[Vidzy]

Mercedes have got the pricing wrong on all fronts. Fully expect them to offer the 7-8lacs discounts soon.

I feel good about my decision to buy the A4 premium in February, which compares to the C200 at all fronts in my humble opinion and costed me good 20lacs + lesser

Can anyone comment on the GC of the C200 compared to that of the A4.

[Vid6639]

Looks like BMW have Mercedes cornered on one end and Audi has it covered on other end.

If I wanted the best value luxury sedan the A4 is the most VFM and offers fantastic luxury experience.

On other hand the 3 series offers economical diesel in 320d. Great performance from 330i and insane driving pleasure from M340i.

Want more legroom and better rear comfort. Get the Li version of the 3.

Now where does that leave the Merc? Prices are more than the Li of the 3 series but nowhere near the rear comfort and space. And nowhere near the performance of the 330i.

C300D is just a couple of lakhs difference with the inline 6 crazy M340i.

This pricing is seriously insane and only the die hard Merc fans will continue to buy this. Anyone looking at a luxury sedan first time is really going to find it tough choosing the C over the A4 and the 3.

[Turbohead]

So will Mercedes will roll back the fixed pricing formula in the days to come? Else this is a hard sell.

Not very long ago, at the end of 2019, the base 520d was retailing at 70 on road before discounts.

Whatever it is, I want to smoke whatever their strategists are smoking. Insane confidence.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by veedub89

If you were to compare the E from say 2016 to the C being launched today, what do you get extra?

I am thinking wireless car play, android auto, more safety tech, more screens, more creature comforts etc. here.
But the new C is definitely smaller than the old E, regardless of the growth in its dimensions. At the end of the day, the C is not the E.

Forget 2016, even in Q1 2021 the E200 LWB could be had for a similar price after discounts.
Pricing is crazy, and it wouldn't be surprising to see some heavy discounting in this segment once supply normalizes.

[karanddd]

I'm sure there's a term for this, that hardly anyone buys a Mercedes in India as a "rational" option, having weighed it against its counterparts and ascertained merits and demerits. Some do, but they make up a fraction of the clientele. In other countries, Mercedes has to compete on equal footing not just with other German brands, but also Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti, Genesis, even Kia (among many others) and has to price models accordingly, with an aim to sell. In India where competition is less fierce and the market much smaller, where Mercedes expects to sell less than a 1000 cars a month, the brand enjoys a reputation almost akin to a Bentley in China (which has somewhat comparable sales numbers), a statement in itself, selling simply on the strength of the three pointed star. For that reason enough will sell irrespective of the price (and possibly directly because of the price, as that brings "exclusivity"), but what it'll do is let BMW and Audi also increase their prices, citing reasons like inflation, shipping issues etc. We will no doubt see the entry level sedans from these brands touch the 1 crore mark within the next 4-5 years.

[Mechb63]

From what I have heard, there would be only around 20 - 25 C 300d models available for now across the country. I know for a fact that the Mumbai dealerships themselves have got more than 25 bookings for the C 300d itself.

So if you are an enthusiast who is ready to shell out, what I think is a crazy amount of money for this car, you are at the mercy of Mercedes. Mercedes is not likely to offer you any price protection and takes around another 6 months (which would include at least 1 price hike) to deliver the car. Additionally, there is also a possibility of some features being deleted from the car due to the 'chip shortage.'

I see no advantage to a buyer who puts a heavy deposit amount down to pre-book the car in such a case.

Honestly, I am of the opinion that someone who is chauffeur-driven should shell out another 10 Lakh (roughly 13k increase in the EMI) and get the E Class to sit in the back or shell out an additional 5 Lakh (roughly 7k increase in the EMI) and get the more engaging BMW 340i.

Also, if you want to save some dough, the more affordable 3 Limo will offer a perfect compromise if you are someone who shifts from the front seat & to the back seat of the car too often.

Unfortunately, most customers do not think the way we do and I am pretty sure Mercedes is gonna do decent sales, that too without any discount, just by the value the Star on the front grille has in our country.

[senna]

I bought the A6 technology trim at 59L OTR less than a year ago. Very very happy after seeing the ridiculous pricing the manufacturers are going for.

[rubicon]

Recollecting C-class launch prices in India from April 20, 2001. 21 years can do a lott

Ex-showroom Bombay prices during launch,

C180 petrol Rs 19.9 Lacs
c200 diesel Rs 22.8 Lacs


Ref : https://www.rediff.com/money/2001/apr/20merc.htm

Mercedes-Benz launches new C-class

Mercedes-Benz India Ltd on Thursday presented the new C-class Mercedes at their plant in Pune. The C-class was unveiled by Jurgen Ziegler, managing director and chief executive officer, and Rolf Loeffler, executive director and head of technology.

The new C-class enters the wide gap that exists between the luxurious E-class Mercedes and other mid-sizers such as the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Opel Astra Club.

The C-class will come with two engine options, the C 180 petrol and the C 200 Common Rail Direct Injection diesel. The C 180 will retail for Rs 1.99 million for the petrol version and Rs 2.28 million for the diesel version, ex-showroom Bombay. Both will also be offered with manual and automatic gearboxes.

Ziegler said that the C-class does not fall in what is known as the traditional D segment. "It's much more than what you normally see in the segment. Actually, the C-class is placed higher in the market, in the E1 and E2 segments."

Of late, there has been manufacturer interest in launching cars in the so-called D segment, especially cars such as the Hyundai Sonata, Honda Accord and Daewoo Magnus. When asked whether the E-class sales would be affected, Ziegler said, "Since the C-class is creating a new category in India, E-class sales would be affected, but only positively."

For the first time, AMG will be officially entering India. AMG, owned by Mercedes-Benz, is a company that specialises in tuning all Mercedes vehicles and providing them with specially designed aerodynamic kits and interior trim options. The manufacturer will be importing kits based on customer orders, which will be fitted at MBIL dealer outlets.

These customisation kits will be on offer for the three Mercedes saloons that are on sale in the country today, the C, E, and the S-class.

Mercedes has been rapidly launching cars in new segments in the country. The unveiling of the upgraded E-class was done at Auto Expo in Delhi last year, followed by the launch of the super luxury S-class in September 2000, and now the C-class. Mercedes also sells the MB 100D and MB 140D vans in the country.

[sauravpat]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Recollecting C-class launch prices in India from April 20, 2001. 21 years can do a lott

Ex-showroom Bombay prices during launch,

C180 petrol Rs 19.9 Lacs
c200 diesel Rs 22.8 Lacs

Wow! Did not expect that. If we do a calculation for compounded inflation of 5% per year for 21 years after 2001, 20 Lakhs in 2001 is equal to 55.71 Lakhs today. Exactly what they have launched the base C at.

Of course compared to the competition it is grossly overpriced but they've not been greedy if we look at it as 5% retail inflation?

[pqr]

Mercedes Benz C-Class pricing

In this segment, 65%-70% of sales come from diesel engine powered cars. So Mercedes (C-Class) and BMW (3-Series and LWB) are the core players and the rest– Audi (A4), Volvo (S60) and Jaguar (XE) are in the fringe category.

Now Mercedes seems to be very clear on its preferred fuel choice in the Indian market, which is why they put 2 eggs (diesel engines) in one basket, and another egg (petrol engine) in one small basket. A more powerful diesel engine in the AMG line variant is to make competition irrelevant, akin to the E Class AMG line, this strategy seems clever. Soon, BMW has to bring in a powerful diesel engine in 3 Series LWB to compete against the C-Class AMG line.

Now, if we look at the price in proper context, Mercedes is aiming at the BMW 3-series LWB only, as C-Class grew bigger in length and wheelbase, though still falls shorter than 3-series LWB. Compare diesel-powered variants of both and context becomes apparent.



For the buyer, the trade-off is clear – either more rear legroom offered by 3-Series LWB or relatively compromised legroom with better fuel efficiency and performance of C-Class. Feature-wise, C-Class has a slight advantage at the given price point.

Moreover, Mercedes has dropped the base variant from the C-Class lineup completely and left the A-Class limousine to compete in the sub ₹ 50 lakhs price range.

As far as Audi is concerned, A4’s base variant is created and priced at ₹ 40,59,000 to compete against BMW 2-Series and Mercedes A-Class limousine. Audi has become a ‘discount luxury brand’ without any pricing power in the Indian luxury car market. Volvo lacks what it takes to compete against the Germans, and Jaguar has removed the XE brochure from their website. Now the fight is only between BMW and Mercedes, and the rest can be just spectators.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by prateekvinayak

Look at it this way, a 3 series and a C class zoom by, which one are you checking out?

Personally a 3 series, anytime and every time

Originally Posted by Vidzy

I feel good about my decision to buy the A4 premium in February, which compares to the C200 at all fronts in my humble opinion and costed me good 20lacs + lesser

That’s a great decision indeed, 20 lakhs save and a better engine too

[rag_nfs]

Great review as always, the car is truly at a different level in terms of luxury in this category. Almost all the youtube reviews from the Mussoorie event have been raving about it too. This being a very important product in the MB lineup and a major update from the last version am sure MB would have done the necessary diligence around the engine displacement and power outputs. Waiting to get my hands on it to test it out on the road. The earlier C class, though not that blazing, did give a nice 'push back in the seat' feeling especially in the Sports mode. Hope this one is better and also sounds more sporty

Originally Posted by pqr

Mercedes Benz C-Class pricing

For the buyer, the trade-off is clear – either more rear legroom offered by 3-Series LWB or relatively compromised legroom with better fuel efficiency and performance of C-Class. Feature-wise, C-Class has a slight advantage at the given price point.

I couldn't find any rear seat dimensions for the 3 series LWB, Merc has provided them for the C Class. The rear headroom in the back seems the same.

[haskelerator]

I for one feel MB knows exactly what it’s doing though. It wants to position the C class as a luxury car purchased by a gentleman/lady of some means. Audi has diluted its brand with discounts and look where it is now. It’s a great car but no longer an aspirational brand. Same with BMW, it is now synonymous with enthusiasts but is no longer a luxury brand. That’s why all their weird designs to cater to the youth and social media generation. Mercedes wants to be known as a luxury brand and , for that, I think the pricing is spot on.

[Starfire]

I remember in 2012, a Mercedes C200 CGI costed 32.07 lakh ex-showroom. Today a C200 costs 55 lakh ex-showroom. Thats an increase of 23 lakhs in a decade (you can call it a cool 42% increase or simple put the price of a new Toyota Innova). While that may not seem bizarre to some who say the price of the C-class is justified, we also have to remember that a standard Maruti Swift Lxi costed 4.58 lakhs in 2012 and today costs 5.91 lakhs which is an increase of 1.33 lakhs (around 22.5%)

In short, the taxes are killing and more so for cars in the premium segment. Was discussing the same with a friend the other day who told me, “Gone are the days where a E-Class owner could upgrade to a S-class”. In fact, he personally owns a 10 year old E-class which he is now “downgrading” to buy a brand new C-class. He says he can’t afford the 42% hike to begin with if its only for the same segment, leave alone going to buy the new S-class which costs 1.6 Cr! The reasonable price hike in the US can be justified as inflation but in India? I doubt it.

[veedub89]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Forget 2016, even in Q1 2021 the E200 LWB could be had for a similar price after discounts.
Pricing is crazy, and it wouldn't be surprising to see some heavy discounting in this segment once supply normalizes.

I am curious about that actually.
Ever since Merc got in this new D2C business model, have the discounts gone up or down? Or has this new approach standardised discounts across the country on specific models?

I would be highly surprised if there are no discounts at all.

People agreeing to spend 60ish lacs on a C class really need to get off the bottle.