German automobile major DaimlerChrysler will turn the heat on Swedish rival Volvo in India, by launching its flagship Actros range of trucks early next year.
DaimlerChrysler India's chief executive officer, Hans-Michael Huber said at the company's tenth anniversary celebrations, "The board of directors of DaimlerChrysler India has approved the strategy for launching the Actros range of trucks in country. We are looking to launch them around January next year."
The company is looking at introducing two models from the tippers and dumpers range in India, one of which is the Actros 3340. The trucks would be from the 40-45 tonne category. The trucks, which will be brought as completely built units, however the body will be manufactured locally.
The vehicles are estimated to be priced in the Rs 40 lakh (Rs 4 million) range. DaimlerChrysler India manufactures luxury cars in Pune, and this will be the company's foray into the commercial vehicle segment in India.
The company sells cars under the brand name Mercedes Benz and offers the S-Class, E-Class and C-Class, SL-Class, SLK-Class and the M-Class range of cars. Daimler Chrysler is also considering bringing luxury coaches in the country.
"Yes we will be looking at luxury buses for the Indian market. However, we will concentrate on the trucks first and the next step would be buses," Huber said.
The Actros range of trucks and tractor trailers is DaimlerChrysler's best-selling product globally, with sales of 260,000 since its launch in 1996. The company launched a new range of Actros trucks, the V6 and V8, in March last year.
Volvo seems to have paved the way for DaimlerChrysler by creating a market for premium trucks in India. Volvo launched a new range of trucks, the F12 and F9, in early 2003.
With Bajaj Tempo collaborating with German commercial vehicles maker MAN for its proposed foray into the premium truck segment, the market is showing signs of aggressive competition.