Mercedes-Benz India has registered a 46.7 per cent growth in sales in the first ten months of 2008, over the same period in the previous year. The company sold 3,141 units from January to October 2008, as against 2,141 units in 2007. The northern part of India accounts for the largest number of car sales – over 40 per cent, followed by the west and the south. East India lags behind by a large margin, contributing only 3 per cent to the company’s sales.
Notwithstanding the significant increase in sales, the market share of Mercedes-Benz India in the luxury car segment has come down considerably, from 90 per cent in the previous years to 50 per cent in 2008. This is owing to the fact that several new luxury car manufacturers have entered the Indian market recently, making for tough competition.
Mercedes-Benz Director Sanjiv Sahajwala said that to meet the growing demand of luxury cars in the country, Mercedes is shifting its manufacturing plant from Chikhali to the Chakan area in Pune, which process will be completed in the first quarter of 2009. The new plant will be spread over 100 acres, and will be equipped to produce 5000 units per year.
