| The luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz is soon planning | | | | This was also an 80 per cent increase over the same |
| to enter Tier II and III towns across India. This | | | | period last year when the company had sold 1,670 |
| announcement has been done by the company after | | | | units. The E Class remains the top selling model of |
| it saw a wonderful sale in India in the month of July. | | | | the company with over 210 units sold in July alone.62 |
| Wilfried Aulbur, managing director, Mercedes Benz | | | | units of SUVs, the GL and the M Class were sold by |
| India, commented that a pressure is building in top | | | | the company in July. |
| Indian companies like Infosys, TCS, etc, for a change | | | | Aulbur said that the company would like to bring in |
| in their car policies. When senior executives of these | | | | the GLK, a smaller SUV but they do not have right |
| companies go abroad, they use luxury cars but not in | | | | hand drive models. He also said that the focus is on |
| India. This mindset change along with the demand | | | | selling SUVs. But he denied to comment on the sales |
| from Tier II and III towns would be two major | | | | estimates for the full year 2010. |
| drivers for sales in India in the coming years. He | | | | The recent plans of Mercedes Benz include opening |
| added that the company expects 15-30 per cent of | | | | up some dealerships in Jaipur, Indore, Bhubaneshwar. |
| its total sales to come from Tier II and III cities. | | | | The company has already opened dealerships in Surat |
| Among the states, with strong demand from smaller | | | | and Goa. Aulbur said that the company is also |
| towns and cities are Gujarat and Kerala. | | | | considering other smaller cities depending on the |
| A total of 521 cars were sold by Merecedes Benz | | | | purchasing power of people in these cities. Dr Aulbur |
| last month. This was an 80 per cent rise over July 09. | | | | also commented that soon a permanent second shift |
| The company sold 2,922 cars for the first seven | | | | will be started at the Chakan plant by year-end. |
| months of this year, that is from January to July 09. | | | | |