Mercedes-Benz India has commenced production of the CLA from today. The CLA becomes the 7th locally produced product from Mercedes-Benz’s portfolio, with India being the only country outside Europe to locally produce the CLA. The locally produced CLA 200 CDI Style is priced at INR 30.70 lakhs, petrol CLA 200 Sport at INR 32.90 lakhs and the CLA 200 CDI Sport at INR 33.90 lakhs.
Along with the CLA, Mercedes-Benz India also commenced the start of production of the GLA 200 Sport petrol variant along with the CLA. The GLA 200 CDI is already under production from Mercedes-Benz’s new production facility since June 2015. The customers can now avail the locally produced range of the GLA comprising both the petrol and diesel variant. Read our exhaustive review of the Mercedes-Benz CLA Class here.
“The CLA with its stunning design, technological innovations and multiple segment first attributes, is already a winning product in our portfolio. It has been rapidly acquiring new customers to the brand and replicating its global success in India as well. We are extremely satisfied with our CLA strategy, which has contributed majorly to our New Generation Cars growth and redefined the segment completely. We are confident that the local production will make the CLA even more attractive for the discerning buyers with additional value propositions and increased availability.” commented Eberhard Kern, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India.
Piyush Arora, Executive Director, Operations, Mercedes-Benz India, added “The start of local production of the CLA simultaneously in petrol and diesel variants is a key decision that will help curtail the long wait list for the sedan. Our ‘future readiness’withthe new manufacturing facility is bearing fruits as we started the production of both the CLA and thepetrolGLA from the new assembly lines. We are glad to offer world-class products to our Indian customers with significant local value addition, in the shortest possible time.”
The production of the CLAand the GLA involves use of technologically advanced synchronized conveyor systems, use of the latest generation PLC control units for all the equipment which provide adaptability with different models on common production lines, thus increasing the flexibility of the production. Mercedes-Benz India started locally producing the New Generation Cars in its global assembly network along with sedans and SUVs. Beyond the Mercedes-Benz plant in India, this network comprises further locations in Thailand, Vietnam, Malayasia, Indonesia, and will be joined by Brazil in 2016 where a new assembly plant is currently under construction.