[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by whatcanthisbe

ford -18%

They need to do a market check on price ranges of their products. A Fusion priced similar to a Sedan (Dezire) will never succeed in Indian conditions. But then of course, there's Skoda Fabia

I expect further deterioration in sales of Fiesta with Dezire diesel out. Just my humble opinion. Lets see how they price the Ikon-D, when it comes out.

[Sahil]

The S-class sales have more than tripled !!

The 3 series with added features still can't steal the limelight from the new C-class.

The 5 series is still thrashing the E-class, although there has been a sudden increase in sales for the E this month....BMW has fought back with an even bigger increase. The 5 series sales figures make me happy at the sametime they also make me sad as the car will get too common like the E !

Read in the TOI the other day that there is a special offer or edition of the E-class to celebrate it's 10,000th E-class sold in India....any idea what that was all about?

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by vasudeva

Have you figured out what is the import duty and also the excise duty. Of course, car makers can absorb the duties and sell it to you at international market price. But usually that would mean a loss for them. I am not defending the makers but high duties=high prices=low consumer welfare=coddling of domestic makers=encouraging domestic car production.

You have got me completely wrong. If a Merc C class can be produced and sold for a meagre 13 Lakh rupees along with strict warranties and roadside assistance programs on profit, consider the profit Mercedes is making per car by selling it here, upwards of 32 lakh rupees minus some equipment which is standard in the US Spec car. C class is assembled here and import as a CKD which has cosiderably lower duties than CBU's, less than half infact. Keeping the duties in mind, ideally the C class should be availbale here for 18-19 lakh rupees (13 lakh + CKD import duty which is b/w 30-40%).
"Protecting the domestic industry" is a very weak argument. If a C class can be built and sold in US for 13 lakh rupess I am 1000% sure if it were to be made here, it will be even cheaper. The salaries alone would save them more than half the cost. Now if a C class can be sold for 13 lakhs all inclusive which includes R&D costs + transportation cost + profit, dont you think paying 4 lakh+ rupees for an Indian built Wagon R or an i10, daylight robbery. Everyone's here to milk the consumers.

[GTO]

There is no doubt that the C Class is grossly overpriced, BMW & Audi have also followed the successful trend set by Mercedes. However, to expect a price of 13 lakhs is a bit over the top. Realistically, it shouldn't be a rupee over 25 - 26 lakh rupees.

[vasudeva]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

"Protecting the domestic industry" is a very weak argument.

It is not my argument, and neither am I advocating it. I am saying that happens in India, as it happened in almost every country, incl. the US, Japan, Europe, etc. Free trade always results in higher consumer benefits.

Yes, almost all cars in India (that have a global narket) seem to be overpriced, even with the high duties prevailing in India. But, consumers have a choice between buying extremely overpriced cars and moderately overpriced cars.

[vasudeva]

I was figuring that for the price of Corolla, I could have bought a Avalon in the US or perhaps even an entry level luxury car.

I think the S-Class tops out at around US$100000 in the US. At Rs. 40 lakhs, do you even get a E-Class. At Camry prices in India, you could buy a mid-range Lexus in US.

[gopinathann]

With all these duties & taxes in india, how come TATA was able to build the worlds cheapest car for a lakh. If it was built in other countries would they sell it for 50000 rupees ?

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

You have got me completely wrong. If a Merc C class can be produced and sold for a meagre 13 Lakh rupees along with strict warranties and roadside assistance programs on profit, consider the profit Mercedes is making per car by selling it here, upwards of 32 lakh rupees minus some equipment which is standard in the US Spec car. C class is assembled here and import as a CKD which has cosiderably lower duties than CBU's, less than half infact. Keeping the duties in mind, ideally the C class should be availbale here for 18-19 lakh rupees (13 lakh + CKD import duty which is b/w 30-40%).
"Protecting the domestic industry" is a very weak argument. If a C class can be built and sold in US for 13 lakh rupess I am 1000% sure if it were to be made here, it will be even cheaper. The salaries alone would save them more than half the cost. Now if a C class can be sold for 13 lakhs all inclusive which includes R&D costs + transportation cost + profit, dont you think paying 4 lakh+ rupees for an Indian built Wagon R or an i10, daylight robbery. Everyone's here to milk the consumers.

[Screwdriva]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

You have got me completely wrong. If a Merc C class can be produced and sold for a meagre 13 Lakh rupees along with strict warranties and roadside assistance programs on profit, consider the profit Mercedes is making per car by selling it here, upwards of 32 lakh rupees minus some equipment which is standard in the US Spec car. C class is assembled here and import as a CKD which has cosiderably lower duties than CBU's, less than half infact. Keeping the duties in mind, ideally the C class should be availbale here for 18-19 lakh rupees (13 lakh + CKD import duty which is b/w 30-40%).
"Protecting the domestic industry" is a very weak argument. If a C class can be built and sold in US for 13 lakh rupess I am 1000% sure if it were to be made here, it will be even cheaper. The salaries alone would save them more than half the cost. Now if a C class can be sold for 13 lakhs all inclusive which includes R&D costs + transportation cost + profit, dont you think paying 4 lakh+ rupees for an Indian built Wagon R or an i10, daylight robbery. Everyone's here to milk the consumers.

Originally Posted by GTO

There is no doubt that the C Class is grossly overpriced, BMW & Audi have also followed the successful trend set by Mercedes. However, to expect a price of 13 lakhs is a bit over the top. Realistically, it shouldn't be a rupee over 25 - 26 lakh rupees.

I, respectively, disagree. ExtremeTorque's calculation does not factor in the costs of setting up operations in India, or the additional costs they incur to produce in this country. These are variables that do no factor in the West. That being said, I don't believe that anything more than 22Lacs-23Lacs OTR is appropriate for the C Class, 35 lacs for the E Class and 55 lacs for the S Class This is classic Mercedes Benz overpricing and exploitation, a model that manufacturers like BMW & VW/ Skoda are beginning to emulate for their cars, rather shamefully.

I will NEVER buy a German manufactured product sold new in India as long as they continue to price in this manner. Shame...'cause they could do so much better

[phamilyman]

interestingly, skoda sells more than Fiat. He he he he.



tata indica despite CS, has declined yoy!!! Time for them to do the MJD. but indigo is still up!! The winger has quietly racked up alot of sales. but the force traveler still sticks!

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by Screwdriva

I, respectively, disagree. ExtremeTorque's calculation does not factor in the costs of setting up operations in India, or the additional costs they incur to produce in this country. These are variables that do no factor in the West. That being said, I don't believe that anything more than 22Lacs-23Lacs OTR is appropriate for the C Class, 35 lacs for the E Class and 55 lacs for the S Class This is classic Mercedes Benz overpricing and exploitation, a model that manufacturers like BMW & VW/ Skoda are beginning to emulate for their cars, rather shamefully.

I am not asking Merc to set up a manufacturing plant here unless they plan on making India the asian hub for manufacturing of MB cars. Setting up an assembly line for CKD is a lot easier and it doesnt require as much investment as a full fleged manufacturing plant. Now keeping that in mind 13 lakhs + 35-40% of 13 lakhs is = 19 lakhs or thereabouts. There's no way the C should sell at 32 Lakhs, I agree with your figure of 22-23 lakhs figuring in the investment made to set up the assembly plant but hey MB has it for long and I am damm sure they must have recovered it by now. And I am not criticizing the Germans alone. Maruti sells us Estillo for close to 4 lakhs, an already discontinued model in Japan. They would have got the dies for free and they dont even need to spend on R&D. It is daylight robbery indeed.
And whats with toyota, selling the 20k $ camry for 22 lakhs here! Argh!
The so-called luxury cars here are normal city run abouts even in countries like Thailand and Malaysia.

P.S. I am not asking for a 13 lakh rupees price tag, what I am asking for is reasonable pricing keeping in mind everything.

[Chat]

Could somebody give exact or even approximate numbers of Cedias sold.

[vinit.merchant]

There aint any news coming in for the march figures? These will be really interesting with so many new launches.
When do we expect to see them? !!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

When do we expect to see them? !!

I think its around 12th every month that SIAM data comes out. Right vasudeva?

[vinit.merchant]

Hey, There is a new thread created by Vasudeva for march 08 sales. Its named 'Car Sales figures - March 2008'

[beanstalk_230]

something interesting i noticed somewhere

captiva sales - 320
crv - 329
now thats a bit of competition