German luxury car maker BMW, on Thursday, launched its new version of its crossover model X6 priced between Rs.78.9 lakh and Rs.93.4 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
The company, which is facing stiff competition from rivals Audi and Mercedes, said it would add new dealers and expand model range to keep its leadership position.
“In 2013, we expect some growth on the basis of new dealerships and new model range. We will launch new X1 and 7 Series, besides introducing the 1 Series,” BMW India Group President Philipp von Sahr told reporters here.
He said the company would increase its dealers to 50 by 2014 from 29 at present across India, while inaugurating its largest dealer here.
When asked about the competition, he said the company was not going for volumes at the cost of profitability, and BMW India would focus on long-term sustainable leadership.
“We’ll continue to be sustainable leader in India. Sales are important, but not at any cost. We don’t give discounts to push sales for competition. With discounts, someone can gain in short-term, but not in the long-term,” he added.
``It’s not important to look at numbers always. The most important is the profitability of dealers and company,’’ he reiterated. When asked about the company’s sales expectations for this year, he said the target this year was to sell higher than last year without disclosing details.
Talking about the new X6, he said: “This new car is not like any other model. It has created a segment for itself. We are confident that the new X6 will definitely attract attention of our customers.”
While the eight-cylinder petrol X6 is available for Rs.93.4 lakh, the six-cylinder diesel variant is priced at Rs.78.9 lakh.
The petrol X6 is powered by a 4,395-cc engine, while the diesel option is run by a 2,993-cc engine.
The group’s other model Mini had so far sold 241 units, Mr. von Sahr said, adding the firm wanted to develop the brand further in India.
