The Indian arm of Mercedes-Benz, the German automobile marque, rolled out its brand new ML 250 CDI Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) in the domestic market on October 10, 2012 at a price tag of Rs. 46.50 lacs (ex-showrooms of Maharashtra). The company has revealed that it will market the new M-Class via the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route in the country's premium car market, which has significantly helped in bringing down its price tag.
The freshly launched 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 250 CDI is believed to be a trimmed down version of the ML 350 CDI model and will carry the onus of rejuvenating the car maker's sales in the Indian SUV segment. The company has remarkably upped the ante against the likes of its fellow German automotive players like Audi and BMW in the country and is working towards introducing a number of aggressively priced models in the auto market. The ML 250 CDI will make a power competitor against the Audi Q5 and BMW X1.
The 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 250 CDI comes assimilated with a four cylinder 2,143 cc diesel power-mill, which churns out a peak power of 204 bhp at 4200 rpm and a mammoth torque delivery of 500 Nm at 1600 to 1800 rpm. The mill is mated to a seven speed automatic transmission system along with an All Wheel Drive (AWD) configuration. The car carries with itself the assurance of a world class Mercedes-Benz product combined with an impressive performance capability under its hood.
Coming to engine specifications of the Audi Q5, the German engineered SUV incorporates a 3.0 litre 2967 cc V6-cylinder diesel motor that rolls out a maximum output of 236 bhp and whopping peak torque of 500 Nm. Further, the powerplant features turbo chargers and common rail technology, which ensures that Audi Q5 wins over any demanding terrain without breaking a sweat. Hence, considering the power and performance characteristics of the two German rivals, its is the Audi product that scores better points, thanks to its bigger engine as compared to the ML 250 CDI.
The brand new Mercedes-Benz ML 250 CDI also represents the first 'three pointed star' SUV, to have been assembled outside the German auto giant's Tuscaloosa production facility in Alabama, USA. Recently, Audi has been crowned as the second largest premium luxury car maker in the country after BMW and has dislodged Mercedes-Benz of its position. Accordingly, Mercedes-Benz found it hard to easily gulp down the development and took on a desperate and aggressive strategy to win over Indian audience again by introducing the new M-Class. With the brand new ML 250 CDI, the German auto maker is aspiring to regain its top spot in the India and cash in on one of the most promising auto markets of the world.
