BMW, the German auto giants, have kept their promise of bringing their iconic brand, the Mini, into Indian shores as per reports appearing in a business daily. The report further states that 3 models from the Mini Series – the Cooper Hatch with their famous three-door model, the Countryman SUV and the Cooper Convertible – will make their entry into the Indian market for the first time with them being showcased in the 2012 Auto Expo.
The report further states that the pricing would be kept at a range of Rs.25 Lakh to Rs.35 Lakh, similar to that of the X1. The President of BMW India, Andreas Schaaf hopes that the company will be bring in customers for all these variants as they are known to deliver high-end performances. In the initial stage, the company will import completely built units of the vehicles into the country. The premium segment of the auto market would be targeted with these high performing engines. Within the first quarter of 2012, there will be an opening of two showrooms, exclusively for the Mini, in Delhi whereas a third would be opened in Mumbai. However, by the end of the year 2012, dealerships would also be opened in Pune, Chennai, Bangalore and Chandigarh.
It is interesting to note that the Mini, which has completed 52 years as a brand, had been initially designed for being a small car catering to the city by their originators, British Motor Corp. The company, together with another manufacturer, Rover Group, was bought in 1994 by BMW. The present larger sized cars of the Mini brand have no technical resemblance to their original versions; however they seem to contain some similar aspects in design. The brands like the Rolls Royce and BMW are already being sold by the group company in India, along with their offering in the two-wheeler segment, the BMW Motorrad. Among these brands, the Motorrad and the Rolls Royce continue to be imported into the country by the BMW Group, who makes use of independent channels for doing the same. The only brand that has not been brought into India is the Husqvarna motorcycles. The BMW Board members have had elaborate discussions spanning over a few years and have now bringing in their entire British range into Indian shores with the same expected to have their initial showcasing at the Auto Expo in January 2012 to be held at Delhi. The President has in a statement confirmed the same and also added that the initial focus of the company would be building the brands of these vehicles in the Indian auto market.