Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India plans to increase its headcount by up to four-fold at the research and development centre in Bangalore in the next few years and will invest Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.5 billion) together with its partners for expanding distribution network in the country.

"We will have between 500 and 1,000 engineers working for our R&D centre in Bangalore in the next few years. We currently have about 200-220 people working in the centre," Mercedes-Benz India managing director and CEO Wilfried Aulbur told reporters in New Delhi on Monday.

However, he declined to give the specific timeline for increasing the staffing for the centre or the investment for it. Mercedes-Benz globally spends about 4-5 per cent of its revenue on R&D every year.

"We will invest, together with our partners, about Rs 150 crore for expanding our distribution in the country...part of this would also go towards preparedness for manufacturing a new car which we decide to bring to India," he said.

Part of the Rs 150 crore investment would come from the entities, it has partnered for setting up showrooms in the country.

The company has 12 dealers in the country and the number would go up shortly. "Land has been bought across the country for setting up showrooms," Aulbur said.

He did not clarify how many showrooms would be set up.