Luxury car sales in 2017: Mercedes-Benz shows its class; BMW, Audi and JLR fight back

The luxury carmakers in India have improved their sales in the calendar year 2017, despite the concerns of GST additional cess. The German trio- Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi continue to lead the niche market while Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo are also gaining the momentum.

Although Mercedes-Benz has not announced its sales figure for the year 2017, given that the company's sales for the first nine months till September were at 11,869 units, it is likely to be the winner again this year.

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BMW India

BMW, the second largest by volume was at its best in 2017 with its all three brands-- BMW, MINI and Motorrad. BMW Group India sold 9,800 cars (BMW + MINI) in 2017, recording a growth of 25 percent when compared to 2016. Its Mini, the small-premium car brand sold 421 MINIs, showing 17 percent growth on record as compared to 2016. BMW Motorrad, the two-wheeler division of the brand, which made its foray in to the Indian market in 2017 managed to clock sales of 252 motorcycles in the first year.

"BMW Group India achieved this successful growth as a result of its robust strategy, a resolute approach in its implementation and absolute commitment to all customers and their needs," said Vikram Pawah, President - BMW Group India.

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Audi India

The fellow German carmaker, Audi, once the largest luxury Indian carmaker, reported 2 percent increase in its total sales in India at 7,876 units. Audi India retained its third position in the luxury car market. The company, which completed 10 years of operations in India in 2017, launched 10 models last year. It had sold 7,720 units in 2016.

"Audi completed 10 years in India in 2017 and we are delighted that within this short span, it has become one of the most preferred luxury car brands for enthusiasts in the country," said Audi India Head Rahil Ansari.

Jaguar Land Rover India

Jaguar Land Rover India announced a robust growth of 49 percent in volume for the calendar year 2017. With 3,954 units sold during this period, the company reported a sterling performance, buoyed by a new and competitively priced model range.

The massive price cut on Jaguar Land Rover range in India helped the company to post exceptional performance last year. The sales came from Jaguar Land Rover models, starting with the XE at Rs 35.85 lakh, followed by the XF, F-PACE, Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque. The demand also surged for the new Discovery, the top-of-the-line Range Rover Sport and the flagship of the Land Rover brand, the Range Rover.