Increasing its portfolio of vehicles in India, BMW on Thursday launched its new sports utility vehicle (SUV) ‘X1' aimed at further consolidating its position in the luxury car market. Available in one petrol and two diesel variants, the SUV will be priced between Rs.22 lakh and Rs.29.90 lakh.
BMW X1 will be produced as ‘completely knocked-down' (CKD) unit in India. Its turbocharger common-rail fuel injection diesel engine delivers 177 hp power, while the petrol version gives output of 150 hp. The average fuel consumption for diesel is 15.24 km, while that of petrol is 11.24 km an litre.
All versions of the new BMW X1 are equipped, as standard, with six-speed automatic transmission with short reaction and gearshift times. In India, the new BMW X1 comes with the dynamic rear-wheel drive system which means the driver enjoys typical BMW agility and driving pleasure.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The new BMW X1 sets a benchmark by bringing together features of a sports activity vehicle with spontaneous flexibility and outstanding fuel economy. The new BMW X1 is the perfect vehicle for customers focusing on areas such as leisure activities and lifestyle in their choice of car,” BMW India President Andreas Schaaf told journalists here.
“Already we have 1,000 orders for the BMW X1 and we are sold out for the first quarter of the next year. We expect the X1 to be the biggest volume model for BMW in India,” he said.
About the company's performance, Dr. Schaaf said it had increased production at its Chennai plant to 8,000 units annually this month from 5,400 units earlier on a single shift in order to meet increasing demand. Commenting on the overall growth of the luxury car market in India, he said it was expected to be around 15,000 units this year, up from 8,500 units last year.
ADVERTISEMENT