Mercedes-Benz India CEO Santosh IyerMercedes-Benz will begin local production of its ultra-luxury SUV, the GLS Maybach, in India, making it the only market outside the US to roll out the model. Rising demand is pushing India into the brand’s top five global markets for the Maybach range.
Santosh Iyer, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, said the localisation would reduce the price of the GLS Maybach to ₹2.75 crore from the current ₹3.17 crore, per news agency PTI.
The model is at present imported from the company’s Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, which supplies all global markets.
“We have climbed into the top five global markets for Maybach for the first time in 2025, and the largest-selling Maybach in India is the GLS Maybach. We are now localising this model in India,” Iyer said.
The move comes even as US President Donald Trump has urged companies to expand manufacturing within the United States. Iyer clarified that production in the US would continue, and the India assembly plan was aimed at meeting local demand.
12 launches planned for 2026
Mercedes-Benz India plans to introduce 12 new products in 2026, he said, adding that the luxury vehicle segment is expected to grow in single digits amid pricing pressure from rupee depreciation. The company began the year with the launch of the Maybach GLS Celebration Edition at ₹4.10 crore and the EQS SUV Celebration Edition starting at ₹1.34 crore.
Focus on top-end and EV growth
The carmaker reported a marginal decline in sales to 19,007 units in 2025 as it avoided price competition in the entry luxury segment. Sales of top-end vehicles priced above ₹1.5 crore grew 11 per cent, accounting for a quarter of total volumes. Electric vehicle sales rose 12 per cent, with EV penetration reaching 8–9 per cent and 20 per cent within the top-end segment.
To support EV adoption, Mercedes-Benz will introduce the ‘MB.Charge Public’ platform in India, giving customers access to over 9,000 DC fast chargers with real-time availability and seamless payments.
Iyer said the company would raise prices by about 2 per cent each quarter in 2026 to offset currency impact, noting that more than 10 per cent of forex pressure remains to be passed on.
