Mercedes-Benz launches ML 63 AMG in India; price Rs 1.49 cr

Company expects sales of the range to nearly double in the current calender year

German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz today launched sports utility vehicle ML 63, priced at Rs 1.49 crore (ex-showroom Delhi), expanding its AMG range of cars in India.

The company, which now has six models under the AMG portfolio in the country, expects sales of the range to nearly double in the current calender year.

"We have around 200 AMGs on India roads currently, sold over the last couple of years. This year, we are aiming to double the sales as compared to the units sold last year," Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Eberhard Kern told reporters here.

He, however, did not share the number of the total AMG cars sold by the company in India last year.

The company also announced the launch of its first AMG Performance Centre here in the country.

It had last month launched seven-seater sports utility vehicle GL 63 AMG in India with a price tag of Rs 1.66 crore.

Globally, the German car major sells around 30 variants of cars under the AMG portfolio. It started retailing AMG cars in India in 2008.

When asked about the company' plans for further product launches in the current calender year, Kern said: "We have already launched four products so far in 2014 and would add another six by the end of the year".

He added that the company is looking for a double digit growth in the current year.

"Last year we grew by over 30 per cent. Even during the first quarter of this year we have posted a growth of 27 per cent over the corresponding period of previous year. We aim to achieve double digit growth during the year," Kern said.

The company also plans to increase its presence in India as it plans to launch another 11 outlets this year.

"We currently have 64 outlets across 36 cities and by the end of the year, we plan to take the figure to over 70 dealerships across the country," Kern said.

When asked about the progress on expanding production capacity at its Chakan plant, Kern said the work at plant is at completion stage.

"We are almost there. I think around 97 per cent of the work has been completed...It will effectively double our production capacity, taking the total to 20,000 units a year," Kern said.

The company is in the process of investing Rs 250 crore on expanding the production capacity at its Chakan plant.