Reference Auto

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz, in a bid to snatch the number one slot in premium cars from BMW by creating a new category of customers not catered to by the luxury liner, is all set to roll out a car from its B-Class stable (the tourer sport) in around a month or two.

This will give Mercedes-Benz ammo in the low-end luxury segment in the country (the Rs 25 lakh-Rs 30 lakh car bracket).

This segment will no doubt help Mercedes-Benz raise its volumes substantially but the car maker is unlikely to upstage its counterpart BMW in a year or two.

Currently, the luxury car maker (Merc) has its C-Class on offer to vie with competitors such as BMW and Audi.

Around 2014, Mercedes-Benz’s A-Class cars will also be rolled out and this will give the German car maker a big boost in the affordable category (luxury segment), spurring volumes manifold.

In fact, these small category cars could rev up volumes of Mercedes-Benz by at least 50 per cent, it is believed.

But even arch rival BMW is gearing up to retain its top slot with the launch of the Mini brand. So, the slugfest will intensify between the two arch rivals and the war this time will be fought on the price front, among others.

In fact, battle in this affordable category (the Rs 25 lakh-Rs 30 lakh bracket) will not only depend on the price but also on factors like features (especially safety features and looks), which will be an important factor before a customer opts for either a BMW or a Merc.

This will help Merc take on the likes of the Audi Q3, the BMW X1 and the Minis.

Peter Honegg, managing director and chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz India, said that the slew of equipment, design marvel and best-in-its-class safety and comfort had made the B-Class tourer a car which will find many takers among the youth.

The new B-Class tourer comes with the versatility of an MUV, the ride quality of a sedan and strength of an SUV, the company said. It also has aviation-inspired dashboard design.

Among the high-end features of the car are enhanced boot space, a whopping seven airbags and accelerator skid control, which will be a milestone in safety in the Rs 25 lakh car space.

Sources in Mercedes-Benz said the company will initially roll out the petrol version of the B-Class tourer, and seeing the response, it may come up with a diesel variant.

So, by creating a new category of customers for its A and B Class cars, Mercedes-Benz will not only rev up volumes but will also pave the way for a slew of new standards (safety features, especially) in the class and this will force other auto firms to enhance safety and other features not only in this segment but even in lower categories as well.