BMW, India’s second biggest luxury car maker by sales, on Thursday introduced the diesel BMW 6-Series Gran Turismo (GT) model to take on archrival and market leader Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo cars in Asia’s third biggest car mart.

The locally produced BMW 6-Series Gran Turismo at its Chennai factory is available in two trims called the Luxury Line and M Sport priced at Rs 66.50 lakh and Rs 73.70 lakh respectively.

The BMW 6 Series GT is meant to be the brand’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in India, which is only available in long-wheelbase form.

The Gurgaon-based German auto major said the cars will be available for sale at its dealerships across India from Thursday onwards, the company said in a statement.

BMW 6 Series GT was launched in India at Auto Expo 2018 with a petrol engine option with an announcement for launching a diesel variant at a later stage.

The company has now also announced that the current petrol variant of the BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo, the 630i will be available in a new Luxury Line trim starting July 2018 onwards. In this new design trim, the car will receive chrome design elements on the exterior along with fine-wood trim inside the cabin.

The BMW 6 Series GT is powered by a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder diesel engine that produces 265 bhp along with a peak torque of 620 Nm. Channelling power to the rear wheels is an eight-speed steptronic Sport automatic gearbox. The car sprints from 0 to 100 kmph in just 6.1 seconds.

The car also offers five driving modes namely Sport, Comfort, Comfort+, Eco Pro and Adaptive to suit different driving styles and preferences. The BMW 630d Gran Turismo also comes with a Launch Control feature as standard.

The new BMW 630d Gran Turismo offers features like control parking function with the help of which the driver can manoeuvre the vehicle into a narrow parking space standing outside using BMW display key. The smart key also displays service reminders, cabin temperature, mileage range and fuel level.

There is also a smartphone holder integrated into the centre console that allows wireless charging for mobile phones along with BMW display key.

The cabin of the new BMW 6-series GT diesel gets a two-part panorama glass roof, electrically operated sunblinds for rear side windows along with electrically operated adjustable rear seats with comfort cushions for the headrest.

“With the launch of the first-ever BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo, we have created a new segment in the Indian luxury car market,” Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, said.

The BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo immediately stands out from the crowd due to its striking presence and alluring coupe style. “With the trademark BMW driving pleasure and long-distance comfort, it creates an unrivalled experience for both the driver and passengers,” Pawah boasted.

michaelgonsalves@mydigitalfc.com