Daimler to Expand Bus Business in India

Taking advantage of the unveiling of a new three-axle travel coach during the New Delhi Auto Show, German manufacturer Daimler announced it will focus more on its bus business in India in the years to come, as its partnership with Sutlej Motors strengthens.

“India is a very important future market for us,” Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses said in a release. "Cooperation with Sutlej is an important component of our growth strategy."

"From the very beginning, we decided on a systematic entry into the Indian market, and in doing so we rely on a close partnership with a selected regional body manufacturer. This has enabled us to obtain detailed knowledge of the market, and it also allows us to bring our technology expertise into play. So both sides benefit from the strategy.”

Daimler and Sutlej began working together in 2007, when Daimler started placing their first money on the Indian bet. The first result of the partnership, a luxury travel coach line, was launched in September 2008.

Since then, Daimler and Sutlej launched together buses two-axle and three-axle wearing Mercedes-Benz chassis under the Sutlej style body.

The buses launched in New Delhi comply to the Euro3 emission standard and are planned to become the spearhead of Daimler's attempt to increase its market share in the luxury travel coach segment. Currently, some 1,000 such vehicles are being sold in India each year.