Daimler to bring in new trucks

German truck manufacturer Daimler, in the back of its huge sales of heavy duty commercial vehicles, will bring seventeen new truck models under 'BharatBenz' brand in the country by 2014, a top official said today.

"Daimler India Commercial Vehicle is setting yet another milestone. Beginning today, the heavy-duty models in the weight classes from 25 to 31 tonne are joined by medium duty-trucks from 9 to 12 tonne", DICV Managing Director and CEO Marc Llistosella said.

Daimler India had recently said within the three month launch of heavy duty trucks, it sold over 1,000 units across the country.

DICV had set up a Rs 4,400 crore manufacturing facility, on 400 acres at Oragadam near Chennai and the facility was formally inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa last year.

After launching the new range of medium-duty trucks, Llistosella said the new models would be setting new standards of efficiency and dynamics on Indian roads -- when rising fuel prices become an issue in India.

DICV would bring a total of 17 new truck models of the BharatBenz brand in the Indian market by 2014, he said.

"Our customers trust our reliable products. This is demonstrated by our sales successes for the heavy-duty Bharat Benz trucks," he said.

Noting that India is an important market for Daimler Trucks after China, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, President and CEO Albert Kirchmann said: "We are banking on well-established global product platforms that are tailored to the needs of Indian market".

He said the newly launched medium trucks are based on the same platform of Daimler Trucks known for "Fuso Canter" model.

"Thus, the new BharatBenz models are fuel efficient and are additionally fitted to the difficult road conditions in India", he said.

The medium duty trucks are suitable for construction and distribution transportation. It comes with 140 hp or 170 hp engines and are at least 10 per cent more fuel efficient, he claimed.

The new models would be available with the company's existing dealer network, the company said.