Mercedes Benz, the second largest luxury car maker in the Indian market, is speculated to roll-out its most inexpensive offering – B Class hatchback - in the Indian market by June 2012. The model was earlier expected to hit the Indian roads by year 2013-14. The B-Class hatchback will be quite a bit cheaper than the current cheapest Mercedes Benz portfolio model, C-Class sedan.
The all new Mercedes Benz B-Class will be launched in the Indian market in a bid to grab a major chunk of the luxury segment. The company looks to drive volume sales from this cheaper Mercedes car in the country. The B-Class hatchback will be launched in at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, where it is expected to attract a large number of automobile enthusiasts.
The B-Class model is based on the platform of Mercedes Benz A-Class and is expected to be priced in the segment of sub Rs 15 lakh in the country. The car will be taking on the likes of BMW X1 and upcoming cheaper Audi A3, in the price segment of Rs 15 to 20 lakh, since the Audi A3 is an upcoming car that will be positioned below A4 sedan. Further, the BMW Mini brand that is rumored to hit Indian market very soon will also be a competitor to the B-Class model.
Mercedes’ German arch rival BMW had snatched the top spot in the Indian auto market from this giant luxury car maker about two years back. Now, models like B-Class are the chosen route for acquiring the number one spot in the Indian market for Mercedes Benz.
