust 40 per cent growth along with other multiple sales records achieved in the first quarter of 2015, is a clear indication of our commitment to a strong customer focus. It also underlines the undisputed fact that, luxury car buyers across markets today increasingly prefer a Mercedes-Benz. We are glad to witness our ‘Live the Best’ philosophy yielding rich dividends and our objective of achieving a double digit growth moving in the right direction.”

The main driver of Mercedes-Benz’s sales has been the new C-Class, closely followed by the E-Class sedan. Even the New Generation Cars like the CLA-Class and the GLA-Class have proved to be popular amongst its customers. Since the last year, Mercedes-Benz has been pretty aggressive with their product launches, and the company’s line-up now covers a wide spectrum, right from the A-Class entry-level hatchback to the S-Class flagship sedan. 

And though Audi has been emerging victorious in the battle between the three German luxury car manufacturers since the past two years, the latest numbers indicate that Mercedes-Benz has sold 385 units more than Audi in the first quarter this calendar year. With a slew of other model launches planned in 2015, it will be interesting to see whether Mercedes-Benz will be able to keep this momentum going throughout the year and eclipse Audi in the next financial year.