Remove discrimination in Excise duty: Merc-Benz MD

Bangalore, Jan 13: Leading luxury car maker Daimler Chrysler todayurged India to remove discrimination in excise duty between big andsmall cars to be removed to ensure proper growth of the big car segment.

Daimler Chrysler India Chief Executive Officer and ManagingDirector Wilfred Aulbur talking to newsmen here today said India had agreat potential for luxury cars, but Excise duty was blocking thegrowth. "Bringing parity in excise duty, proper infrastructure andimproving facilities for foreign companies would go long way inbuilding market in India", he added.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the Seventh edition ofMercedes Trophy in India here, he said in China the car market was tothe tune of Four Million while in India it was only 1.2 Million.

Market for luxury cars in China was 7.5 per cent while it is about4.5 per cent in India. "Since there is increase in flow of foreigninvestments in to India the demand for Luxury cars is increasing butwhat is needed is government support by removing discrimination inexcise duty, build up proper infrastructure and provide otherfacilities", he added.

"Even Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers is also againstdiscrimination in Excise duty for small and big cars", he added.

Stating that the company had registered a record growth of 11 percent in 2006 against 5.5 per cent previous year, he said that this wasthe highest sales since last 10 years of establishment in India.

Referring to the new plant proposed in Pune, he said that already100 acres of land had been acquired production might commence by 2008.However, he declined to specify the quantum of investment.

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