Mercedes-Benz announced its foray in the luxury bus segment in India with the launch of its Intercity Coach. The initial offering will be launched on specific routes for Western and Southern India. The coach sports the versatile O 500 R / RF chassis from the Mercedes-Benz stable while the bus body will be built by Jalandhar based Sutlej Motors.
Present at the launch, Mr. Harald Landman, Head of Daimler Buses commented: “As the oldest bus maker in the world and market leader in the bus segment, Mercedes-Benz buses will enable people in India to ‘Travel with the Star’. The Mercedes-Benz O 500 R / RF is a versatile chassis and has been proven across markets, the world over. Its legendary suspension, reliability and safety will be complemented by the superior dynamics offered by the bus body created locally by Sutlej.. We are bullish about the bus business and see this as the beginning of Mercedes’ bus business in India”.
Commenting to the press Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India further added: “Our footprint in the Commercial Vehicles segment now widens with the introduction of Mercedes-Benz buses. The Mercedes-Benz coaches stand for the latest and best of technology, design, comfort, reliability and performance- aspects that have received enthusiastic response from our customers.“
The bus market in India is witnessing a tremendous change driven by the infrastructure projects which are dedicated to redefine the mass transportation industry in India. Large scale projects like the NSEW corridor and the Golden Quadrilateral are already underway and close to completion. As links between far-flung places strengthen, there is an increased demand for mass transit systems to move the people with solutions that are reliabile, robust, and passenger oriented.