PC: India Today
German luxury carmaker BMW, which is gunning for the leadership slot in the domestic luxury car market, on Thursday launched the updated Mini Countryman SUV at Rs 34.9-41.4 lakh for the two petrol variants and Rs 37.4 lakh for the sole diesel variant.
The Countryman was earlier imported from Germany but this time BMW has decided to assemble it at its Chennai factory. The outgoing model was available only in diesel and was priced at Rs 36.5 lakh. The company will begin the deliveries of the second generation model in India from next month.
"The all-new MINI Countryman is built for adventure and an ideal companion for city trips to country getaways and long journeys," said Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India. "The second generation of the MINI Countryman represents a more distinctive and mature proposition of an ultimate all-rounder with ample space for you and your family. It is a perfect fit for an urban environment offering unique driving comfort, refined interiors and clever functionality. Every road marks the beginning of a new chapter, whether it's a winding country road or the bustle of the city, now you can truly unleash your inner adventurer."
The car is powered by a 2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with a peak output of 192 hp and a maximum torque of 280 Nm torque. It sprints to 100 km/hr in 7.5 seconds and the top speed is 225 km/hr. The 4-cylinder diesel engine generates a peak output of 190 hp and a maximum torque of 400 Nm torque, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/hr in 7.7 seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/hr.
BMW has been on a product offensive this year - Countryman is the fifth launch, as it looks to reinforce its position in the market. It had ended Mercedes Benz's long time leadership in the country in 2009 but was displaced from the perch by Audi in 2013.
In calendar year 2017, Mercedes Benz held the top spot in the luxury car market in the country with sales of 15,300 units followed by BMW at 9,800 units and Audi at 7,876 units.
The overall luxury car segment in India grew by nearly 17 percent in 2017, the fastest in five years at just under 40,000 units. The growth came after a bad year in 2016 when industry volumes had declined for the first time ever due to the ban on diesel engines at the start of the year.