The BMW 3-series GT was launched at the Auto Expo 2014 at a price of Rs 42.75 lakh for the 320d variant. The 328i petrol variant will be launched later this year. BMW will produce this car at its plant in Chennai and it will go on sale in March. The 3 GT is essentially a slightly longer version of the regular BMW 3-series sedan. The longer wheelbase has freed up quite a bit of room in the cabin, especially at the rear seats. The rear seats also recline, a feature that’s definitely going to appeal to the chauffeur-driven. The 3 GT comes with a lift-back boot (like the one on the Skoda Superb) and a massive 520 litres of boot space, that expands to 1,600 litres with the seats folded.
Also on display was the BMW i8, which will be brought here as a CBU and go on sale at the end of the year. The BMW i8 is quite literally one of the best looking hybrid cars available today. It combines the benefits of an electric motor and petrol engine and BMW’s legendary driving dynamics to offer as exciting a drive as possible. The 96kW (128.7bhp) electric motor sends power to the front wheels, while the rear wheels draw power from a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol 228bhp engine. Combined, the two motors are good for 357bhp. BMW claims the i8 gets to 100kph in a super quick 4.4 seconds and hits a top speed of 250kph. The passenger cell is made from carbon-fibre and a lot of aluminium has been used in the car’s structure.
The BMW M6 Gran Coupé was also present at the Auto Expo 2014. The company says it will launch the car by mid-2014 and they will be brought here as CBUs.
BMW also showcased its all-new X5 that, for the first time, features a smaller 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine. The new car is noticeably larger than its predecessor, but thanks to various weight-saving measures, it’s actually lighter than the current car. It’s still a seven-seater, and the interior has now been updated with the latest range of BMW’s tech. The engine range will continue to be made up of the company’s famous petrol and diesel straight sixes and the petrol V8, along with the inclusion of the four-cylinder engine. The X5 xDrive25d uses the same 218bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine as the new 525d, and it’s the torque from this twin-turbo motor combined with the eight-speed automatic gearbox that makes all the difference. As we’ve seen with the hugely successful Mercedes ML 250 CDI, most Indian buyers are happy to opt for the more affordable, more fuel efficient, smaller engine option, even on a big luxury SUV such as this.