| India's rising number of millionaires is driving sales of | | | | and the electronic stability control. The latest |
| luxury and super luxury cars. In the territory, luxury and | | | | generation, the W221, debuted in 2005 as an all-new |
| super luxury cars are showing stable growth while the | | | | design. The latest S-Class is sold in standard and long |
| small and medium passenger car segments are | | | | wheelbase versions and offers V6, V8, V12, and diesel |
| slacking off. | | | | powertrains. |
| Sales of passenger cars increased by 9.1 percent in | | | | "Rising interest rates have a lower impact on the sales |
| May to 96,922 units from 88,863 in the same month a | | | | of luxury cars vis-a-vis economy cars. The reason for |
| year ago. On the contrary, premium and super-luxury | | | | this is that buyers of luxury cars take finance for |
| brands, including Nissan, Skoda, Mercedes Benz and | | | | considerations such as tax planning, not because they |
| Rolls Royce have been enjoying steady growth. | | | | need the money, while buyers of economy cars take |
| Skoda's flagship Sedan, said to a company release. | | | | finance because they actually need the money," said |
| However, Skoda's total car sales, including economy | | | | Ashwin Sanghi, the Director of Sanghi Motorcar Co, |
| and premium segments, dropped from 1,000 to 810, in | | | | dealers for Mercedes Benz. |
| the same period. | | | | The Nissan Motor Co., another automaker that sells |
| To stress, only 0.01 percent of India's population falls in | | | | only premium cars in India, has seen orders for the |
| the super-rich bracket, compared with 1.29 percent in | | | | new Teana go up significantly. "Since its launch in April, |
| Japan and 1.48 percent in Singapore. But the millionaires | | | | the Teana has crossed three figures in orders," said a |
| are significantly helping the luxury segments of the | | | | source familiar with the Japanese automaker's |
| territory. | | | | operations. However, official confirmation of the orders |
| Daimler-Chrysler India, manufacturers of Mercedes | | | | was not available. |
| Benz product lines, earlier shifted from importing | | | | The Nissan Teana is a front wheel drive mid-size car |
| completely built units (CBU) to manufacturing cars in | | | | introduced in 2003. It is exported as the Nissan Maxima |
| the territory from completely knocked down (CKD) | | | | and the Nissan Cefiro to some markets. This is done |
| units. According to sources, Mercedes Benz sales | | | | so as not to be confused with the Nissan Maxima sold |
| have increased by over 100 percent in the last three | | | | in North America. It shares the same platform with the |
| months since it started rolling out CKD units. | | | | North American Maxima and Altima, as well as the |
| This year, Mercedes launched two new models, | | | | Presage. |
| including the Rs 1.7 crore new CL Class and the new | | | | The Teana is equipped with the chic Nissan mirror and |
| diesel S Class. There was huge demand for these | | | | body parts. It is powered by either 2.3 or 3.5 liter engine |
| cars in the central and eastern parts of Maharashtra, | | | | which matches to the automatic transmission. Trim |
| sources said. But Daimler-Chrysler does not publish | | | | levels are 230JK, 230JM, 230JS, and 350JS. The car is |
| sales figures as a matter of policy. | | | | also sold in Russia and Ukraine. |
| The Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, a grand tourer, is | | | | Separately, the Japanese automaker will introduce a |
| currently available in two models: the CL500/CL550 | | | | new audio feature that can play music stored on an |
| and the CL600. The S-Class, on the other hand, is the | | | | iPod through its CARWINGS-compatible HDD |
| world's best-selling luxury flagship sedan. The car | | | | navigation system via Bluetooth wireless technology. It |
| features advanced drivetrain technologies, safety | | | | will first be available on the new Presage and will |
| systems, and interior features. Remarkably, the car | | | | become a standard feature for all upcoming new |
| introduced the first anti-lock brakes, seatbelt | | | | models in Japan. |
| pretensioners, airbag supplemental restraint systems, | | | | |