New Delhi, October 4, 2012: Targeting young and trendy new-age car buyers, luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India has launched sports editions of its flagship saloons, the C-class 220 CDI and E-class 220 CDI. While the new C-class Sport is priced at Rs 29.9 lakh, the E-class Sport carries a price tag of Rs 39.9 lakh (both prices ex-showroom Delhi).
Both the C and E models have been Mercedes-Benz India’s highest selling luxury cars in India with the C-class having sold close to 16,000 units in the Indian market since its introduction. The E-class has chalked sales of over 21,000 units till date.
The C-class Sport edition features AMG body styling with front and rear bumper aprons and side skirts. It has a 7G TRONIC automatic transmission and a four-cylinder 2143cc engine developing 170bhp and also uses fuel-saving technologies like Eco Start Stop with an agility control suspension and cruise control.
The E-class Sport is powered by the same engine and develops the same power. It is also equipped with the 7G TRONIC automatic transmission and Eco Start Stop and gets Advanced Parking Guidance for facilitating parking.
Peter Honegg, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India (pictured with Debashis Mitra, director, sales and marketing ), said at the rollout: “The launch of the C-class and E-class Sport Edition is yet another step and a testimony to our quest to deliver products that offer distinctiveness, individualisation and sportiness – characteristics that define Mercedes-Benz customers of present day.”
Mercedes-Benz India, which is facing stiff competition from BMW and Audi, is doing all it can to drive sales. This includes rolling out new models and opening new dealerships across India. In the first five months of the current fiscal (2012-13), BMW leads the luxury car pack with 3,569 units sold compared to Audi's 3,137 and Mercedes-Benz India's 2,135. Jaguar Land Rover has sold 900 cars in the April-August 2012 period.
SHOBHA MATHUR