Mercedes expects diesel-petrol product mix to continue

Premium car maker Mercedes Benz, which is currently experiencing a diesel-petrol cars sales ratio of 90:10 percent in India, Monday said it is expecting that the trend would continue, even for its newly-launched compact luxury vehicle A-Class, for the time being.

"Diesel (car) is still prevalent in the market. Across the board, 90 percent of the cars sold by us are diesel (powered vehicles)," Mercedes-Benz India director, Sales and Network Development, Boris Fitz said here.

During January-March quarter this year, the German auto major sold 2009 units in the country, which was 5.3 percent up compared to same period last year.

"With the (product) lineup, we think 90:10 will be the diesel and petrol split," Fitz said.

On whether this trend in product mix is expected to continue for its newly-launched compact luxury car A-Class for the time being, he answered in the affirmative.

Mercedes has launched the A Class vehicles in both petrol and diesel versions, with the petrol model priced higher than that of the diesel.