Luxury car major Mercedes-Benz India has raised its investment to Rs 850 crore as part of the expansion plan of its factory at Pune, managing director and CEO Eberhard H Kern said. Mr Kern told reporters today that India has become the second market outside the US to start local production of the M-class SUV.
The company will focus on customer experience and "after-sales delight" in eastern India, he said, adding that the move is part of a strategy to reinforce its footprint in the region where its dealership in Bhubaneswar is already operational and one in Jamshedpur is on the anvil.
About the focus on network growth of Mercedes-Benz, he said efforts were on for deepest network penetration for any luxury car manufacturer with 72 touch points located in 31 Indian cities.
The luxury carmaker sold 7,138 units of cars in 2012 as wholesale to its dealer partners achieving a benchmark in terms of overall sales in luxury cars in India. He also announced 'benchmark Intercrafts' as the primary and high performance dealer in Kolkata for Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled eight new products in 2012, including the new M-class, the C-class AMG performance edition and the C-class sport edition.
"We hope 2013 will be a remarkable year for Mercedes-Benz in India," he added.