Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

* Daimler Buses and Sutlej Motors handed-over the first new Mercedes-Benz Intercity Luxury Coach to customers
* Buses are built in cooperation between Daimler Buses and Sutlej Motors
* Daimler Buses world´s largest bus manufacturer

Pune / Stuttgart, India / Germany, Sep 01, 2008 – Today Daimler Buses entered the luxury bus segment in India by launching the new Mercedes-Benz Intercity Luxury Coach. This coach features the versatile O 500 R / RF chassis from Mercedes-Benz while its body is build by Jalandhar based Sutlej Motors. At the official launch event in Pune, Mr. Harald Landmann, Head of Daimler Buses, presented along with Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, CEO and Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz India, the keys to the first customers Sharma Transports from Bangalore, Neeta Tours and Travels from Mumbai and Konduskar Travels from Kolhapur.


“Being the pioneer in the bus business and world-market leader at the same time, buses from Mercedes-Benz will enable people in India to ‘Travel with the Star’”, Harald Landmann, Head of Daimler Buses said today. “We are excited to enter the Indian Market with our premium products and we are satisfied that we found a local market-partner for our future business in this region”, Mr. Harald Landmann added. Furthermore, he underlined that the Mercedes-Benz O 500 R / RF chassis has been proven across markets all over the world and is known for its legendary suspension, reliability and safety.

Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India said: “Our footprint in the Commercial Vehicles segment now widens with the introduction of Mercedes-Benz buses. Our coaches stand for the latest and best in technology, design, comfort, reliability and performance and have therefore enthusiastic response from our customers”. Dr. Aulbur added that the first customers M/S Sharma Transports from Bangalore, M/S Neeta Tours and Travels from Mumbai and M/S Konduskar Travels from Kolhapur will be ambassadors for the Mercedes-Benz brand. “We shall start with pre-selected routes in Western and Southern India and look forward to expand our network significantly in the times ahead”, Dr. Aulbur said.

Mr. Daljit Singh Wilkhu, Managing Director of SutlejMotors commented: "It is indeed a great honour to be associated with Mercedes-BenzIndia, to bring to the Indian market the best quality luxury intercity coaches. For Sutlej Motors, this is a long awaited dream coming true and we along with Mercedes-Benz India and Daimler Buses take pride in launching a truly world class product for the Indian market."

The bus market in India is witnessing a tremendous change – a revolution aided by government driven 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 people with solutions which are reliabile, robust and passenger oriented. It is this need that the Mercedes-Benz buses will fulfill. The Indian bus-market for buses over 8t GVW grew in 2007 by 34 percent up to 38.700 vehicles (28.800 buses in 2006).

Daimler Buses is the world´s leading manufacturer of buses and coaches. It has around 17,200 employees worldwide and sold over 39,000 buses and coaches in 2007.
The collaboration of Daimler and Sutlej Motors encompasses the development, production, marketing, sales and after sales of luxury rear engine coaches. The Mercedes-Benz chassis will be manufactured by Mercedes-Benz India, the body will be built up by Sutlej Motors. Mercedes-Benz India then will handle Sales and After-Sales of the coaches.

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