BMW launches all-new MINI Convertible priced Rs34.9 lakh

Following the successful run of its MINI premium small car brand in India, German luxury car maker BMW has introduced the all-new MINI Convertible in the country with an ex-showroom price of Rs34.9 lakh.

The MINI Convertible features a soft top that closes and opens in 18 seconds and dealerships across India are selling it as a Completely Built-Up unit (CBU), according to BMW.

BMW has dealerships in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad and is opening a dealership in Chennai with the increasing demand for MINI in India, The Hindu quoted a top company official as saying.

Philipp von Sahr, president, BMW Group India, said, ''The all-new MINI Convertible is unapologetically outgoing. It is for those MINI fans who like the thrill of open air driving. I am sure the introduction of this variant will increase the sale of MINI in India.''

''We are looking at adding a dealership in one more city by the end of this year,'' he said.

MINI was launched in India in January 2012 and since then sales had clocked 300 to 400 MINI cars a year. Last year sales fell 3 per cent with the company selling 340 units.

"When we introduced MINI in 2012, we never thought that it will be so well accepted in India where people like big cars with cheap prices. MINI is exactly the opposite and despite that it was accepted in this market and we are overwhelmed by the response," Shar told The Hindu.

BMW is now open to local assembly when it reaches a critical mass in sales.

"We can look at local assembly here when we reach a critical mass in sales volume. That can happen some years down the line," PYTI quoted BMW group India president Philipp von Sahr as saying. He did not offer more details.

With an assembly line in Chennai, BMW India makes eight models in the country.