Apologies for making you read yet another news report that relates to the Delhi diesel ban, but this is a big one. Luxury car makers attribute the lion’s share of their sales to models powered by diesel engines. However, in light of the recent anti-diesel sentiment, many brands are shifting focus back towards petrol motors. Mercedes-Benz already offers petrol engines with most of its models, but now, every car in its range will get a petrol variant.
Speaking to Autocar India, Roland Folger, Mercedes-Benz India’s managing director and CEO stated that every model in the company’s range will receive the option of a petrol powerplant by September this year. That said, save for the CLS, GLE and GLS, all models in the brand’s range are already available with a petrol engine. The remaining models will most likely receive the 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine used in the recently launched S 400. The motor produces 333PS of power and 480Nm of torque.
As of now, the GLE and GLS SUVs are offered with a 3.0-litre V6 diesel that makes 258PS and 640Nm of torque. The smaller 2.1-litre diesel used in the GLE 250d produces 204PS and 500Nm of torque and the same engine powers the CLS 250d as well.
The additional petrol options will come as good news for buyers in Delhi and NCR in particular, but at least in the case of SUVs Indian customers do generally prefer diesels, so it remains to be seen if the added options can make a difference in the sales charts.
Meanwhile, lower down the price chain, even the Innova Crysta, XUV500 and Scorpio will be getting petrol variants.
