Will Stay Number One in India: Mercedes-Benz Boss

The global CEO of Daimler Dieter Zetsche has told NDTV that Mercedes-Benz will keep the momentum shown in the first quarter of this year, and finish the year at the number one position too. He says this is on the back of the new model introductions and the success of the established model range too. Zetsche spoke to NDTV at the global premiere of the GLC compact SUV in Metzingen, Germany. The GLC is a product that the company expects will bring it large volumes. The GLC replaces the GLK which has already been very successful for the company - despite not being offered as a right hand drive model. So with the GLC Mercedes-Benz expects larger volumes still as it will be sold in the Commonwealth countries too now. The GLC will be joined by a coupé model too, like its bigger sibling the GLE now has. Zetsche says that the expanded portfolio of SUV vehicles will help drive growth for the brand and he expects the share of SUV sales (currently at 25% of overall car sales for Mercedes-Benz) to go up in the immediate future.