Expect a brand new range of Mercedes Benz cars this festival season as the company plans to introduce the new R-class model in the country. It has already opened bookings for its new series that is expected to cost around Rs. 60 lakh. The price tag is hefty as the model is being imported as a completely built unit, which makes it not have any realistic competition, though functionally the car is an alternative for Toyota Innova.
The model was initially launched in 2006 and has undergone several changes since then, and this new model had been unveiled at the New York Auto Show earlier this year in April 2010. The car portrays as a crossover between a sedan and a minivan rather than a normal SUV. The seven-seater MPV has already begun deliveries in Europe and the US. The final specifications of the Indian model have not been revealed so far, but the overseas model that is expected to be imported in India is available with a range of V6 and V8 petrol and diesel engines, 7G-Tronic automatic transmission, air suspension (with self-levelling at the rear) and optional four-wheel-drive. A long wheelbase version is also be available.
Industry experts still remain dubious whether India is a good market for station wagon kind of vehicles and whether there will be many Indian takers for R-class luxury and brand image. Mercedes will bring only the petrol variant in India but since the car does not have much competition in its segment, it can be an exclusive and the first-only model. It will definitely be placed somewhere between Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne.
