Mercedes-Benz launches GLE-Class, takes on Audi's Q5 and BMW's X5

Mercedes-Benz, the best-selling luxury car brand in India for nine consecutive months till this September, brought its much awaited new coupe-shaped GLE SUV to take on the segment leader Audi Q5, and also help the company settle scores withBMW 's X5.

The new GLE would be sold at the ex-showroom prices of Rs 58.90 lakh and Rs 69.90 lakh for the two variants. The newly appointed MD & CEO for Mercedes -Benz India, Roland Folger, told Business Today: "The all new GLE-Class is our answer to the most aspirational SUV in the market. As the successor to the outgoing ML-Class, we expect it to become the top-selling mid-size SUV in the Indian market."The GLE-Class is likely to trigger higher sales for Mercedes-Benz . Already, it has sold a record 10,079 units in the January-September 2015 period - almost equaling the 10,201 units it sold in the whole of 2014 - a 34 per cent year-on-year growth from 7,529 units sold last year. Its local rivals Audi, BMW and JLR have not disclosed their sales data so far.

The Indian market is shifting towards SUVs and Mercedes-Benz has also reaped the benefits. Its SUV portfolio comprising the GLA, M-Class and GL-Class grew strongly by 70 per cent in the January-September 2015 period.

Mercedes-Benz also remained the world's best-selling luxury car brand for the third consecutive month in September, surpassing BMW and Audi with strong demand for its SUVs like GLC and GLE and the GLA, especially in China that helped the surge in sales.

According to the company, Mercedes-Benz deliveries rose 16 per cent to 188,400 cars last month, compared with 180,500 for the Munich-based BMW and 170,900 for the Ingolstadt-based Audi.

Mercedes-Benz aims to regain leadership in the luxury car market globally and has been doing particularly well in China, the world's largest automotive market where it is locked in a three-way battle with BMW AG and Audi.

Mercedes-Benz's sales in China soared 31 per cent this year through September, thanks in large part to new models such as the small SUVs.

Source: businesstoday.in