ENROUTE PATNA to the historical town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar, an array of motels on either side of the road is inviting enough for tourists for a pit stop. In the midst of them is a new Maruti Aspire showroom with upper-end models Brezza and Ertiga on display. While one wonders if there is actually a market for these variants (priced upwards of ₹13 lakh) in an area which largely caters to rural consumers, a stroll into the store unfolds more surprises. A couple visiting the store couched comfortably in a sofa is immersed in an ArenaVerse (Maruti Suzuki’s newly launched Metaverse store) to experience the Brezza. Store manager Intakhab Manzar says 40% of sales in the past year have come from upper-end cars, while mass-market Alto and Swift Dzire, the mainstay of car dealers a couple of years ago, are degrowing.
In Maharashtra’s Nashik, a Mahindra Finance executive echoes similar views. He points at a second-hand car store which has on display luxury brands such as Mercedes and BMW and high-end ones such as Kia and MG Motors. While he has a long list of first-time loan seekers for high-end cars, second-hand car buyers even want luxury brands!
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Fortune India.
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Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Fortune India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på