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S. Muralidhar

Munich , Sept.17

BMW's plans for India don't end with the 3 Series and the 5 Series models. Reiterating its big expectations from the market in India, BMW officials add that the company is also considering extremely niche products like the Mini Cooper for a possible launch.

Of the models that will surely make it here, though, as completely built units (CBUs) are the BMW X5 and X3 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and the 7 Series models - the biggest and most luxurious car from the BMW stable.

The new BMW X5 SUV, which is yet to be debuted worldwide, is expected to be introduced in India by June next year, in a simultaneous launch along with the other right hand drive markets.

BMW is also considering the Mini brand for the Indian market, but company officials said that the market is still being evaluated for gauging the potential for these cars.

The Mini Cooper is an iconic high performance, premium small car in many markets of the world and was a British brand that was acquired by BMW. But with the possibility of its pricing being many times over the currently available small cars in India, the target group for the Mini will be a niche, brand-aware group of buyers.

Evaluation on

BMW India's President, Mr Kronschnabl, said that the Mini might be launched in India. Currently, it is still being evaluated and a launch may only be possible by early 2009, he said.

To make their cars suitable for the Indian market and the ambient conditions that exist on Indian roads and usage conditions, BMW has worked out a package of changes for the India-specific models being planned.

They will include the addition of a second petrol filter, an extra air filter, an increase in the ground clearance by 17 to 18 mm, a protective plate under the engine to protect it from damage by loose gravel and reinforced shock absorbers to handle the relatively poor road conditions.

Also, BMW plans to reduce the service intervals to 10,000 km, instead of the 25,000 km service intervals that is the norm in other advanced markets.

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BMW reveals plan for Indian market

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