Few days back, BMW announced that its Indian operation will break even this year. Here’s yet another announcement which will certainly create ripples in Indian Auto industry. “We have far exceeded our performance in India with 1,387 units sold last year. As we get closer to Mercedes, you can imagine we have in our sight that we want to overtake Mercedes, whether we do it in 2009 or 2010 we will have to see,” BMW Director Region Asia Pacific David Panton told. He said the Indian customers have accepted the BMW brand well and the company’s future growth in the country would depend upon how the market develops. In 2007, BMW revised its sales target twice and finally ended with selling 1,387 units. At present, BMW assembles 3-series and 5-series in Chennai plant and offers X3,X5, M3 coupe,M5 sedan,M6 Convertible and BMW 6 series individual and BMW 7 series individual as CBU. For the year 2008, BMW plans to sell 2,000 units in the India. To reach the target, BMW will expand its dealer network to 12 from the present nine outlets over the 2008. BMW would also make an announcement on a possible launch of mini brand in Indian market. BMW is also planning to set up a first-of-its- kind company-owned brand display studio in India.
Mercedes which launched new c-class in India recently, plans to sell as many as 3,000 Merc’s in the current calendar year. Mercedes has been assembling cars in India since the mid 90’s and sold 2,491 units in the country in 2007.