Mercedes pips Audi to reclaim numero uno spot in India

German car maker Mercedes-Benz has reclaimed the top spot in the luxury car market, dethroning defending champion Audi in 2015 sales.

Audi on Monday disclosed volumes for 2015 which stood at 11,192 units, much lower than that clocked by Mercedes-Benz which stood at 13,502 units.

Audi's 2015 sales were three per cent higher than its 2014 sales, which stood at 10,851 units.

In comparison, Mercedes-Benz sales jumped 32 per cent last year compared to 10,201 units clocked in 2014.

For two consecutive years (2013, 2014) Audi remained the top luxury car seller in India followed by Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

However, with a series of launches in the compact model space such as A-Class, B Class, GLA-Class and CLA-Class Mercedes shore up its volumes.

One in every three cars that Mercedes-Benz sells in India belongs to the compact space, according to its India officials.

Audi also has compact models such as the A3, A4 and Q3, but Mercedes’ aggressive promotions pushed it to the top spot. Last yearm, Audi launched 10 products whereas Mercedes-Benz introduced 15 models.

Roland Folger, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said, “We are happy to witness such a strong growth despite unexpectedsales challenges faced in the key markets of Chennai and Delhi.

I am glad that our comprehensive strategy is paying off and we have been able to achieve what we set out for in the beginning of the year.”

Both companies as well as BMW and Jaguar Land Rover will keep up with their launches this year too despite visible challenges at the retail end. Companies have begun to offer sizeable discount to clear stocks.

Joe King, Head, Audi India, said, “Unique initiatives like the Audi Mobile Terminal brought the showroom right to the customer’s doorstep, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, where we received a huge and a positive response from the customers who are significantly contributing to the transformation of the luxury landscape in India.”