Mercedes-Benz has this week launched their brand new R-Class model in India. The luxury car manufacturer will be hoping the introduction of the new model will enable them to reclaim the top spot in the luxury car market from BMW who stole the crown from Mercedes last year.

The Mercedes R-Class has been described by the car maker as the “perfect crossover” between a sedan and an SUV. The car manufacturer believes the new R-Class will plug a gap in the market as it offers the performance of a SUV, and yet the style of a Sedan providing customers the best of both worlds.

The 7-seater Mercedes R-Class made its debut at the New York International Auto Show in March of this year where it attracted a great deal of interest. Mercedes say the initial reaction to the new model is extremely encouraging as they’ve already achieved their sales target for the year for the R-Class model in India.

The luxury car maker gauges that the R-Class models fits somewhere between the manufacturer’s existing models of the M-Class and the GL-Class offering a “brand new segment” in the luxury car market.

Since the start of the year Mercedes have introduced 18 new models and variants. At present, India is one of the few countries where the new R-Class will be available, however if it is deemed a success, it could be introduced in other part so of the world in the future.