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-   -   Mercedes-Benz to launch affordable cars! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/91790-mercedes-benz-launch-affordable-cars.html)

Below is an article from Autocarindia, I do know certain details about this from someone else, while I am unsure if this article is correct or no, as far as I know there will be a new generation of A-class cars and cars based on it including but not limited to SUV's / MUV's / Sports cars / Coupes and any other variant Mercedes-Benz may think appropriate. I do know they will be launched in India with a heavy amount of local content including the option to assemble / source engines from India (Which may happen at later stage depending on volumes) I also know the car which will be priced close to 15 lac INR, will be a hatch and not exactly a sedan like the article below mentions. Also the sedan if any will not be priced at 15L which I am certain Autocarindia is wrong about, if there is any sedan it will go 20L+.

Also the sedan rendering / concept I believe has more to do with the next gen C and other models upcoming to show the styling cues of what maybe present in the next generation of Mercedes-Benz cars, esp that shoulder line will be seen on the new S-Class which will debut in he middle of 2012.

Lastly, some of the quotes in the article below are not related to India, I am unsure of this but I think ACI has only copy pasted certain quotes from International press / their international edition.

Mercedes-Benz for Rs 15lakh? | Autocar India

Regards,

They first need to make service and maintainence affordable !
Making 15 Lakh rupee car's might devalue the 3 pointer star.

agree:A affordable Benz would rob its snob value and 'I Have arrived in life' factor. The plan might back fire as well. Those keen on snob value can't digest the fact that Benz is available in sub 20L segment.

Friends, I own a MCC-Smart-CDI from the mercedes stable, and it costs around 15lacs. I buy a car for Passion and not for snob value.
And let me tell you Mercs are not only about snob value! They are also about Engineering, maybe over engineering at times.
The Smart gives me 25kms to alitre of diesel, drives like a charm, holds the road at 110kmph.
The A class from the merc stables have Now after 10 years been accepted as a nice car, and sales are good.
In general parlance, maybe with a 15 lac car Mercedes will take the 'snob' value to a totally different segment which constitutes the majority of our population!!

No, No! Trust me this will not bring down their brand value at all because the car at this cost will be something like an i20, polo, and various other hatchbacks, this is being referred to basically as the next gen A class and it's variants which will in no ways bring the brand down as it's only a premium small car segment just like the 1/X1 etc is.

Also do know Mercedes-Benz is one of the most respected brands and their products include not only passenger cars, but also commercial vehicles and buses etc.

This product we speak of is only a very premium small car and they already exist in the EU and rest of the world namely A and B class and 1 series from BMW and A1 from Audi.

Regards,

P.S Sahil, Agreed about its service, which made me switch to the F10 :)

Hmmm..the MB is surprising affordable in many countries for e.g UAE. I have many friends who own Mercs in the UAE who are all pretty middle class Malayalees. 2 of them own Swifts here in Kerala :) It is not the snob value, it is the points described by scooby05 that made them merc owners.

Blame it on our tax structure. If the government introduces the same tax regime here, the Swift owners would be driving Hondas and most Skodites would upgrade to the Germans overnight.

AFAIK, the globally acclaimed snob cars are RR, Bentley, Maybach (?) and certainly Maserati...These are for the real rich people. Even if you are living in Monaco. The S and 7series cannot hold a candle to them.

Back to topic: A very good move by MBIL. There are people who can afford a 15-20L car but simply refuses to buy a Fortuner or a Superb just because of the vehicle's size, congestion, parking space etc.

We will get a merc saloon for 15 lacs when rupee rallies on 'roids.

What brings down the snob value is not "Making a 15 Lakh rupee car", but seeing more of these ones atop tow trucks.

Instead of going for cheaper cars which definitely will bring down its value down, Merc can reduce the astronomical price of its spare parts . It will be considered as only a sensible move by people. This will ultimately result in excellent resale value also .

There seems to be no reason in companies like merc , skoda charges heavily for their spares . They after all lasts not any more than their 'cheap' counterparts .

Scooby, you missed a point there:). I am not saying every Merc owner owns one for the Snob value. However there are folks who buy it for the 'snob' factor.

agree:. You had me driving a Civic/CRV for a while in my mind though. I own a Swift you see!!

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It would definitely be tricky. When Hondas and Toyotas are asking for premium, it would be interesting to see how MB positions these 'affordable luxury' cars..

No thanks. One will see even more D segment cars (15-20 bracket that this thing is supposed to fit in) parked outside brokers with a sign suggesting that they're on sale.

see so many accords and the like parked , the owners unable to upkeep. bought it after a good wave of business. but cant afford the fuel filter. you get the drift.

Agreed with S350. Fat chance of Merc ever launching a 15 lakh rupee sedan. The three pointed star is probably the best known automotive symbol in the world, and it denotes luxury & snob value. Merc, to maintain its high end positioning, can't sell a VFM car, even if they wanted to. A 15 lakh Mercedes will inevitably be a super-hatchback or the next generation A Class. Expect positioning similar to a VW Beetle....a rich wife's toy, if you will.

IMO thats the opposite. Making a 15 L Sedan wil demean the snob factor and Merc atop tow trucks add to the value. Getting dragged behind tow trucks decrease the value.:D

Even for the enthusiast, does a front-driven Mercedes make it desirable. Mercedes and BMW are supposed to be rear wheel drive. Period. Atleast Bavarians are sticking to their own in the 1-series.

When does 1 series come to India? Oh its Off-topic in this thread.