German luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz clocked sale of 13,558 units between April 2015 and March 2016 in India, making it the best ever yearly sales of the company in the country. The company registered 21 percent growth in FY2015-2016 against the sale of 11,213 units in FY2014-2015. Mercedes-Benz India also recorded best ever first quarter (Q1) by selling 3,622 units of it vehicles in between January and March 2016. The March 2016 sales were the highest ever recorded in a single month by Mercedes-Benz India.
The E-Class, which is celebrating 20 years in India, was the highest selling car model for Mercedes-Benz in the first quarter of 2016. This was followed by the newly launched C-Class and the SUV portfolio comprising the GLA, GLE and the GL. Mercrdes-Benz India achieved a swift growth against the backdrop of the registration ban for diesel cars over 2000cc in Delhi and NCR from Jan. 1 to March 31.
"It is a significant achievement for us, as we have maintained our growth momentum in Q1 2016, despite facing multiple market challenges. We have been able to compensate the negative sales impact in the Delhi and NCR market, with a strong double digit growth achieved in most other markets across the country. We also remained the luxury car brand with the most comprehensive retail network. This network drive enhanced our growth story even further with new customers opting for a Mercedes-Benz," Roland Folger, managing director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, said in a statement.
Mercedes-Benz India also recorded highest ever calendar year sales in 2015 with 13,502 units. In the process, Mercedes-Benz dethroned Audi as the leading luxury car seller in India, supported by 15 car launches last year. The latest report indicates Mercedes-Benz is most likely to continue the momentum in 2016 as well.