MERCEDES

Max Verstappen, the three-time defending champion of Formula 1, claimed pole position for Red Bull in Saturday's Japanese Grand Prix, just 0.066 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez. The second row will consist of Lando Norris of McLaren and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, who won in Australia. Verstappen is the 36th champion this season and chases his 57th win on Sunday. He has won every pole this season, and this was the 36th of his career.

Hamilton, in his final season with the Silver Arrows before he joins Ferrari next year, retired from the Australian Grand Prix after a sudden power unit failure, which was later determined to be terminal.

Indian barber Ramesh Babu, known for his luxurious car collection and rental business through Ramesh Tours and Travels, recently expanded his fleet with the addition of three Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans. This move showcases his ongoing success and passion for high-end automotive experiences, complementing his existing prestigious vehicles like the Rolls Royce Ghost and Mercedes-Maybach.

Sebastian Vettel ponders a 2025 Formula One return, citing missed competition. Conversations with Toto Wolff and others hint at potential opportunities. Mercedes' strong track record amidst recent challenges influences Vettel's decision-making process.

Actor Arun Govil, known for playing Lord Ram, owns a Mercedes worth Rs 62.99 lakh. His moveable assets surpass Rs 3.19 crore. His wife's assets exceed Rs 2.76 crore. They invest in bank accounts, shares, and mutual funds.

A tragic incident occurred at Fateh Kachori in Delhi's Rajpur Road Civil Lines area when a speeding Mercedes SUV crashed into the crowded eatery, injuring six people. Surveillance footage captured the chaos as the vehicle plowed through the shop, causing panic among patrons.

Luxury car sales in India are on track to surpass 50,000 units for the first time in 2024, a milestone driven by increased demand. Audi India's head predicts this growth, citing a 28% annual increase in the luxury car segment in 2023. Despite supply chain challenges, the industry aims for sustained growth. Audi and Mercedes-Benz have reported significant sales increases, with Audi seeing an 89% growth and Mercedes-Benz achieving its best-ever sales year in India.

A German court ruled partially in favor of consumers in a class action lawsuit against Mercedes Benz regarding diesel emissions defeat devices. The court found that some of Mercedes' diesel models with Euro 6 engines built between 2012-2016 had cheat devices but found no violations in older Euro 5 models.

​Lisa revealed that she would be coming out with an album this year. She is also all set to make her acting debut in the third season of the hit HBO series, ‘The White Lotus’.

Volvo Car AB has ceased diesel engine production, marking a shift to all-electric vehicles by 2030. The XC90 SUV, the last diesel model, rolled off the line in Sweden. Despite global EV demand cooling, Volvo remains confident in its customer offerings and commitment to sustainable mobility.

The company will pay a rent of ₹72 per square foot per month in the first three years of the lease, according to a source with direct knowledge of the deal. The company also renewed its lease with Embassy Crest in Whitefield from Embassy Property Developments for 60 months at the end of 2023. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India is planning to hire over 1,000 engineers in India in the upcoming year, as per market information.

The luxury car makers that have already been present in India for decades would rather accelerate local assembly in the country as the money will need to be ploughed in within three years of receiving approval under the scheme, said auto executives. The aforementioned companies didn’t officially comment on investments under the new policy.

Millions of vehicles have been recalled in the US as Toyota, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and Volkswagen are fixing various issues.

Mercedes-Benz India sold less than 700 EVs in a market where its total volumes grew by 10% to 17,408 vehicles in CY2023. Globally, the penetration of electric in total sales was higher at 19% (4% in India) in the same period. Sardien, however, said the company is not looking at changing its strategic direction.

Mercedes-Benz anticipates India becoming its third-largest market in the "Region Overseas" within the next 2-3 years, with expectations of strong demand for luxury vehicles. Currently, India is the fifth-largest market in the region, and Mercedes-Benz plans to add 12 new models, including three battery electric vehicles, this year. The company aims to expand its presence in smaller cities, adding outlets in 10 new locations.

Carmakers such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Toyota rolled out eight new models with eight-figure price tags in 2023, taking the number of such models in the country to 31, according to data collated by Jato Dynamics. The data does not include models from super-luxury carmakers such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin. Carmakers said increased wealth creation, particularly among younger people, is driving the increasing demand for top-end vehicles, or TEVs.

The Formula One season begins in Bahrain with Red Bull expected to continue their winning streak. Fans hope for closer racing, but Red Bull's dominance is acknowledged. Lewis Hamilton's farewell season, driver speculation, and changes in team structures add excitement to the season.

Mercedes-Benz said it now expects up to 50% of sales by the end of the decade to come from electrified cars. The carmaker has long said it was preparing for all-electric sales by 2030, but Chief Executive Ola Kaellenius cautioned towards the end of last year that even Europe would likely not be ready by then.

China's market regulator approved a joint venture set up by Mercedes-Benz (China) Investment Limited and BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd, the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement released on Sunday

Mercedes, with comment from both Hamilton and team principal Toto Wolff, finally said Hamilton was leaving and moments later Ferrari posted a team statement that said simply "Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract."

The luxury car market in India accounts for just over 1 per cent of the total passenger vehicle sales of around 40 lakh units annually. Mercedes-Benz is currently the leading player in the market.

The assistant will be rolled out in vehicles including the new concept CLA class, an all-electric take on the carmaker's smaller four-door model, premiering in North America at the trade show.