The German luxury car maker BMW is all set to launch its “Mini” brand of cars by next year. The Mini Cooper series of cars will be priced over Rs 25 lakh and will be sold in the Indian market through various showrooms. The company is also looking at setting up a network of 12 dealers for this brand in the coming years. They will be imported in India as completely built units.Talking to reporters, BMW India President Andreas Schaaf said, "I am pleased to announce that the Mini will be introduced in India in 2012. Currently, the BMW team is evaluating which version to be launched in India from the entire Mini family." While further speaking on the expected pricing of the car, he said, "We have not finalized the price of the car yet, but it is a premium brand and a premium car. Of course, the entry price will be more than Rs 25 lakh."
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Kruger remarked that, “A lot of Indians who have studied abroad are familiar with the brand. They are our potential customers… they perhaps drove the Mini when they were abroad and will miss it when they are back in India. While Mini in the rest of the world is an ageless brand, in India, we think it will have a huge potential for the young people. It can be driven for an evening dinner out or to a sports event or as a city runabout.”
The introductory price of the Mini Cooper shall be Rs. 23 lakhs. The company is looking forward to the launch and is quite optimistic. The manufacturer does not want to meet the same fate as Volkswagen Beetle and Fiat 500, the two premium cars which did not do very well in the Indian market despite their lower pricing.
To begin with, the company will start with two dealerships in the Indian market and one each in Delhi and Mumbai. In the year 2013, about 3 to 4 dealerships will be added to the Mini’s sales network.
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