Mercedes' India growth plan

After losing the crown of the top luxury carmaker in India to its fellow German rivals, Mercedes-Benz has now embarked upon a new journey that will help it climb up the ladder and be the segment leader once again. The German giant is in the process of initiating massive developments in India, which will see a wide range of models based on the company’s innovative Modular Front Architecture (MFA) platform being launched.

Mercedes' CEO Dr Dieter Zetsche is pretty clear that “we want to lead in the Indian market”. And the B-class will be the first product to be launched on the all-new MFA platform.

Recently unveiled at the Buddh International Circuit, the B-class is an important model for India and will form the basis of a new generation of smaller Mercs. At 4.3 metres long, the B-class is part-large hatch and part-mini-MPV with excellent interior packaging.

Next in line is likely to be the third-generation A-class, which sports a conventional hatchback silhouette and forgoes the tall, one-box MPV-like stance of previous versions. Although the A-class may look like a hatchback, it is considerably larger as it shares the same wheelbase as the bigger B-class (2700mm). We expect the A-class hatch to be priced at around Rs 18 lakh.

Zetsche has also confirmed that a compact SUV version based on the MFA platform will also go into production. The new model likely to be called the GLA, goes into production late next year or early in 2014. This space-efficient compact SUV is expected to take the Mercedes brand to a whole new set of Merc buyers. The styling is said to be as edgy as the new A-class, the cabin is reputed to be ‘very spacious’ and designers say some of the youthful exuberance seen on the interior of the A-class will be carried over to the GLA as well. Expect the prices to start from somewhere around Rs 23 lakh for the base petrol, with the cost of the top-end diesel somewhere around Rs 30 lakh.

Zetsche has further commented that “by 2015 there will also be 10 more Mercedes family members and our cars will be more emotional as well.”

The fourth car could be the most significant of all, the baby CLS saloon-coupé version of the A-class, dubbed CLA. Based on the Mercedes Concept Style Coupé (CSC), the CLA will sit below the Mercedes C-class saloon on price and features in the marques line-up. Based on Mercedes’ new MFA platform, it will have 2699mm wheelbase which is 59mm shorter than the C-class.