‘Green' vision
What is Folger's vision for Mercedes-Benz India? Well, he wants to push the envelope further in terms of the environmental contributions. "We already have all the other things in place; everybody accepts us as the top-end luxury car maker. Even keeping a premium is acceptable to customers because what they get in return is fully worth the money they pay for it.

"Whether it is the image, the resale value, or the support they get on the service side, the whole package makes it really viable for them. What we need to do is that convince other stakeholders in the government and the other areas that we are also a company to reckon with in protecting the environment. Why? Because we have the technology and we are able and willing to invest," he says.

Folger also adds that Mercedes-Benz India is able and willing to support the government with its consultations and with its view on things as it is already doing it around the globe. "Hopefully they would understand that we do it not only for our own befits but also for the benefit of the overall population. We could be the front-rider, we could open the flood-gates and we could basically make this work and everybody else will ultimately have to follow. Because once it is working and once everybody else does it, even the stragglers will be forced to go the same way and the arguments that it can't be done will be wiped away very quickly. Then it becomes an issue of market acceptance working to the expectations of customers and being at the forefront of technological developments," he says with authority but without disguising the passion.

And what car does he himself drive? "For driving in India, it is certainly the S-Class. It is the perfect vehicle for driving comfortably, safely and in style. But personally, my favourite is the AMG GT S," he says. So it's performance that this man is after, actually. But, well, he also does understand the local conditions!

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