Force Motors Limited has announced the rollout of its 2,00,000th locally made engine for Mercedes-Benz at its dedicated powertrain manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune. The milestone unit, a six-cylinder M256 mill, was allocated for installation into a Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 luxury SUV.
- Force Motors has been producing engines and axles for Mercedes since 1997
- Five models in the Mercedes line-up utilise engines produced by Force Motors
Force Motors rolls out 2,00,000th Mercedes-Benz engine
The production volume benchmark highlights a long-standing component-sourcing arrangement dating back to 1997. This tie-up has since expanded to encompass the assembly of both engines and axles for select Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles and SUVs manufactured in the country. The commercial relationship operates as a critical localised supply chain model within the domestic premium automotive sector. To maintain compliance with global quality and engineering protocols, Force Motors established the Chakan plant as a purpose-built facility configured to match the specific technical standards of the German luxury car brand.
Prasan Firodia, managing director of Force Motors, stated that production volume goes beyond a standard industrial metric, reflecting long-term operational precision and shared manufacturing objectives. The corporate milestone was marked at the plant alongside an executive delegation from the Mercedes-Benz Group AG Board of Management, including global production, technology and sales directors.
Which engines does Force Motors manufacture for Mercedes-Benz?
Currently, Force Motors produces three engines for Mercedes-Benz. The M256 in the GLS is a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol unit that also does duty in the E-Class, GLE and the pre-facelift S-Class, while the M254 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol powers the E-Class, GLC and C-Class. The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel OM654 engine is utilised in the GLE, E-Class, GLC and C-Class.