logo
Mercedes-Benz sees surge in customisation; luxury EV sales up 66%

Mercedes-Benz sees surge in customisation; luxury EV sales up 66%

Mercedes-Benz India, which recently launched a collector's edition of the Mercedes-AMG G63 priced at ₹4.3 crore, says demand for customisation is rising in the top-end vehicle (TEV) segment, as buyers increasingly want their cars to stand out. Some customers are spending an additional ₹60 lakh to ₹1.5 crore on personalisation alone.
Santosh Iyer, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Mercedes-Benz India, said this trend is being driven by a small, exclusive community of TEV owners who seek to differentiate their cars within their social circles. Customisation options include bespoke colours, personalised engravings on grab handles, and edition-specific branding. Mercedes also offers personalisation kits priced around ₹10 lakh.
The company believes the appetite for customisation is growing — and not just among younger buyers. For models like the G63, nearly 75 per cent of units sold are personalised. For others, such as the Maybach S-Class, the figure is around 60 per cent.
Iyer also highlighted the strong performance of luxury electric vehicles (EVs) this year, with industry volumes rising 66 per cent to cross 2,000 units in the first five months of 2025. Mercedes-Benz India's own EV sales grew 73 per cent, with EVs now accounting for 11 per cent of the luxury segment.
As for the AMG G63 collector's edition, just 30 units will be offered in India. Bookings opened on Thursday. The special edition was developed in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India (MBRDI).
'At MBRDI, we are proud to have played a key role in shaping this India-inspired collector's edition of the AMG G63. With this edition, we aimed to go beyond performance and create a vehicle that resonates with India's unique identity,' said Manu Saale, MD and CEO, MBRDI.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mercedes-AMG G 63 Collector's Edition, a unique, India-specific G-Wagon. Here's 5 things to know about it
Mercedes-AMG G 63 Collector's Edition, a unique, India-specific G-Wagon. Here's 5 things to know about it

Hindustan Times

time4 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Mercedes-AMG G 63 Collector's Edition, a unique, India-specific G-Wagon. Here's 5 things to know about it

The Mercedes G 63 Collector's Edition is available in two colourways, including a Mid Green Magno and Red Magno. Mercedes-Benz has introduced a new chapter in its bespoke luxury offerings with the launch of the Mercedes-AMG G 63 'Collector's Edition' in India. Tailored specifically for Indian buyers, this limited-run model,restricted to just 30 units nationwide, aims to combine performance engineering with locally-influenced personalisation. The edition was jointly developed with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), signalling a growing push toward India-specific high-end products. Here's a closer look at five notable aspects that define the uniqueness of this special edition G-Class: 4 Features The G 63 Collector's Edition benefits from Mercedes' latest MBUX NTG7 infotainment architecture, bringing with it more responsive displays, clearer graphics, and new features. The dual 12.3-inch displays offer touchscreen access to the system, which now supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Features like Augmented Reality for Navigation add functional value, especially in dense urban traffic, where understanding complex junctions can be challenging. The interface also allows access to vehicle settings, off-road data, and drive mode configurations. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 13 Jun 2025, 14:00 PM IST

How tech is transforming the Indian car market
How tech is transforming the Indian car market

Mint

time8 hours ago

  • Mint

How tech is transforming the Indian car market

Six months ago, Honda launched a new iteration of its least expensive car in India: the Amaze. While it was a seemingly regular refresh of a mainstream car, the Amaze brought features not seen before in its segment: lane-keep assistance, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance and road departure warning for as low as ₹12 lakh on-road. Honda isn't the only one. In 2021, homegrown carmaker Mahindra Auto launched its premium sports utility vehicle, the XUV700. It saw massive demand, contributing to Mahindra becoming India's second biggest carmaker by sales last month. Its key hook: car, priced ₹9 lakh onward, brought features that were so far largely reserved for luxury cars priced at around ₹50 lakh and above: remote car start control, remote air conditioning, live tracking and geofencing through a mobile app, autonomous braking and related advanced driver assistance system (Adas) features, a 'Smart Pilot' semi-autonomous driving mode, a 360-degree parking camera, and more. These features, along with the likes of tyre pressure monitoring, cameras on side mirrors, auto-dimming electronic mirrors, are becoming standard across cars priced at around ₹15 lakh. A decade ago, most cars in this segment showcased Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as their prime tech offerings, alongside branded speaker set-ups. The technology itself is on a steady evolution trajectory—basic Adas features are found in an increasing number of cars, while luxury carmakers are finding ways to use tech in indulgent ways. Theatres & intelligent seats 'I no longer press buttons or scroll through toggles, I simply speak with my car. For instance, I can tell my car to adjust the air conditioning if I'm feeling hot," Vikram Pawah, president, says BMW India. Pawah's proposition with BMW is of tech that provides lifestyle enhancement. The BMW i7, the company's flagship offering, features an 8K 'Theatre Screen'—a 31-inch fold-out display that can turn the car into a private theatre. While Adas features have continued to evolve alongside, the company has begun standardizing various technologies. 'Basic Adas features, for us, are a part of the standard offering even in our entry-level models—we view this as a necessity that customers demand in terms of safety. Even the curved display on the dashboard is a necessity to ensure that all the information is within the eye-level of the driver, minimizing the need for distractions," Pawah says. Santosh Iyer, managing director and chief executive of Mercedes-Benz India, concurs. 'We're now in the process of integrating a new operating system, which will integrate generative artificial intelligence—where the voice assistant in the car will learn from an owner's usage habits. For instance, a Mercedes-Benz car can automatically learn how a seat is configured based on daily usage trends, and adjust it based on the time of the day," Iyer said. Mercedes-Benz, in its flagship offering, the EQS SUV, offers a 56-inch 'Hyperscreen' that integrates all information across three separate display panels. While one caters to the driver and shows the mechanical essentials of the car, there is also a 17.7-inch infotainment display, and a third 12.3-inch display for the co-passenger riding up front. Both Pawah and Iyer believe that none of them take anything away from the primary features of their cars, either. 'Our focus remains on the driving experience, but the technology features ramp-up what we have on offer to showcase features that were never seen in cars before," Pawah said. Connected cars In the luxury segment, connected cars—vehicles with integrated connectivity that can relay information on weather and live traffic through a central server—have become the norm. 'We're using this today to work with governments and public bodies to try and improve road safety conditions, as well as roads themselves. This is a key part of our offering, and while it does add to the cost significantly in terms of engineering and integration of chips, it's a long-term benefit. Customers buying a car today, for instance, can receive software updates to their in-car system for eight or more years down the line—hence giving them incremental value over time," says Iyer. BMW, too, offers connected cars as a platform—in the long run, this data can be harvested for autonomous driving use cases. Buying decisions Car buyers, too, feel that tech features give them more bang for the buck. Noida-based 44-year-old IT professional, Anuraag K, says that he bought the new Honda City over a similar offering from Skoda because an equivalent variant of the car gave him access to Apple CarPlay wirelessly. 'It's a tiny thing for many people, but for me, it made a big difference—not having to keep my phone tethered to a wire," he said. Meanwhile, Aniket Hazra, a 28-year-old consultancy professional, says that he is considering the Mahindra XUV700 over SUV offerings from other brands 'because Mahindra's tech-laden aesthetics simply feel more premium—even closer to a Tesla." Consultants believe that technology is an imperative, but in terms of buying decisions, there could be diminishing room for differentiation. 'While there are some early movers, every carmaker is integrating most forms of Adas features and software-driven experiences to remain competitive. Buyers today are more tempted with tech features that are visible or can be experienced than what's under the hood. This is a clear way in which tech is impacting car-buying decisions," says Som Kapoor, automotive leader for EY India. In the long run, the differentiating aspect of technology will be agnostic of segments and will depend on how tactically useful the technology is. 'People today expect that if their phones can do a certain task, why can't their car? The key factor to note here is to analyze 'features leading to benefits'—the more value-added features a carmaker can integrate, the more will it lure in users to choose one car over another," says Kapoor .

₹4.3 Crore G-Wagon: Mercedes unveils ultra-limited G 63 Collector's Edition in India
₹4.3 Crore G-Wagon: Mercedes unveils ultra-limited G 63 Collector's Edition in India

Mint

time21 hours ago

  • Mint

₹4.3 Crore G-Wagon: Mercedes unveils ultra-limited G 63 Collector's Edition in India

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a highly exclusive edition of its performance SUV in India — the Mercedes-AMG G 63 'Collector's Edition'. Priced at ₹ 4.3 crore (ex-showroom), this special version of the G-Class is limited to just 30 units, with bookings now open and deliveries expected to begin by the end of 2025. The Collector's Edition is a tribute to the spirit of India, with the monsoon season serving as its central theme. Designed specifically for the Indian market, this bespoke model is available in two unique Manufaktur paint finishes — Mid Green Magno, inspired by the lush greenery of the Indian monsoon, and Red Magno, evoking the reddish, mineral-rich soil found across many parts of the country. These colours are exclusive to this edition and have been developed to resonate with Indian natural landscapes. Mechanically, the special edition remains identical to the standard AMG G 63. Under the bonnet lies a 4.0-litre biturbo V8 petrol engine paired with 48V mild-hybrid assistance, delivering a formidable 585 bhp and 850 Nm of peak torque. An Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) contributes an additional 20 bhp and 200 Nm, providing seamless performance and improved efficiency. Power is transmitted to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic gearbox, retaining the G 63's renowned off-road prowess and dynamic capabilities. The exterior is further enhanced by 22-inch AMG alloy wheels finished in gold, adding to its visual exclusivity. A custom 'Collector's Edition' badge on the side protection strips and a 'One of Thirty' emblem on the rear spare wheel cover reinforce its limited-edition status. Inside, the cabin exemplifies bespoke craftsmanship. The SUV is trimmed in two-tone Manufaktur Catalana Beige and Black Nappa leather, contrasted with an open-pore walnut wood dashboard, blending modern luxury with classic refinement. Perhaps the most personalised touch is the option for buyers to have their name engraved on the front passenger grab handle, ensuring each unit is truly one of a kind.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store