Mercedes-Benz wants to get its number one premium band position back in India and is looking to its small A and B class models to win customers.

It lost its top position to BMW in the premium sector in 2010 and has been trailing the industry growth rate for the past three years. It plans to triple sales to 25,000 by 2015 on the back of its smaller models, the first of which is scheduled to be launched by the end of this year. Its smallest car there so far is the locally-assembled C-class.

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Debashish Mitra, director sales and marketing, Mercedes Benz India, said: “The two premium compact cars would be game changers for us. Others have moved ahead of us largely because they have launched products in segments where we are not present. By 2014, we will have our full line-up of cars in India and should be able to grow faster than the market.”

Third placed Audi closed the gap with Mercedes last year and plans to launch its entry level SUV Q3 this year.

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