Auto China 2008: Mercedez Benz premiere's the GLK SUV in bid to overtake BMW in China

21 April 2008

Beijing: German automaker Daimler on 20 April launched the Mercedes-Benz GLK-class sports utility vehicle (SUV) at the Auto China 2008 in Beijing.

The world premiere of the GLK at the New China International Exhibition Centre was aimed at increasing its sales in China and also overtake its German rival BMW in the luxury segment in China, the company said.

At Beijing, Daimler plans to showcase more than 30 models for exhibition, including the global premiere of GLK as part of its focus on the Chinese market, a company official stated.

German luxury-auto maker Audi is the current leader in luxury car sales in China, with over 45 per cent sales in the segment. The company, which supplies limousines to the Chinese government and is also selling mid-range cars in China, aims to remain the leading German carmaker in China as per sales volume, said Audi.

BMW, the other luxury car maker has been in China for longer than their German rivals that gave them an advantage to know the market better.
However, Mercedes-Benz is confident of achieving its target sales in China, boosted by the impressive first quarter sales in 2008, in which the German carmaker sold 9,626 luxury sedans in China, a 40 per cent increase year-on-year, which is a sales figure the company never imagined when it entered China market in 1986.

The GLK will be positioned just beneath the Mercedes ML in the Daimler stable. The SUV, expected to go on sale in 2009 will be priced in a range that should see it compete directly with the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Infiniti EX and Land Rover Freelander.
Mercedez claims, that the GLK is a small car styled to resemble the larger ML in terms of exterior design and interior space all that included at a cheaper price than the more expensive ML.