Mercedes-Benz India to locally assemble S-class

Mercedes-Benz India Ltd (MBIL) will begin local production of the new S-Class 500 from its manufacturing facility in Chakan, which has a production capacity of 20,000 units. In line with the ‘Year of Excellence’ strategy, this move will help cater to the increasing demand for the car which, the company says, has a three-month waiting period. The car, a petrol variant, costs Rs 1.36 crore (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

The company’s original plan was to locally assemble the S 350 diesel and bring in the S 500 as a CBU. That has changed as a result of the tremendous demand for the vehicle.

Eberhard Kern, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said: “The S-class has always set newer standards that have retained its accolade as ‘the best automobile in the world’ with each generation. It truly embodies our DNA and aspiration of ‘the best or nothing’ in every aspect.”

MBIL has also kicked off a multi-lingual chauffeur training programme as it expects that those who buy the car will not always be driving it. Kern said this initiative aims to give S-class customers the best service possible.

Mercedes-Benz, which also assembles the E-class, ML and GL-class vehicles at the Chakan plant, is betting on India being one of its top 10 markets by 2020. “We believe the Indian market will double in size by 2020 to five million units, and that the premium segment will grow in a much bigger proportion. Perhaps by 2020, India will be one of the top 10 markets for Mercedes-Benz in India,” said Ola Källenius, executive vice-president, sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz, said in a recent interview to Autocar India, Autocar Professional’s sister magazine.

Photograph: Piyush Arora, VP (Technical), Mercedes-Benz India, and Eberhard Kern, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, at the launch of the new S-class produced locally at the Chakan manufacturing facility.