BMW might launch Mini Cooper in India

[navdeep]

BMW might launch Mini Cooper in India German automobile giant BMW already has a presence in the Indian market as they are selling models including the Series and the 5 Series. The company is now considering launching niche products in the Indian market including the Mini Cooper here in India.

Source : http://news.techwhack.com/4426/mini-cooper-in-india/

[lurker]

BMW’s small car to enter India by ’09

Ketan Thakkar
Posted online: Friday , September 07, 2007 at 0044 hrs IST

Mumbai, Sep 6 BMW India, a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group, is planning to launch its cult premium small car MINI in India by 2009, to cash in on the growing demand for luxury brands in India. BMW had recently re-launched the Mini Cooper globally a couple of weeks ago and it is this model that may be brought in India. The company is aggressively building operations in India and has revised its plans to sell 1,200 cars from the earlier target of 1,000 units.
Peter Kronschnabl, president, BMW India Pvt Ltd told FE, “We are currently evaluating about bringing the brand MINI in India. If we bring it here, it will be launched in 2009. MINI is an expensive premium small car and may cost somewhere around Rs 15 lakh.”
Originally developed by the Rover Group, the Mini was manufactured by British Motor Corporation from 1959 to the year 2000. When BMW divested itself from Rover in 2000, it retained the Mini project with itself. Since then, BMW is manufacturing this car through its subsidiary MINI in England under the name of 'BMW MINI' or the ‘NEW MINI’. On April 3 this year, the one millionth MINI rolled out of the company's Oxford plant. Like other cars, BMW is expected to import the CKDs (completely knocked down units) of MINI into India as well.
It is currently evaluating Indian components for global sourcing and has already set up an international purchasing office here.
In India, it currently localises (seat and seat cover and electronics components) up to 10% of the total value of the car and is also looking to add more components in future.
“The luxury car market is growing at a fast pace. Last year, 3,000 cars were sold in the segment and by 2012 it is expected to be 10,000 units. By then, we want to be the leader in the segment,” added Kronschnabl.
BMW currently imports CKDs of its 3 Series and 5 Series cars in India and assembles it at its plant in Chennai, whereas the 7 series car and X5 (an SUV) are being imported as CBUs (completely built units) from Germany and the US respectively. It currently has eight dealers, which will be increased to 12, by January 2008.
The company is currently concentrating on assembling of vehicles in India and feels production can only begin if volumes are big.

BMW’s small car to enter India by ’09

[BMWlover]

Hell, I doubt its gonna be near 15 lakhs but ill buy one in a jiffy if it was . Just love that car..

[BUSA]

MINI is an expensive premium small car and may cost somewhere around Rs 15 lakh

A Mini at 15 Lakh wont sell, if it was around 10 then still people would give it a though, 15 Lakh for hatch is asking too much in India. The SRV bombed at 8Lakhs with almost the best space in all hatches. And people think the Swift is a Mini look alike. People with 15Lacs budget are going to see themselves buying a Civic or a Accord, only a handful will buy a Mini.

Will i buy it, heck yes, my bank A/C number is *************

[speedy]

like busa said the car i think should be around 10 or maximum 12 lacs. at 15 it sounds a little steep. but since it is my fiance's favrite car i definately would but it for her. sometimes emotions get the better of you .

[rr_zen]

IMO, at 15 Lakhs INR, the Mini would cater to a very small niche market of buyers who already own different cars across segments. Most importantly, it would not be the first car of an Indian household.

[reignofchaos]

15lacs for the base na 120bhp is not really worth it but 15lacs for the supercharged or the new upcoming twin turbo and i'd be jumping for it.

[IronWolf]

Good news that Mini would be on indian roads. Another story of outrageous pricing.

India Rising Power and all however govt seriously needs to cut on taxes and open up the auto industry more.

I guess they could do that if we had more space on the roads.

Bhhhhaaa !!!!!!!!!!!!

[jkdas]

isnt this an old news? If I remember right it was to cost somewher between 15-25lac

[veyron1]

15L...well, there is a niche clientele for the coopers out there, who stay in crowded suburbs & have the cash, but not enough parking space for their swanking Beemers & Bentleys. But I don't suppose BMW would want to be stuck with such limited customer base.

The Cooper S, for 12L would be reasonable, I guess. For the normal enthusiast. A blown version with "nominal" 170 horses has every right to ask for that kind of money.

At 8L....there would be a BHP-ian rally..for the first official piece.

Alas, the S retails for about 16K pounds in the U.K....go figure....

[devarshi84]

15lacs for a Cooper is perfect positioning. I am sure BMW doesnt want to have a cheap VFM 10K sales per month car.

But to justify the price, It should have atleast a powerful engine and lots of kit.

[DileepKS]

Indien Dumbkopfen swindlen by Smarten Deutschen und plenty moneyen gonen to mein Deutschland!!

As someone mentioned in another thread, it should be no one elses business how should one burn their money. I wish I HAD that much money to burn on that THING, so that I could burn it on something else!!

[53BHP]

I have been told that the Mini Cooper is on its way in next year. They have started talking to vendors for both localizing parts as well as tropicalizing the car as a whole

They have been talking to an Indian autocomp. vendor who makes parts for other German cars. General consensus is that the current suspension design set up will not work on our roads. So they are looking at other design options or a beefier set up of the same suspension. It will be a pity for the car to fail here because an inappropriate suspension

Anyone have any whiffs of whats cooking? Launch dates? Prices? Specs?

[devarshi84]

Originally Posted by devarshi84

15lacs for a Cooper is perfect positioning. I am sure BMW doesnt want to have a cheap VFM 10K sales per month car.

But to justify the price, It should have atleast a powerful engine and lots of kit.

Fiat has launched the 500 for 14-15 lacs. Since All the 500's imported by Fiat have been sold(It was an exercise by Fiat), BMW might launch the mini at around 20 lacs with a powerful engine. premium brand and bigger engine justifying their logic.

[theragingbull]

The Mini Cooper, if launched here, will compete only with the Fiat 500.