Porsche India started bookings of Panamera Turbo S

Porsche India started bookings of Panamera Turbo S prior to debut at Tokyo Motor Show – Price to be more than Rs. 2 crores.

Porsche has added one more model to its portfolio in the Indian market making it clear for the world how the country’s automotive spirit has evolved over few couple of years. The demand for production variants of luxury sports cars has enormously grown in recent years comparatively and there is no doubt that all leading automotive manufacturers of premiere cars are eager to try their luck in India. The bookings for ‘Porsche Panamera Turbo S’ have been started in India now and we could see the unit on roads within few weeks.

The brand new Panamera Turbo S was unveiled for the first time at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show held in the month of April. The model is named the fastest and most powerful variant out of all the models of the manufacturer available currently in the world. Turbo S is the successor for the ‘Turbo’ which has been revealed recently. There may not be much difference in the engine configuration and performance specs of both Turbo and the new Turbo S. The design of both these variants is also same mostly except few modifications.

Under the hood, Porsche has fitted a 4.8 litre twin turbo V8 petrol engine that is capable of generating around 570 bhp of power at the peak along with 750 Nm of torque. The power output and torque of Turbo S is around 50 bhp more than that of Turbo. It is informed that Turbo S is capable of attaining 100 kmph speed from rest within just 3.8 seconds only and the top speed of the model is around 310 kmph which is absolutely impressive. Engine comes mated to a 7 speed automatic transmission gear box. The cosmetic changes among Turbo and Turbo S includes a new front bumper design, new interiors, inclusion of 20 inch full alloy wheels with wider tires and a larger rear window.

Porsche is expected to deliver the booked units to buyers in India after its showcase at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show that will be held within a few days. We may expect the price of the new Panamera Turbo S to be around 24 lakhs costlier than that of Panamera Turbo and the price would be more than Rs. 2 crores as Turbo is being sold for Rs. 1.99 crores currently.

Will you spend Rs20 crore on Aston Martin?

Aston Martin announced that they will be entering India which is the one of the fastest growing markets for automobile in the world. The will be launching three new models in this country. Aston Martin, a British luxury sports car manufacturer joins the growing list of Lamborghini, Bugatti, Maseratti and Ferrari who have started selling their products in India to a big section of sports car enthusiasts.

Aston Martin’s chief commercial officer, Michael van der Sande, said that India is a new opportunity for them. This automobile company will be offering V8 Vantage which costs 15.5 million Indian rupees or USD $348,341, One-77 which costs 200 million rupees or $4.5 million and Rapide which costs 21.5 million rupees or $483,146.



Lalit Choudhary from Performance Cars, the official dealership for Aston Martin in Mumbai said that India is a big market and it is growing rapidly. Hence it cannot be ignored. Aston Martin is a very expensive car brand and over their past history of 97 years, they have sold just 5,000 cars to the richest in Asia, United States and Europe. This company is expecting to see one quarter or their cars to the Middle Eastern and Asian countries over the next 5 years.

Donnelly refused to reveal any details about the number of cars they are planning to sell. A second dealership will be opened at New Delhi by May. A lot of automobile makers are looking at Chinese and Indian markets to see their products as their Europe and US opportunities have started to dry up.

Aston Martin was a company found in 1914 and the inclusion of showroom in Mumbai increases the global dealership network to 134 dealers in 42 countries.

New Mercedes Benz CLS

The old generation Mercedes CLS has made way for the New CLS which is actually a toned down version of the concept. “Seduction Has To Be Flawless”.

The new CLS – the new design icon from Mercedes-Benz

A generation ahead: The CLS-Class created a new vehicle category in 2003 by combining the elegance and expressiveness of a coupé with the comfort and functionality of a sedan. The CLS delighted the public, astounded the competi-tion and created a new style icon: for years the CLS has endured as the only four-door coupé in its class, and since October 2004 it has been the car of choice for approximately 170,000 buyers worldwide. “Customers all over the world benefited from our bold move to launch a completely new vehicle con-cept onto the market”, explains a delighted Dr. Joachim Schmidt, member of the board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Sales & Marketing. “And with its exciting de-sign, the new edition of the CLS also benefits from the fact that we are a whole generation ahead of the competition with our four-door Coupé.”

Celebrating its world premiere at the Paris motor show (October 2 – 17, 2010), the 2012 CLS-Class will arrive in U.S. dealerships in mid-2011. The 2012 CLS-Class builds on the pioneering role of its predecessor with a fresh new inter-pretation. “The new CLS points the way forward for the future perceptible de-sign idiom of Mercedes-Benz”, explains Professor Gorden Wagener, head of de-sign at Mercedes-Benz. “At the same time it takes its inspiration from the great tradition of stylish, refined sportiness which has always been a feature of Mercedes coupés.”

Exterior: classic Coupé styling with distinctive front

The proportions remain as spectacular as ever: long hood, tightly-styled frame-less side windows and a dynamic roof sweeping back at an angle towards the rear. The four-door Coupé from Mercedes-Benz immediately made its mark in 2003 as a new style icon. Though the proportions are the same, the secondgeneration of this design trendsetter has a completely new look.

What immediately strikes the eye is the innovative front design, which is reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Visually, the radiator grille is not inte-grated into the hood but formed separately. This further highlights the long, sporty hood. The grille is dominated by the large central star, which unites the car with other Mercedes-Benz coupés and also enhances brand identity. The large, elongated dark air inlets with black grilles also add to the vehicle’s ath-letic appearance.

Design brings high-tech features to life

Another distinguishing feature comes in the form of the full LED headlamps, which are the world’s first to offer all of the dynamic light functions using LED technology. This innovation boasts an impressive design – inside they are di-vided into three arrow-shaped layers from top to bottom: the upper layer contains an LED indicator, beneath which is a striking LED side light offers LED low beam functions. The side light can also be seen when the high beam is activated, thereby creating a unique night-time design. The lowest level of the headlamp houses the main beam and nightview functions. A total of 71 LED’s provide an unmistakable appearance as well as a significantly enhanced view of the road compared with previous systems.

The typical CLS outline, with its elegantly long proportions, is the dominating attribute of the new model. The effect of the dynamic, athletic form has been enhanced with a new interplay of lines and surfaces. A unique “dropping line”, which begins above the front wheel-wells and slopes downward towards the rear, represents a new interpretation of a renowned design hallmark of his-toric Mercedes sports cars. A distinctive and muscular sports car-like shoulder line above the rear axle highlights the athletic character of the 2012 CLS. The flared wheel arches resemble the powerful stance of a predator waiting to pounce. The side profile is rounded off with wide wrap-around tail lights featuring LED technology — a linking element to the rear of the vehicle. The shape is empha-sized by the broad shoulder line, which is clearly visible from behind and sup-ports the flat roof. A wide metal insert adds a further visual highlight at the rear.

The interior: design brings quality to life

The interior of the 2012 CLS-Class is also distinguished by a timeless design which combines discreet elegance with innovative details and handcrafted per-fection. The eye-catching cockpit features a wrap-around dashboard sweeping from the driver’s door over the instrument panel support and across to the front passenger door. The central display has also been integrated seamlessly into the upper part of the instrument panel.

Watch the video of Mercedes Benz CLS here:

The CLS also lives up to its role as a design icon thanks to the innovative nature of the materials used, including a mixture of satin and high-gloss finishes used on the metal surfaces. Highlights also include matte galvanized air vents which ideally compliment a high-gloss-trimmed analogue clock.

Handcrafted perfection is reflected in details such as the stitched seat covers and dashboard. The individual parts of the leather dashboard are sewn to-gether by hand in a process which takes several hours, after which they are fit-ted and upholstered with high-quality padding. Prior to this process, the leather is also heated to preshrink it, so that it will retain its shape even after extreme exposure to direct sunlight.

The particularly exclusive 1.6-millimeter thick semi-aniline premium leather meets the highest standards of both look and feel. The natural pore structure remains intact thanks to a light pigmentation, and the leatherhas an especially warm and soft feel to it. Premium leather requires a very precise manual selection process and therefore a high amount of untreated leather.

The refined interior of the CLS is further reflected in the generous use of high-quality trim elements, located on the instrument panels, center console and door linings. Customers can choose between high-gloss brown burl walnut or high-gloss black ash. The wood has been perfectly fitted around difficult con-tours for a masterful handcrafted finish, and the wood trim has been matched according to grain as part of a sophisticated selection process to create a consistent overall impression.

For an even more progressive look, black piano lacquer or carbon fiber trim elements are also available. Handcrafted as well, up to seven layers are applied and polished for the piano lacquer trim until the high-gloss finish is achieved.

New Exotic Detroit 2010: very aggresive styling

One of the eye catching displays over at GM is the Buick Regal GS. The Regal is basically the European Opel/Vauxhall Insignia rebadged as a Buick for the US and Chinese market (Buick is a highly regarded marque in China). This GS showcar features a potent performance package – 255 bhp/400 Nm 2.0-litre Ecotec turbo engine with power going to all wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and electronic LSD.

Acceleration from nought to 60 mph (96 km/h) is “less than six seconds”. The Vauxhall Insignia VXR, which has a 320 bhp 2.8-litre Ecotec V6 turbo does the same sprint in 5.8 seconds. The Regal GS features a lowered body and aggresive styling that mimics the VXR, except that it wears Buick’s signature “waterfall grille”. The show car wears 20-inch wheels.

That front HiPerStrut suspension helps reduce torque steer and maintain negative camber during cornering, improving grip and feel while isolating undesirable feedback. The GS features Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors, four-piston aluminum calipers and uprated pads. Interactive Drive Control System (IDCS) chassis technology allows the selection of three modes – normal, sport and GS – that change suspension settings, throttle response and steering sensitivity.

Inside, the Regal GS features a full black interior, sport shifter, a suede-covered, flat-bottom steering wheel and Recaro seats with four-way lumbar support and cushion extensions.

Luxury 2010 new ABT Golf VI GTD

The ABT Golf VI GTD is based on the new Volkswagen Golf TDI which have improved both power and torque to give it 140kW (190hp) and maximum torque of 390Nm. The ABT Golf VI GTD diesel engine could reach 100 km/h in a 7.1 second with a top speed of 230 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz to launch new products in 2010

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz on Monday said it would launch up to seven new models, including some variants of its existing products, this year.

Incidentally, the company is launching the new cars at a time when it is engaged in a tough fight with rival German firm BMW for the top slot in the segment.

“We have a plan to launch a total of 10-12 products this year. Of them, we have already launched five since January and the rest will follow during the course of the year,” Mercedes- Benz Board of Management India Member Suhas Kadlaskar told reporters in New Delhi.

He said the new products will include some variants of its existing E-Class sedans.

“We know the luxury car market is poised for huge growth in the country and we want to bring in the new cars to tap this,” Kadlaskar said.

Since January, Mercedes-Benz has launched five products, including luxury limousine S-Guard, which will come at a price of around Rs 6 crore. It had also launched its limousine S-500 L, the sports utility vehicle GL 350, and the sedans E-250 CDI and E-220 I.

The Stuttgart-headquartered company was dislodged from its long-held position of the numero uno luxury car brand in India in 2009 by its compatriot BMW.

However, according to Society of the Indian Automobile Manufacturers in January this year, Mercedes-Benz sold 403 units in the country, surpassing the figure of BMW’s 341 units.

Bugatti set for India drive in 2010!

Volkswagen AG will drive in the fastest and most expensive car in India with the launch of legendary French car brand Bugatti in 2010, a company executive said. Bugatti Veyron, which can hit a top speed of more than 400 km per hour for the sports and coupe models, will cost anywhere between Rs. 50 million (US$ 1.1 million) and Rs. 120 million when it hits the Indian roads by the mid-2010, said the executive requesting anonymity.



Volkswagen, which has become the world’s largest carmaker with its takeover of Porsche, will import Bugatti cars.

The original Bugatti company was set up exactly 100 years ago by Italian Ettore Bugatti in the town Molsheim, then part of the German Empire and a region of France since 1919, and started rolling out high-performance cars known for their engineering as well as artistry. Molsheim became the birthplace of some of the most exclusive and fastest cars in the world.

But the brand was hit when the World War II started. In 1963, Bugattis sold the company to Hispano-Suiza that was primarily interested in Bugatti’s airplane parts business.

In 1982, Romano Artioli, a finance broker and auto dealer, brought Bugatti trademarks rights and set up Bugatti Automobili SpA. But after rolling out only one model — EB 110 in 1991 on the 100th birthday of Ettore Bugatti – the company filed for bankruptcy in 1995.

Volkswagen bought the brand name in 1998 and founded Bugatti Automobile SAS in the very next year. Over the last decade, it has rolled out a number of models including Bugatti EB 118, EB 218 and Bugatti 18.3 Chiron. In 2004, it launched two-door super sports car Veyron 16.4, named after French racing driver Pierre Veyron who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a Bugatti Type 57 in 1939. The Veyron debuted in China and Russia in 2007.

The carmaker recently unveiled the Bugatti Galibier 16C concept, which will be launched globally by 2013. The Galibier, touted as the most powerful four-door automobile in the world will be far more expensive.

New Audi A5 Sportback at Dubai Motor Show

Audi is presenting a new vehicle concept at this year's 10th Dubai International Motor Show - the Audi A5 Sportback. The five-door model with the long, flowing rear end unites the best of various vehicle genres: the emotion and elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon. Visitors can view the latest Audi model and many others at the show from December 16 to 20.

The Sportback joins the Coupé and Cabriolet as the third member of the A5 model family, featuring an emotion-packed design, high everyday practicality, a sporty character and engines that are as efficient as they are powerful. Audi is setting new trends in design with the A5 Sportback. The five-door coupe is defined by elegant lines. It is 36 millimeters lower than the A4 Sedan; with its short front overhang, long wheelbase, wide track and the four frameless doors with their slender window lines, it is the very picture of sporty elegance.

The interior is spacious, offering uncompromising comfort in all four seats. The large luggage compartment hatch is harmoniously integrated into the long, tapered tail end with the flat C pillars; the spoiler lip underscores the tension-filled character. The luggage compartment volume of 480 liters nearly matches that of the A4 Avant and increases to 980 liters with the rear seats folded down.

The A5 Sportback follows the consistent path of innovative technologies at Audi when it comes to the drivetrain. The launch engine for the Middle East will be a 211 bhp 2.0 TFSI, which delivers its power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. Like all other models it is equipped with a recuperation system that recovers energy during braking and deceleration and stores it temporarily in the battery.

The perfect complement is the optional Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system, which enables the driver to freely vary the throttle response characteristic, the shifting points of the seven-speed S tronic, and the boost provided by the servotronic steering system, both of which come as a standard.

Ghost may prise open India for Rolls-Royce

At about half the price of the firm’s Phantom, the new model will be in showrooms by the end of the year



Car maker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, part of BMW AG, has said it plans to introduce the Ghost, a new global model, in India by the year-end. This comes right after the launch of marquee brands Jaguar and Land Rover by Tata Motors Ltd on Sunday.

The Ghost, which is to be unveiled formally at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, will be on display in showrooms in November or December, said Colin Kelly, regional director, Asia Pacific, at Rolls-Royce in a phone interview on Monday.

A formal launch would be followed by events designed for prospective customers only. “Our cars are made to order and so our marketing is made to order as well,” said Kelly. Bookings and deliveries for the car, which will cost nearly double than the popular Jaguar models, would commence in 2010.
“The Ghost is a Rolls you can drive everyday,” is how chief executive Tom Purves had described the car in an interaction with Mint in May.

Indeed, the car comes at a price that is nearly half that of the company’s present offering, the Phantom. The company expects to price the car between $250,000 and $270,000 (Rs1.2-1.3 crore) before taxes and import duties, which can easily double the price. With the less expensive tag, Rolls-Royce hopes to substantially increase the number of cars it sells in India. There are at present around 200 Rolls-Royce cars in the country.

Last year, the firm sold 14 cars in India through two dealerships in New Delhi and Mumbai and it expects to sell about as many cars this year. “(Next year) we expect to sell two-three times what we sold in 2008,” Kelly said.

The Ghost should also help the firm reach 3,000 cars in global sales by 2010. Last year, it sold 1,212 cars worldwide.

According to Kelly, Indian buyers of Rolls-Royce are very similar to counterparts globally. They tend to be hard working wealthy individuals. But they differ in the amount and type of personalization they like to have in their cars. “This could be anything from the person’s initials to the company logo embroidered into the headrest of the car,” he said.

“There are no plans to expand the number of dealerships in India as of now,” he added. The company would, however, look at setting up service only facilities in cities where the number of cars warranted them. It usually waits for a city to have a dozen cars before it considers setting up such a facility.

At present, the Indian market is about one-eighth the size of the Chinese market and one-third of the Japanese market but it’s a gap that the firm believes could narrow substantially in the next few years.
A recent Capgemini-Merrill Lynch Wealth Report noted that India has about 1,000 individuals with at least $40 million in liquid assets. Rolls considers each of them potential customers.

BMW to launch its Roadster Z4 in India

World’s top luxury and sports car manufacturer BMW has said it will launch its Roadster Z4 in India later this year. Roadster Z4 is top two seater sports car that company believes will attract hip and prosperous Indian youth.

BMW is very optimistic about its chances in the Indian market. It plans to launch at least half a dozen new cars here before the year end.

Its plans are not without any basis. The company has already replaced Mercedes Benz this year as the top luxury car brand in India.



After World War I, BMW was forced to cease aircraft (engine) production by the terms of the Versailles Armistice Treaty. The company consequently shifted to motorcycle production in 1923 once the restrictions of the treaty started to be lifted, followed by automobiles in 1928.

The circular blue and white BMW logo or roundel is often alleged to portray the movement of an airplane propeller, to signify the white blades cutting through the blue sky - an interpretation that BMW adopted for convenience in 1929, which was actually twelve years after the roundel was created. In fact, the emblem evolved from the circular Rapp Motorenwerke company logo, from which the BMW company grew. The Rapp logo was combined with the blue and white colors of the flag of Bavaria to produce the BMW roundel so familiar today.

The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German automaker BMW. Replacing the Z3, first-generation production started in 2002 at BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant, with both roadster and coupe forms produced. Starting with the 2009 model year, the second-generation Z4 is built at BMW's Regensburg, Germany plant as a retractable hardtop roadster.

The German auto giant’s cars are seen as the most modern cars on Indian roads, more particularly in Indian metros. They are becoming ubiquitous on potholed Indian roads.

The German auto giant sold 2,908 cars in India in 2008, its second year of operation, closing the gap with luxury car leader Mercedes-Benz, which sold 3,625 cars in the same year, which was also its 12th year in the country.

Earlier BMW India announced to launch five new cars in 2009. It has already introduced the all-new 7 Series sedan and the new 3 Series sedan. The SUV X6 and X3 diesel and a new sports model will be launched sometime this year.



The first-generation BMW Z4 was designated the E85 in roadster form and E86 in coupé form. It was designed by Danish BMW-designer Anders Warming, who later made the Mille Miglia Concept car with some of the same shapes as the Z4.

The Z4's design addresses many criticisms of the preceding Z3; the Z4 is larger, and has a significantly stiffer chassis. The Z4 features a strut type front suspension like its predecessor. The rear suspension, however is considerably different from that of the Z3, which was based on that of the E30 BMW 3 Series.

Instead of a semi-trailing arm suspension, the Z4 uses a more advanced multi-link suspension. It was built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Initially, the Z4 was available only as a roadster, but in 2006 a coupé version was officially launched. The last of the first-generation Z4 to be assembled in North America rolled off the assembly line on 27 August 2008.

In the meantime BMW India has said that it will add 10 dealers in tier-II cities such as Coimbatore, Jaipur, Lucknow and Ludhiana.

A top company official says, ““We grew 15% in the first quarter of 2009 and surpassed Mercedes Benz in the sales tally”.

The company overtook Mercedes Bens in January this year becoming the more preferred luxury car in the country.

BMW sold 181 more cars than Mercedes in India in January. Two mighty luxury car makers BMW and Mercedes are locked in a fight for supremacy in India. The war is going on with the entry of German car giant’s India entry a few years ago.

BMW targets tier-II towns to retain top spot

BMW India is chalking out robust plans to retain its number one position in the Indian luxury car market. Having snatched the top spot from Mercedes Benz a few months ago, it plans to hang on to it by spreading its dealerships into smaller 'tier-II' cities, planning to double in its dealership network to 24 by the end of the year.


The Indian arm of the Munich-based company has indicated that after enhancing its presence in the tier 1 cities, it is now zeroing in on tier II cities like Coimbatore (where it opened a sales and service outlet on Thursday), Jaipur and Lucknow. The company, which currently has 12 dealers in 10 cities, will add 10 more dealers in 10 tier II cities by the end of 2010.

"In the first quarter of the year we have delivered 992 cars, which make us the number one player in the luxury segment. We don't know if we will remain the number one by the end of the year but we are on track to stay there," BMW India president Peter Kronschnabl told reporters at the company's plant in Gurgaon.

He said the company expects each dealer from Tier II cities to contribute about 30-40 cars per year. He added that while the standards of BMW dealerships were the same across cities, those in the smaller cities would have only one or two cars on display.

Kronschnabl, however, declined to forecast the company's sales target for the year stating a clear picture would emerge only after the second quarter.

Asked if the global slowdown has in any way made the firm alter its expansions plans in India, he replied in the negative. "Instead, we are going ahead. We are working at the same pace as before despite the slowdown. While we won't expand production capacity as we have enough, our focus is to expand our sales and service network," he said.

Kronschnabl said financing remains a challenge and sales could have been better had it not been for the difficulty in financing credit purchase of cars. He said currently BMW has tie-up with ICICI Bank for car finance, and "we have also tied up with HDFC Bank as a financing partner from this year".

He also said BMW's global component sourcing from India is going as planned. "We have identified a couple of partners and the next stage is to go for sampling and in the next two years we expect the volumes to pick up."

In the luxury segment, BMW competes with compatriots Mercedes Benz and Audi. According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, in fiscal 2008-09, BMW sold 3,038 units against 3,537 units sold by Mercedes. However, between January and March 2009, however, BMW sold 992 units to Mercedes' 966 units.

Currently, BMWs cost between Rs27 lakh (320i model) and Rs1.31 crore (M6 convertible). The company recently rolled out an all-new 7 Series sedan priced at Rs93.3 lakh and the SUV X6. It will introduce the new 3 Series sedan and X3 diesel SUV during this year.

Coimbatore foray
BMW India on Thursday opened its Kun Exclusive dealership in Coimbatore. This is a satellite facility of Kun Exclusive, Chennai, the dealership partner for BMW India in Tamil Nadu.

The facility is located on Aerodrome Road near N K Palayam, Ondipudur and comprises a fully equipped workshop and sales outlet at the same location. The facility covers approximately 5000 sq ft and that includes almost 500 sq ft of new car display area. It claims to offer the same standards of sales and service and the same customer experience as any BMW sales and service centre worldwide.

Commenting on the occasion, Owen Riley, director, after-sales, BMW India said, "We are proud to announce that our sales and service facility in Coimbatore is now operational. This facility, in partnership with Kun Exclusive, also initiates phase II of our expansion in India and is reflective of BMW's efforts to connect with customers and prospects across the state to provide high quality services that are at par with international standards."

Audi launches A6 in India

Audi has launched its executive car 'Audi A6' in India. The new car will be available from 4 May across the Audi dealers in India.

Priced at Rs 3.857 million (ex-showroom Mumbai), the A6 will be available in six colours namely, Aventurin Blue, Dakar Beige, Ice Silver, Oyster Grey Phantom Black and Ibis White.

The new design of the A6 ushers in stronger lines and a slightly sporty undertone with the elegance expected from a high-end sedan.

The new A6 will be available with the latest generation of engines from the Audi stable which include the 3.0 litre TFSI, 2.8 FSI, 3.0TDI, and 2.7TDI.

Says Audi India MD Benoit Tiers, “The Audi A6 is the most successful business sedan worldwide and one of our main contributors to our achievement in the Indian market.”

"India has been a significant growth-driver for Audi and will be the car market of the future. In 2009, Audi celebrates 100 years of the brand and the launch of the new Audi A6 is Audi's continued commitment to the Indian market to offer luxury cars," Tiers adds.

Luxury carmakers BMW and Mercedes slug it out in India

In recessionary times, the Indian luxury car market is seeing a battle of sorts between two of the biggest global brands i.e. Mercedes Benz and BMW. In January, BMW managed to beat Mercedes Benz in sales for the first time in the history of Mercedes in India. However, in February, Mercedes managed to regain the top slot in February.

The battle so far

Mercedes Benz sold a little over 250 cars compared to BMW’s 244 cars in February.In January, Mercedes Benz sold 132 cars compared to BMWs 272.

So cumulatively, for the months of January and February, BMW is still leading the pack by a margin of 132 cars.



Going ahead

Analysts say that ahead it is going to a much tougher battle because BMW will try its best to keep the lead, as far as a cumulative sale is concerned. During the second half of this year, BMW will launch all new models in a new segment.

Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India, says, "We believe this year you will see a maximum growth of 10-20% and this is only in the second half. The first half will be very challenging for all manufacturers and then hopefully, things will smoothen out."

BMW zips past Mercedes in India's luxury car market

For the first time ever, luxury marque Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, better known as BMW, has overtaken arch rival Mercedes Benz in terms of sales in India, taking the fight for supremacy in the luxury car segment to a new level.

BMW sold 270 cars and sports utility vehicles (SUV) or three times the total number of cars sold by Mercedes Benz, which stood at 89 units in January. Officials from both the companies say that 2009 will be the year, which would clearly define whether the generational domination of the three pointed star will be lost to BMW.

While announcing the launch of the X6 model (a luxury SUV) Peter Kronschnabl, president, BMW India said, "We were able to take the lead in January thanks to the success of the 3 and 5-Series. Around April we will get a clearer picture of market demand and will be in a better position to predict on following months."

Although sales in 2008 at 2,908 units was the best for BMW so far in India, it was still 24.5 per cent short of Mercedes tally of 3,621 units.

However, in the current financial year BMW has sold 994 units of the 5 and 6 Series sedans as compared to 490 units sold during the same period the previous year. Both models are in the range of Rs 40 lakh to Rs 85.5 lakh.

Meanwhile, Mercedes saw a rise of only 9 per cent in sales of the E Class at 883 units as against 810 units in the same period.

"Our customers are not that different from our competitors but the key to our success lies in the fact that we have been able to create the environment at our dealerships, service points, buying experience, which is on par with our global standards. Most of our 3-Series customers are young professional", added Kronschnabl.

The company launched three models in one month (January) including the new 7-Series, new 3-Series and the diesel variant of X3. The new luxury SUV X6, launched today is priced at Rs 65.9 lakh for the diesel variant and Rs 82.9 lakh for the petrol model.

According to industry experts the market for luxury cars expanded at a much faster rate than anticipated in 2008, however due to the on-going economic crisis the growth will be subdued this year.

Despite this luxury car makers are confident that the market will grow to 9,500 units by the end of next year from 7,500 units sold last year.

Sales for BMW began to show an upsurge ever since the company started local assembly of the 3-Series and 5-Series sedan in the Chennai plant from March 2007, thus making it substantially cheaper than their imported counterparts.

Mercedes Benz, meanwhile has decided to postpone the launch of the all-new E Class due to some technical glitches. Sources say that the launch is hampered due a delay in converting the model into a right-hand drive vehicle for markets like India.

BMW however, will go ahead with one more launch, which company officials say will not be a sedan, perhaps by the middle of this year.

Both companies have made special arrangements for financing their cars through tie-ups with banks and also through in-house financing arms. Although BMW has withdrawn the zero per cent interest rate offer, officials say that the company is working on different concepts along with the dealers.

BMW 7 Series in India

BMW is working on new technologies to bring the best automobiles in India. The latest BMW 7 Series model, BMW 730d is an outcome of such technologies. The new 730D boasts of much more comfortable ride than before and much safer as well. The luxury car buyers in India are all set to get good value for money for their cars as they come laden with new technologies at the same price. BMW has launched only 750Li so far in India. It is yet to launch 730D and 740Li in the country. The 750Li and the 740Li are the longer wheelbase versions of the 750i and the 740i models.

The new 730d coming to India has more elegant style as compared to its predecessor that flaunted a sporty look in the western world. The features have been considerably toned down looking the customer likings in India. The company has specifically kept in mind the choices of the elite and selective class buyers who prefer the rear-seat comfort. The longer wheel base segment and rear seat comforts and accessories have been specifically designed keeping in these customer demands in mind.


The new BMW 7 Series models are all geared up to change the “driver’s cars” concept as is normally perceived about the BMW cars. It intends to compete head-on with Mercedes Benz S-class in the luxury car segment.

BMW India to launch SUV in a month

German luxury car maker BMW India will launch its sports utility vehicle X6 and a new model of its seven series sedan in a month’s time, shrugging off fears of an economic slowdown impacting luxury car sales in a significant way.

Priced between Rs 65 lakh and Rs 70 lakh, the X6 will be powered with a three-litre diesel engine and a 5.0 litre petrol engine. In the seven series, it will initially launch a new 750 li model priced at Rs 93.3 lakh and later a 730 ld, a diesel model that would be introduced over the next three to four months at a slightly lower price.

The company closed the last calendar year selling 2,908 units, an over 100 per cent increase from 1,387 units that it sold the previous year. It, however, declined to give its target for the current year.

“We will introduce X6 and a new seven series model by the end of the month which will be imported as a completely built unit. But we are also looking to introduce a 730 diesel model by April-May which will be priced lower,” the BMW India President, Peter Kronschnabl told Business Line.

Upbeat on India

He said that while the luxury car market began to feel the pinch by the last quarter of 2008, he was upbeat on the Indian market.

“First half of the year will be tough. But relief will come in the second half. India is not in a recession. Even after taking into consideration the slowdown, the economy is estimated to grow above 5 per cent, making it still the fastest growing economy,” Kronschnabl explained.

On the sales outlook, he stated that the company would see the trend in the first two to three months before it firms up its target. It will also increase its sales network during the year by expanding its dealership to cities such as Surat, Jaipur, Ludhiana and Coimbatore, taking the total count to 16 countrywide.

First seven-seater car launched in India

The Swedish Volvo Group is launching its first seven seater car in India, which is available in five attractive colours, stylishly priced at Rs 58 lakhs. Paul De Vojis, managing director, India says, they plan to launch three more models soon..

SWEDISH LUXURY car manufacturer Volvo has rolled out the latest variant of its luxury SUV XC90 in the Indian market. The car comes outfitted with a powerful V8 4.4 litre petrol engine delivering 315 bhp.

The XC90 made an entry to the Indian market in the year 2007 and the all-new variant is loaded with a host of luxury and safety features. It comes equipped with sports calibrated steering, sport-tuned chassis, and stylish stability control techniques.

According to Volvo Car India managing director Paul De Voijs, “The launch of the new variant of XC90 aims to broaden our model range to attract more customers with an active and urban lifestyle. Volvo that entered the Indian market in September last year with two models, has so far sold over 100 units.

He also said that we plan to launch our most recent offering XC60 soon after it is rolled out in Europe in November this year. We have three other models that might also be launched in India.”

The Volvo XC90 R-DESIGN will be available in five colours and is the first seven seater Volvo car in the country. The car is priced at Rs 58 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The company is also planning to bring its all-new compact-sized crossover, XC60, in the country after its launch in Europe next month.

Ultra-luxury carmakers bullish on India

Even though ultra-luxury carmakers like Bentley, Rolls Royce et al are bearish about the American and other developed markets, their sentiments are understood to be quite bullish towards emerging markets like India. Despite the Indian auto industry expected to grow by 7 per cent only in the current fiscal year, sales of super luxury cars is expected to grow by 20 per cent over the next few years. It is widely believed that the burgeoning nouveau riches have been the main factors responsible for brisk sales of such models.

A super luxury car is retailed above Rs. 1.5 crore, including the import duty on CBUs. Since such cars are hand-crafted and not assembled by machines, it takes at least six months to deliver to any customer after the order is placed.



Bentley Motors Limited, an English manufacturer of ultra-luxury automobiles, has launched the Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed (a high-speed variant of its existing model, Continental Flying Spur), on 10th October'08, at New Delhi in India. The car is touted to be the world's fastest four-door car. With a product profile consisting of the Bentley Arnage, the Continental GT and now the Flying Spur Speed, Bentley Motors has introduced only top-end saloons in India so far. Priced at Rs. 2.5 crore (ex-showroom Delhi), the car would be imported as a Completely Built Units (CBU). It would be available through Delhi-based Exclusive Motors Private Ltd. The company plans to operate through the exclusive dealership model in India as it operates globally the same way. Bentley is hoping to sell around 10 units of the Flying Spur family in the Indian market. Moreover, this year Bentley achieved its annual target of selling 25 cars in just eight months. Similar has been the situation with Rolls Royce. Bentley grew by 20 per cent last year and expect to clock similar growth in the country this year. Since commencing its operations in India 2003, it has sold over 100 Bentleys in India and some of its customers own between 2-3 Bentleys.

According to a senior representative of Bentley Motors (Middle East, Africa and India), the company has long term plans for the Indian market and will stay focused on our high-end saloon. He added that the company experienced a huge growth in the Indian market over the past year. He also stated that India is a saloon market and the company will continue focus on this segment. He indicated that in order widen its product portfolio in the country; all its future models will be simultaneously launched in India along with the global market. He added that the Indian automaker is allotted quota of 25 cars a year and by August'08, its order book has been full.



Rolls Royce Motor Cars, the manufacturers of super-luxury Phantom, has said that it is banking heavily on the Indian market for pushing up its volumes. On the sidelines of launching its new showroom in Delhi, the company has indicated that it is aiming to notch up 70 cars in the country by 2013, citing the country to be to emerge as the single-biggest market in the Asia-Pacific region in the next five years where it is targeting the top end of the personalised car market. It has also been learnt that he BMW subsidiary is rolling out a slew of new models at its facility in Goodwood, England, and plans launch it in India in the next few years. Moreover, its RR4, a smaller luxury saloon than Phantom, will hit the Indian roads by 2010. Besides, a Phantom coupe with different powertrain option is also on the cards. Rolls-Royce's new car RR4, a smaller ultra-luxury saloon than its current Phantom model, will be launched in India in the next two years.

According to a senior representative of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the new family will not compete with Phantom, but it will be the second most expensive in the world. He stated that the company has discerned a huge chunk of ultra-high net worth individuals in India, which make the market very impressive for it. He also added that it is scaling up its production capacity in England from 1,000 units to 3,000 units. A Rolls Royce dealer in Mumbai has claimed that it has already crossed its target of 8-10 units by June'08. The dealer is tipped to be receiving orders for another 10 units by the end of this year.

The number of high networth individuals earning over a million dollar in India is estimated at 50,000. Moreover, the market for super luxury cars in India is ballparked between 20-30 cars annually.

Bentley’s New Car in India

Though the economy is slowing down rapidly, luxury car company Bentley and many other companies like it still see India as a ‘key market’, and remain bullish on the market. ‘There is always somebody making money’, says Bentley’s MD for India on the sidelines of launch of its new model in India.



Bentley announced the launch of its new model, Continental Flying Spur, which can make 100kmph in 4.2 seconds and reach its top speed at 322kmph. The new model is priced at Rs. 2.5 crores (ex-showroom Delhi). Bentley hopes to sell at least 10 models in India. “We are looking at enhancing our range in India. All our future models will be simultaneously launched in India along with the global market,” said Chris Buxton, Regional Directors, Bentley Motors, (Middle East, Africa and India).

Amidst the ongoing economic crisis, major car manufacturers are experiencing a major slump in their sales and piling up of inventories at their manufacturing units and dealer locations. On the other hand, Bentley surprisingly has an order backlog of 30 cars in India. This is even more amazing considering the cost of their cars in India. It clearly shows that someone somewhere is still making money.

Volvo Car India launches special edition

Special edition Volvo cars to be showcased during ocean race.

As the Cochin Port is making all efforts to host the biggest yachting race in the world - Volvo Ocean Race - the Volvo Car India, a division of the Ford Motor Company, has announced the launch of special edition cars to add glamour to the largest sporting event.

Announcing the launch, Volvo Car India managing director Paul De Voijs said that the company would be showcasing these special edition cars on the event mainly because the Volvo Ocean Race reflects the values that our customers look for when they choose a car. It was all about an active lifestyle, adventure and passion, he said.

The new Volvo Ocean Race car edition encompasses three models: The Volvo V70, Volvo XC70 and Volvo XC90 in ocean blue and electric colours. The seven yachts participating in the race will arrive Kochi in December and they will remain here for 10 days.

Following the launch in India during September last year, around 100 Volvo cars had been sold so far. The company has set a target to sell 500 units by the end of this year, he said.

The luxury cars range between Rs 38 lakh and Rs 52 lakh.