[VWBugy781]

Wondering if the new Chennai plants is likely to produce the one series (now sold in Europe). Have any of you heard anything on whether the localization is likely to lower prices to meaningful levels?

Can we hope to see what we are seeing with Hyundai - their cars seem to cost similar to what they do in the US.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by VWBugy781

Wondering if the new Chennai plants is likely to produce the one series (now sold in Europe). Have any of you heard anything on whether the localization is likely to lower prices to meaningful levels?

Nope, even with some localization it'll be still too expensive. If you take European prices into account a boggo-spec 118/120 will start at around 15L at which of course it'll have no takers at all.

Localisation for premium cars like BMW/Merc etc. is very hard to do in a market like ours since our suppliers are still in the developing stage & cannot really meet the strigent standards of these marques. Of course, there are exception but they are few and far between. Of course most brands in the world are working with Indian suppliers to use them but for us to become a real force with high-quality components we still need a lot more time & money to be pumped into R&D.

What they can localise at the most is seats, tyres & maybe glasses. The major components like Suspensions parts, Engines, Derivetrains, Wiring Harnesses, ECU etc. still need to be imported. Hence, the high cost.

Originally Posted by VWBugy781

Can we hope to see what we are seeing with Hyundai - their cars seem to cost similar to what they do in the US.

Well that's because Hyundai has a very high percentage of localised parts. And not to mention it caters to an altogether segment of the market. Hyundai has also spent a lot of time & moeny into developing as a base for their small cars hence they can achieve high levels of localisation & consequently lower prices.

[mail4ajo]

BMW has committed to 3 and 5 series from the chennai plant for now. 7 series and the Mini is also under consideration. But it would take a while to see the Indian assembled 7series and others around.

Chennai has a good number of 3 and 7 series already and even a Mini through the import route.

[nitrous]

India is not yet ready for the 1 series. Give it atleast 5 to 10 years to mature .

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by nitrous

India is not yet ready for the 1 series. Give it atleast 5 to 10 years to mature .

As and when it does mature, I hope they consider local production of the future 1 series saloon/drop top. Hey...you would still be driving a brand new beemer for 15-20 lacs!

[abdul 65 amg]

Should be nice to produce in India the 1 series. It would bring more customers because of its low price.The Mini could be good too.But BMW need to get suppliers in India.I know that Mercedes-benz has suppliers in India

[agbenny]

Originally Posted by abdul 65 amg

Should be nice to produce in India the 1 series. It would bring more customers because of its low price.The Mini could be good too.But BMW need to get suppliers in India.I know that Mercedes-benz has suppliers in India

Anybody knows what happened to BMW 1 Series? Do they still have any plan to import or produce it in India?
I believe the premium small car market is picking up (Any sales figures or Jazz, Fabia etc?) and this could be the time for Luxury small cars.

[muralisk]

Originally Posted by agbenny

Anybody knows what happened to BMW 1 Series? Do they still have any plan to import or produce it in India?
I believe the premium small car market is picking up (Any sales figures or Jazz, Fabia etc?) and this could be the time for Luxury small cars.

Not very about the 1 series, but BMW is re-thinking their strategy to launch Mini.

The Mini would be imported and would carry a price tag of around 2 million rupees ($41,000), Peter Kronschnabl, the president of BMW's India unit, told reporters at the local launch of the BMW X6.

Source: BMW to re-think planned India launch of Mini | Top News | Reuters

[Mpower]

Current 1 series will not work because of the lack of a sedan version. The next one that will be out in a couple of years is a strong candidate because I believe a 4d-sedan version is in the works.

Pricing however more likely to be in the 20-25L range (couple notches above a Laura) and it will be a big hit for sure.

[iSpoke]

Source : ET 11, MAY 2011

NEW DELHI: BMW plans to drive in its 1Series hatchback and the Mini compact within two years to stay ahead of archrivals Mercedes Benz and Audi in the booming Indian luxury car market.

"The Indian market is evolving fast and, as the leader of luxury car, we are looking at our compact range of cars to meet varied preferences of customers," BMW India President Andreas Schaaf said on Tuesday.

"We are doing everything to stay ahead of the competition and drive into new segment that would keep the customers delighted," he said.

Last week, Mercedes Benz India MD & CEO Peter T Honegg told ET that his company will bring its compact car range of A Class and B Class by 2013.

BMW tops the luxury car market, which grew a record 70% last fiscal to more than 15,000 cars, closely followed by Mercedes and Audi. Other contenders include Porsche, Jaguar & Land Rover.

Speaking to ET on the sidelines of the launch of a concept high fuel-efficient diesel car, Schaaf said, "We will get as many products from our global lineup depending upon the local demand including the best of technology and new concepts developed by our parent company."

The list would include the new concept, the Efficient Dynamics. The car delivers fuel efficiency of 26.5 km/litre of diesel and emits only 99 gm of Co2 for the same distance. It has a top speed of 250km/hr and accelerates to 100km/hr in 4.8 seconds. The concept will hit the road around 2013.

Indian consumers have started to shift preferences to new concepts and niche products and that encouraged the world's largest maker of luxury cars to undertake a feasibility study to bring its small cars like 1Series hatchback and the highly popular Mini range. The cars are expected to be priced at 22-27 lakh.

Since 2009, Europe's largest car company Volkswagen has sold more than 500 units of its 23-lakh Beetle, while Fiat has sold more than 100 Cinquecentos, priced 16 lakh. These expensive machines have created a small market for themselves, which will get a boost with the launch of BMW and Mercedes small cars.

The luxury carmaker also announced that it would not hike the prices of its locally-produced models, 3 and 5 Series sedans and SUV X1, despite new import duty norms on completely knocked down units, as it has already been assembling the engines of the vehicles in the country.

"At this point of time, our completely knocked down (CKD) operations are fully fulfilling the new regulations. We are paying 10% duty... There will be no price hike," BMW India president Andreas Schaaf said here.

For pre-assembled engines, transmissions and gearboxes, customs duty was fixed at 30% in the 2011-12 Budget as against 10% earlier. However, other parts continue to attract a customs duty of 10%. "In our engines, about 50% of the assembly is done in India. So it is considered as locally produced," he said, adding, the company has been assmebling its engines and transmissions since the launch of these models in the country.

[designersf]

Audi will bring their brilliant new A3 sedan in the next two years. With Merc also bring their A ans B, BMW will be next in line to bring their next-generation 1 to India. Maybe the sedan version is a possibility in the price range around Rs 20 lakhs.

[blackasta]

Read this in rediff today:

The STUNNING Rs 15-lakh BMW 1 Series soon in India - Rediff.com Business

[noopster]

Someone just sent me this link: New BMW 1 Series

Have to say, though, except for the price point, the rest of the article is very generic and could be picked up from any 1-series brochure online.

A Bimmer at 14 lacs is INSANE, though. I would happily trade up!

[zulfi hansi]

This is another one from AUTOCAR website, this looks more realistic I felt.
All-new BMW 1-series India bound | Autocar India

I am really keen on if they will launch the convertible and coupe 1 here in India, will not cost them much to play the gamble, they could as well successfully kick start the 2 door revolution in India.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by zulfi hansi

I am really keen on if they will launch the convertible and coupe 1 here in India, will not cost them much to play the gamble, they could as well successfully kick start the 2 door revolution in India.

Doubtful. According to international reports, the coupe versions are going to be re-branded as the 2-series.

Originally Posted by Mpower

Current 1 series will not work because of the lack of a sedan version. The next one that will be out in a couple of years is a strong candidate because I believe a 4d-sedan version is in the works.

Pricing however more likely to be in the 20-25L range (couple notches above a Laura) and it will be a big hit for sure.

The new 1-series is having an international launch in September this year.

We have an existing discussion running on the 1-series.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...ml#post2441153

Maybe its good to merge these two threads. Thanks.