Mercedes-Benz leases 3.5 lakh sq ft in Bengaluru

The world’s largest luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has picked up 3.5 lakh sq ft of commercial space in Bengaluru’s eastern peripheral area of Brookefield on a 15-year longterm lease. The company is expected to lease 1 million sq ft here including the second tranche of 4 lakh sq ft next year, said persons with direct knowledge of the development. The transaction assumes significance as the automotive industry gets disrupted with autonomous, electric, and shared mobility; Mercedes-Benz is expanding its research & development footprint here. The carmaker will be relying heavily on IT talent in and around India’s Silicon Valley. “The company is expected to use this space for SAP delivery platform with allied research. After the first two tranches, the balance 250,000 sq ft out of total planned 1 million sq ft will be leased later,” said one of the persons mentioned above. The initial 3.5 lakh sq ft office space leased by the company will have capacity to accommodate around 3,500 employees.