Despite difficulties at home and in China, German cars are selling well in India, but only in the high-price segment. Car makers consider India a strategic player and are currently seeing rising demand. But for most Indians, domestic and other Asian cars are more affordable.
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00:00At the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi, the newly launched Mercedes G-Class
00:06is a star attraction.
00:08From driving enthusiasts to influencers and to those who just want to get themselves clicked,
00:14everyone wants a piece of this all-electric beauty.
00:18The buzz at the Mercedes pavilion is indicative of the popularity of German automakers in
00:24India.
00:25German auto companies in India mostly operate in the luxury car market, but within that
00:31category, the top three car makers are all German.
00:35While these companies are facing a tough time in their home market, as well as in China,
00:40they're enjoying a good run in India.
00:43Mercedes-Benz India, for example, ended 2024 with a 12.4% increase in sales over the previous
00:50year.
00:51BMW Group India clocked a year-on-year growth of 11%.
00:55So, is India the market of opportunities for German auto companies?
00:59India has always been a strategic market for us, is a focused market for us and that's
01:03why you can see we've been growing it year on year and I think with the launch of this
01:07great product which is made specifically for India in the right-hand drive version, the
01:11only country that sells it as a right-hand drive version and in full electric form clearly
01:15shows our intention that we are serious about making an India for India and growing this
01:20market.
01:21The lion's share of the auto market, to begin with, is occupied by Indian and other Asian
01:26firms that make entry-level and mid-range cars that are easy on the pocket.
01:32While the luxury market is growing, it is still not at par with many other markets.
01:37Premium market is still today just 1% of the overall market, whereas if you compare it
01:43with markets like China, premiums or German premiums is roughly around 6-7% or even a
01:49little bit more than that.
01:51But the rise in demand for luxury electric vehicles in India is also a ray of hope.
01:57And this has made manufacturers come up with new models that they are unveiling at India's
02:02premier auto show, the Bharat Mobility Expo in New Delhi.
02:08German auto companies had a good run in 2024 in the Indian market with most of them registering
02:13a rise in their sales.
02:15Now the Bharat Mobility Expo in Delhi has given them the perfect platform to begin 2025
02:21on a promising note.
02:23So here they are with fancy pavilions, with new launches and with press conferences by
02:29top shots.
02:30So at the Bharat Mobility Expo, German auto companies are putting their best foot forward.