BMW 1-Series Hatchback Pre-Bookings Open

BMW India has begun accepting pre-bookings for the 1-Series hatchback in India. The pre-bookings for this hatchback come ahead of the car's September 3rd India launch. According to the promotional emailers that BMW India has begun sending out to prospective buyers, the first 100 customers of the 1-Series will get the BMW Service Inclusive (BSI) package free of cost. 

The BSI package includes a 3 year/60,000 Kms cashless maintenance scheme for the 1-Series. Essentially, the first 100 owners of the BMW 1-Series hatchback will not have to shell out money for the periodic service/maintenance of their cars through the BSI package, which makes the offer an attractive one for prospective buyers.

The 1-Series will be available with turbo petrol and turbo diesel engine options. While you can click here to read about the power outputs of the engines, the pre-launch brochure released by BMW India mentions that the petrol and diesel variants of the 1-Series deliver ARAI certified fuel economy figures of 16.28 Kmpl and 20.58 Kmpl respectively. 

The 8 speed automatic gearbox, standard on both petrol and diesel variants, the start-stop system and the electric power steering are three features that are said to boost fuel efficiency on the 1-Series. The car is rear wheel driven with a 50:50 axle load balance to ensure neutral steering, a trait that is expected to deliver the famed BMW "Joy of Driving" experience.

The BMW pre-launch brochure emphasizes the "best-in-class" driving dynamics delivered by the 1-Series hatchback due to the rear wheel drive layout, a unique feature of this car that its competitors such as the Mercedes Benz A-Class and the Audi A3 do not offer. Reverse parking sensors, an electric sun roof and memory function for the driver seat and wing mirrors are notable features of the car. 

The 1-Series hatchback will be assembled at BMW India's Chennai assembly unit from completely knocked down (CKD) kits. The car could undercut the likes of the Mercedes Benz A-Class and B-Class models due to the CKD assembly, and the accompanying lower duty charged by the Indian government. The car is expected to be priced between 20-25 lakh rupees.