mb. Connect! with Farhan Akhtar

Mercedes Benz believes in connecting with owners, enthusiasts and fans at the core level and the ‘Star Drive’ is one such media of establishing such connection. After providing some hardcore adrenaline pumping moments all over India, the Mercedes Benz ‘Star drive’ experience hit Mumbai. This unrivalled experience showcased the unparalleled performance of Mercedes Benz products combined with the sophistication in terms of engineering, technology and pure luxury. The intensity was further raised by the presence of Mercedes Benz Customer and Bollywood superstar Farhan Akhtar.

Mercedes Benz and success are two words which often go hand in hand and Farhan Akhtar has had the best of both. On this edition of mb connect, Farhan tests the limits of the Mercedes cars at Juhu aerodrome and answers questions posted by facebook fans in a candid session with Mr. Debasis Mitra. Farhan Akhtar’s association with bollywood goes back to more than a decade. Having delivered blockbusters such as Dil Chahta Hai, Don and Zingadi Na Milege Dobara, he shares a special passion for Mercedes Benz cars and also happens to be the first owner of the ultimate SUV, the all new ML Class. 

Out of the many questions posted by fans, Farhan answered the selected questions with utmost enthusiasm. He has a special liking for SUV’s and has done a road trip all around Europe in the ML Class and said he feels absolutely relaxed and comfortable when he is behind the wheel of his favourite Mercedes. He rarely prefers to be a passenger and is eager to jump into the driver’s seat and relish the Mercedes Benz driving experience. Farhan proclaims himself to be lucky to be the first owner of the ML Class and vows to put this mighty SUV to the limit of its tremendous capability. Being completely a family man, Farhan gives due importance to his family for their opinions on buying a car. Versatility is one of his key attributes and it’s not easy to be an actor, director, producer, writer and singer at the same time and Farhan would like to leave it to his fans as to how they will like to remember him. 

That’s all from this edition of mb connect with Farhan Akhtar, stay tuned for the next mb connect with a special star.

Mercedes-Benz India launches the B-Class

Mercedes-Benz India launches the B-Class; pioneers the category of Sport Tourers in India

• The new B-Class combines sportiness, style and safety with functional needs of space which is very important for India. – Creates a new category of “Sports Touring” for premium compact cars
• The new B-Class exceeds expectations with all units sold out for 2012. New Bookings get deliveries in Jan 2013
• The young and trendy design of the new B-Class complemented by a unique marketing strategy: intensive digital foot print, focus on active lifestyle
• The new B-Class loaded with Luxury & features never seen in this segment of cars, sets a benchmark

Mumbai: The young Indian today is aggressive, dynamic and trendy. Their lifestyle is characterised by adventure, thrill and sophistication on one hand and refinement, practicality and elegance on the other. There is thus a need for refinement and luxury combined with sporty, dynamic characteristics in their selection of mobility options. The new B-Class is a Sports Tourer that delivers exactly these facets, combining the versatility of a MUV, ride quality of a sedan and dynamic performance of a SUV.

Globally, the B-Class has been a run-away success with over 75000 units sold within the first few months of its launch. It is a path breaking product in every sense of the term: it is the first of Mercedes-Benz’s premium compact cars, and boasts the extremely sporty design coupled with 7G-DCT, Dual Clutch Transmission with paddle shift which is normally found in high end sports cars like the SLS AMG. The core Mercedes-Benz values of safety and reliability have been taken to new levels with the car having 7 airbags including a knee airbag – A first for any car in this segment. Also, features like Attention Assist, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Acceleration Skid Control (ASR), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a tyre pressure loss warning indicator makes it one of the safest Sports Tourer available anywhere in the world.

The sporty appeal of the B-Class is further complemented by its panoramic sunroof, a sports package and aggressive body styling, dual exhaust, perforated disc brakes, Bi Xenons and special alloy wheels which are seen for the first time in a car of this segment in India. The “Vario seat” concept makes the space in the new B-Class equivalent to many SUV’s & a fuel efficiency of 14.81 KMPL (As per ARAI) makes it one of the most fuel efficient cars in the segment. Available in two variants B 180 and the B 180 Sport, the price starts from Rs 21.49 lakhs and goes up to Rs 24.87 Lakhs for the Sport variant. ( All prices are Mumbai ex showroom)

The trendy and innovative new B-Class is being marketed by Mercedes-Benz India in an equally Innovative manner. Mercedes-Benz India’s unique “Ultimate Touring Trails” contest has witnessed participation from over 1 Lakh people and celebrates an active lifestyle. It has used only Social media during pre launch of the car which marks a new approach to Luxury automotive marketing.

Mr. Debashis Mitra, Director, Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India: “We are extremely excited with the initial response of the B-Class in India. Our Strategy of introducing the segment & then launching the car has been well received by our customers. The huge response only demonstrates that the Three Pointed Star is easily the most aspired brand in India and kicks off a beginning of our product offensive in next couple of year in India.”

He further added “The sell out of the new B-Class in the pre launch phase convinces us that there is a latent demand for ‘Sports Tourers’ in India and they are looking forward for cars loaded with features”

Technical Specifications:

TECHNICAL DATA		B180	B180 Sport
Arrangement/No of Cylinders		In-line/4
Total displacement (cc)		1595
Rated output (kW @ rpm)		90 @ 5000
Rated torque (Nm @ rpm)		200 @ 1250 - 4000
Acceleration (0-100 kmph, sec)		10.2
Top speed (km/h)		190
Tyre Size, front/rear		205/55 R16	225/45 R17
Fuel		Petrol
Tank Capacity (l)/reserve approx		50/6
Boot Capacity (l)		486 to 1545
Turning Circle diameter (m)		11
Kerb weight (kg)		1425
Permissible gross vehicle weight (kg)		1950
L  x W x H (mm)		4359 x 1786 x 1557
Wheelbase (mm)		2699

Mercedes-Benz inaugurates a new showroom

Mercedes-Benz further strengthens its presence in the National Capital– inaugurates a new showroom

• T&T Motors West Delhi is spread over 20,000 sq. ft. area; investment of over INR 50 million
• Dealership to showcase the entire range of Mercedes-Benz cars including the all new B Class, India’s first Sports Tourer
• Mercedes-Benz India continues to have the densest network amongst all luxury car makers in India with 72 touch points in 31 cities
• Mercedes-Benz India as part of ‘Go to Customer’ strategy is aggressively expanding its network presence in both Metro and non-Metro markets 

New Delhi – In its constant endeavor to provide unparallel customer experience, Mercedes-Benz India delighted its customers in the National Capital by inaugurating its new  state of art dealership in New Delhi, today. Spread over 20,000 sq. ft. and built with an overall investment of more than INR 50 million towards the facility, T&T Motors West Delhi will give the customers a classy yet sporty feel of the brand with its exciting range of Mercedes-Benz cars including the all new B-Class Sports Tourer. Mr. Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India and Mr. Ravi Talwar, Chairman, T&T Motors Ltd. inaugurated the dealership in presence of Mr. Debashis Mitra, Director, Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India.

Mr. Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented: “Big metros will remain key enablers for driving growth for Mercedes-Benz India, and Delhi will play a pivotal role in this growth story as it is a matured market with a well established base for connoisseurs of luxury cars. Delhi has tremendous growth potential for Mercedes-Benz as our customer base has been rapidly increasing here and the buyers want to experience the superlative attributes of the Brand Mercedes-Benz.”

“T&T Motors has been our distinguished partners in India since 1997 and we share a similar growth story. In T&T Motors, we see a partner who shares the same passion and commitment towards excellence in servicing the customers. I am confident that our growing customer base in New Delhi will experience even further an enriched vehicle ownership experience. Inauguration of T&T Motors West Delhi is part of our ‘Go to Customer’ strategy which is defining newer benchmark for the luxury car industry in India and we are committed to reaching out and delighting more customers and expanding our footprints to more Indian cities” added Mr. Honegg.

T&T Motors West Delhi is a well structured showroom with contemporary design, strategically located at Rajouri Garden area to cater to the growing customer base of Mercedes-Benz in West Delhi. Created in a span of mere three months with an initial investment of over INR 50 million towards the facility, T&T Motors West Delhi offers a unique blend of lifestyle and contemporary ambience bringing the customer closer to the brand. The showroom built with an objective of creating a luxurious experience for the customers, is a delight to visit. T&T Motors West Delhi is completed with luxurious Mercedes Café, a valet service, display of the exciting range of Mercedes-Benz cars, Mercedes-Benz accessories & collectibles, an engaging Mercedes-Benz Experience zone and several other exciting aspects. T&T Motors West Delhi also has a dedicated and highly trained team to ensure on-time & efficient sales and after-sales service facilities for the discerning customers.

Mr. Ravi Talwar, Chairman, T&T Motors Ltd. commented on the inauguration: “T&T Motors has been one of Mercedes-Benz’s long standing partners and it is an honour to be associated with the prestigious brand with the Three Pointed Star. I am extremely delighted to present this world class dealership to our connoisseurs of West Delhi.  We have already started receiving bookings from customers which reiterates the growing demand for the brand in this region of the national capital. In sync with Mercedes-Benz’s brand philosophy of ‘Best or Nothing’, T&T Motors West Delhi will provide the customers with world-class service standards and the complete display of the emotion evoking product range of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, will be a huge draw for our esteemed customers.”

With the inauguration of T&T Motors West Delhi, the first ever Mercedes-Benz showroom in West Delhi, Mercedes-Benz retains the distinction of being the leading luxury car brand with the densest sales and service network penetration in India with 72 touchpoints spread over 31 Indian cities. The dealership will have Mercedes Cafe to provide the customers a delightful experience visit. Services like easy finance, insurance of the cars will be available at the new dealership.

Our passion connects us.

Mercedes-Benz India does a live webcast on mb. Connect!

Recently, Mercedes Benz India added another first to its name. We are the first automobile company in the country to talk directly to our customers and those who admire the brand, through a live webcast. We took this initiative to give you an insider's perspective of what it takes to make these dream machines a reality. We shared some lesser known facts of our cars and discussed the complexities of the cutting-edge technology that brings the fascination alive. 

The mb. Connect! event was conducted through a live stream. The questions were fielded by Mr. Debashis Mitra – Head of Marketing & Sales, Mercedes-Benz India. We sorted through over 500 questions submitted to us and got some interesting insights from Mr. Mitra as he shared his immense knowledge of the brand. 

We will bring you more such interactive sessions where you can connect with important people behind the scenes who share your passion for Mercedes-Benz India. 

To engage with Mercedes-Benz India, just log on to www.mbconnect.in.

Every question, treated like a Star

Ever had a question you wanted to ask Mercedes-Benz, but didn’t know how or where to do so?

Introducing mb.Connect! An exclusive platform where fans of Mercedes-Benz can pose questions and watch them answered in real time. 

This new initiative from Mercedes-Benz India kicks off on Friday 29th July between 4 to 5 PM. Questions will be answered on a live webcast by Mr. Debashis Mitra, Director, Sales and Marketing for Mercedes Benz India.

This never before seen initiative is a bold new step for the brand and helps connect with a younger net savvy target audience. The result: diehard fans will be able to engage Mr Mitra in a tête-à-tête like never before on a wide range of topics related to Mercedes-Benz. This is an ongoing initiative and users can continue to pose their questions on a continuing basis to Mercedes-Benz even after Friday. 

So logon, ask your question and join us this Friday on www.mb.Connect.in

You can also Tweet us your questions at @mercedesbenzind – Use the hash tag #mbconnect

Sporty and aggressive C-Class AMG Performance Edition

Mercedes-Benz India ushers in the sporty and aggressive C-Class AMG Performance Edition

C-Class AMG Performance Edition

• Introduction of AMG Sports Package: The enhanced driving dynamics of the C-Class AMG Performance Edition gets more accentuated with an aggressive exterior and a dynamic interior

• Sporty Exteriors with AMG Body Styling: 17-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, perforated front brake discs and sports suspension

• Luxurious & Sporty Interiors with AMG Sports Package: Steering wheel gear shift paddles, 3-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel with 12 function keys in nappa leather, instrument cluster featuring 3 analogue dials with tapered tube-style surrounds, high-resolution of 11.4 cm (4.5-inch)  & TFT colour display

Mercedes-Benz India today launched the new C-Class AMG Performance Edition with added AMG Sports Package. The C-Class 250 CDI Avant-garde has been hailed as the most aggressive vehicles in its class in terms of handling and driving dynamics. The AMG Sports Package translates this dynamism and aggression through the overall look and feel of the vehicle now. The AMG Sports package comprises carefully coordinated features for a sportier exterior and adds to the contours of the interior ambience, lending an enhanced driving dynamics.

The New C-Class AMG Performance Edition sets newer standards in its segment by offering an aggressive road presence and integrating safety, comfort and agility. The New C-Class has been one of the most important and iconic model series from Mercedes-Benz stable, and has been an epitome of luxury and comfort making it one of the most popular vehicles in the segment.

 Mr. Debashis Mitra, Director Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India: “The C-Class has been one of the most successful sedans from the Mercedes-Benz portfolio and has received overwhelming customer traction since its launch. We have sold close to 15,000 units of the C-Class since its launch in India in 2001. With the launch of the New C-Class AMG Performance Edition; Mercedes-Benz aims to redefine the luxury entry level sedan segment. The new C-Class AMG Performance Edition will offer our connoisseurs a more enhanced driving experience, incorporated with the added features of the AMG styling, which is revered for its sporty and dynamic attributes globally. Mercedes-Benz’s constant endeavour has been to innovate and delight its diverse customer base through exciting products and world class service standards. We are confident that the New C-Class AMG Performance Edition will continue to excite our growing customer base and fans of AMG styling.”

The New C-Class AMG Performance Edition with AMG Sports Package adds to the exemplary visual appeal of its predecessors by adding more aggressive and sporty renderings. The New C-Class AMG Performance Edition’s exterior now comes with AMG body styling with a front and rear apron, and side sill panels. The 17-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels give the car a much more aggressive look which is enhanced further by the front brake calipers with "Mercedes-Benz" lettering. The Perforated front brake discs and a new Sports suspension are some of the distinctive features which make driving the New C-Class AMG Performance Edition more engaging.

The additional renderings of the AMG Sports Package include the tailpipe trim which now comes in polished stainless steel. The sporty look of the car is now more distinguished with the daytime running lamps with chrome surrounds.

A distinctive sporty look greets the interior which now has a 3-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel with 12 function keys in Nappa leather. The steering wheel is further accentuated with a red contrasting topstitching with flattened lower section, and a perforation in the grip area making long drives comfortable. Adding to the ease of driving, the steering wheel now also comes with gear shift paddles.

The AMG Sports Package in the New C-Class AMG Performance Edition provides a superlative look to the interior with a new instrument cluster which features the 3 analogue dials with tapered tube-style surrounds. The high-resolution 11.4 cm (4.5-inch) TFT colour display adds a whole new level of sophistication to the interior of the car.

Other AMG Sports Package renderings, which endow the plush interiors of the New C-Class AMG Performance Edition with a sporty look, are in the form of aluminum-look gearshift/selector lever with leather gaiter, a brushed stainless steel AMG sports pedals with black rubber studs and a headlining in black fabric. The floor mats too now comes in black with AMG lettering pronounced.

With a redesigned dashboard, new instrument cluster, equipped with an integrated colour display and revamped upholstery, the New C-Class has witnessed a complete makeover in its interiors, offering the customers a deluxe travelling opportunity.

The C-Class AMG Performance Edition is priced at INR 34, 62,609 ex-showroom in Mumbai.

Contact:  

Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd.: Tel. 021 35673000

Manas Dewan: e-mail: manas.dewan@daimler.com

Shekhar Das Chowdhury: e-mail: shekhar.daschowdhury@daimler.com

Ghazal Javed: e-mail: ghazal.javed@daimler.com