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Mercedes-Benz remains market leader in its class
Mercedes-Benz held its position as the market leader in Indonesia's premium car segment in 2007 and vows to maintain the status in the coming years
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ercedes-Benz held its position as the market leader in Indonesia's premium car segment in 2007 and vows to maintain the status in the coming years.
In a move that reflects its optimism for the future, the company producing the prime brand in Indonesia has renamed itself PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia from PT DaimlerChrysler Indonesia and has introduced the new taglinestar always shines from above."
Rudi Borgenheimer, President & CEO PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia, believes that Mercedes-Benz's "star will always shine from above" because the company has invested a lot of money to make innovations for comfort, quality and safety in its premium products to satisfy costumers.
PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia has been witnessing and experiencing the ups and downs of the country's economy. It experienced a difficult time in 2006, when its sales dropped by 60 percent from its 2005 sales.
But one year later the company made a tremendous achievement, selling a total of 2,668 vehicles, including 2,167 passenger cars that represented a 84 percent sales growth from the previous year.
The company enjoyed a dominant status in the premium car segment last year with 64 percent of the market share, a 4 percent increase from the previous year. All this has made Borgenheimer optimistic about the company's sales in 2008.
"We target to sell 2,400 passenger vehicles this year, with half of that being the new C-Class," Borgenheimer says, adding that the target is realistic in view of the company's success last year when it recorded a 145 percent increase in C-Class sales with a total of 865 units sold.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class also made a great achievement last year with the sale of 683 units, representing 70 percent of the market in its class.
Meanwhile, the firm's flagship product, S-Class, beat all its competitors in the high upper premium market, controlling 77 percent of the market with sales of 222 units, up 118 percent from the previous year.
According to Borgenheimer, PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia now has a stronger footing to expand its market following the opening of its production plant Wanaherang in Bogor, West Java, last year. The assembly plant - the first Mercedes-Benz plant in Southeast Asiaproduces Mercedes-Benz passenger cars (C, E and S-Class) and buses.
The first new C-Class (W204) produced at the plant was officially released on Nov. 29, 2007 in a ceremony witnessed by Minister of Industry and Trade Fahmi Idris.
PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia is not only eyeing the passenger car market but also the country's booming heavy duty market.
"Starting this year we will strengthen our business in the heavy duty truck market as well. We see that business in coal mining is growing and we want to participate in this growth," Borgenheimer says.
The C-Class W204, which is produced at the Wanaherang plant, is better than its predecessor W203 in terms of design, comfort, quality and safety.
Despite its excellent design, greater comfort, better quality and safety, the car's price is interestingly very reasonable.
"Looking to more value of options implemented in the car at no extra price, we create higher value for money for our customers," the CEO assures.
The C 200 Kompressor, for example, is Rp 489 million (off the road). "Buying a car is similar to taking on a long-term investment. And purchasing the new C-Class is a smart decision. The stable price offers more value in terms of features in the car," the CEO adds.
PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia presents the new C-Class in two engine variants and four models, which are C 200 Kompressor in Classic and Avantgarde designs and C 230 with 2.5 liter engine in Elegance and Avantgarde design with AMG look as an option. The wide product range was strategically developed to attract younger customers and at the same time to maintain the current traditional Mercedes-C-Class buyers.
The Classic design is an obvious confirmation that the exterior has all the typical Mercedes-Benz characteristics: the chromed radiator grille with the laurel wreath badge with the hallmark star standing above it on the bonnet. The Classic design is beautified by sleek seven-spoke light alloy wheels. The interior, too, also strongly retains its classical touch. Overall the Classic design has an eternal appeal.
The Elegance C-Class is surely an eye-catching vehicle whose interior is exclusive with beautiful wood trims.
The compelling Avantgarde model is targeted at dynamic young people. It has a wide radiator grille with three bright silver louvers and the star set in the center. The design looks distinctive and reflects the vehicle's agility. The sporty look interior is also worth-noting.
The beautifully textured aluminum elements emphasize a clean and sporty image. The sporty character is reinforced with the Agility Control System that is available as an option. The system consists of suspension with an automatic damping system which adjusts the desirable suspension automatically based on the condition of the road by pressing the button to specify the package with sports mode to obtain a particularly sporty and comfortable suspension response.
For young people who love a sportier character, the option of the AMG sports package offers a perfect combination of features: an AMG front apron, side skirts and an exotic AMG rear apron. Seventeen-inch 6-twin-spoke AMG light alloy wheels with sports suspension, which is lowered, will surely accentuate the sporty look of the new C-Class, and help intensify driving pleasure.
In the beginning of 2008, PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia held a test drive of the New C-Class for journalists and customers. The media people were allowed to try the new features of the locally produced Mercedes-Benz C-Class while enjoying the beauty and inspiring landscape of Bali.
PT Mercedes-Benz Indonesia understands that after-sales service is pivotal to its business. In order to motivate its dealers to provide the best service, the firm has annually bestowed the Dealer of the Year Award on its most accomplished dealers since 1996.
"This shows the commitment of Mercedes-Benz Indonesia towards its customer satisfaction, to serve customers the best, not just with high quality products but also the best in after sales service," Borgenheimer says.
