Mercedes-Benz tops luxury car sales here in 2021 at a total of 11,242 units; Gears up to enhance customer experience through 2022
Mercedes Benz India has reported fairly decent growth in these tough times. For starters, sales crossed the 11k units mark in 2021. Average monthly sales through the year fell short of 1k units per month. Mercedes maintains No 1 position in luxury car market, ahead of BMW and Audi in India.
Mercedes Benz India Sales 2021
Mercedes India YoY volume gain stood at 3,349 units. Volume grew from 7,893 units in 2020 to 11,242 units in 2021. Growth rate is up at 42.43 percent. A year earlier, growth decline was reported at 42.75 percent.
Before the onset of Covid19 in 2020, the luxury car manufacturer had already reported sales decline. This was part of overall sales wherein the Indian luxury car market found itself contracting in size at the end of a full sales year.
In 2019, sales fell to 13,786 units, down from 15,538 units sold in 2018. This was also the year when Mercedes-Benz India reported its highest sales here. Below is the sales performance of Mercedes Benz India over the last 10 years.
Mercedes India New business model- Retail of the Future
Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, “We are excited with our performance that entailed sales recovery and increased our market share, in a year that was largely unprecedented and posed multiple challenges to the industry.
We were successful in exciting the market with regular product introductions and earned customers’ confidence with our new business model-Retail of the Future. The year 2021 remains a strong foundation for creating a robust and sustainable roadmap for the future, reiterating the overwhelming trust and loyalty of our customers, who preferred a Mercedes-Benz to other brands.”
Through 2022, Mercedes-Benz India looks to expand its EV product portfolio. EQS has been a global benchmark. With localization of performance vehicles in India a key focus, EQS local production the company says ‘is a step in the right direction for us towards mainstreaming luxury EVs’.
Start of EQS local production is important in the penetration of luxury EVs in India. Mercedes-Benz is ambitious when it comes to leadership positions in the luxury EV here. Of course, the electric luxury car market is currently small in size. In 2022, the new S-Class Maybach will be launched among other offerings. There will be new AMG launches too.
Semiconductor shortage
Through Q2 2021, sales were constrained owing to substantial challenges in the supply side brought about by Covid19 pandemic. Semiconductor shortage affected deliveries through entire Q4 deliveries.
The company sees its orderbook in the green with orders of 3k+ cars. Cars in the waitlist include GLA, GLC, GLE, GLS, A-Class, E-Class, and S-Class. Some CBU AMG cars too are in the waitlist. The brand reports 101 percent growth for AMG and dream cars. It’s long wheelbase E-Class and GLC were top sellers.