Mercedes Benz India has confirmed that it will begin assembling the ML-Class and the GL-Class SUVs in India from next year. The company will also be starting assembly plants in Thailand and Indonesia to cater to the South East Asian markets.
To be brought to the plants in SKD form, the kits for the vehicles will be imported from the Mercedes Benz plant in Tuscaloosa, USA. A statement from Mercedes Benz said that once the assembly of the ML-class vehicles commences at the three sites in India, Thailand and Indonesia by the end of the year, it will start assembling the GL-class vehicles. This is the first time that the German luxury automaker has taken the final assembly of its SUVs outside its Alabama plant.
It is likely that the move is in response to two combined factocts – high demand for SUVs in India and falling value of the Rupee which is making importing the vehicle in full assembled form very expensive.
Wolfgang Bernhard , Daimler AG Member of the board of management, said “Our new SUVs are very popular with our customers. We expect high growth rates also in the emerging markets and, therefore, extend our local production. Thus, we open up new potential as part of our growth strategy."
