BMW sees strong demand for sedans despite SUV growth

BMW will soon be introducing the all-new X3 and X7 to address the demand for SUVs, but the brand remains confident of the market popularity of sedans. Vikram Pawah, president, BMW Group India said, “The Sports Activity Vehicles (SAV), as we call them, are getting popular and that’s why the new X1 is doing very well. Similarly, we are seeing traction with the X3. But sedans continue to remain popular and we are seeing a lot of demand for it from corporate executives.”

The recently launched, all-new BMW 5-series is the latest example of the company’s focus towards making luxury sedans. In fact, according to Pawah, it is the model with which BMW plans to consolidate its foothold in the executive sedan segment, and for good reason. The previous 5-series accounted for nearly 30 percent of all BMWs sold in India last year. And hence, the new 5 is likely to be a strong contender as well.

While the new 5-series will rival luxury limos like the Volvo S90, the Jaguar XF and the Audi A6, BMW will take the fight to the stretched-out Mercedes-Benz E-class with its all-new 6-series GT. It’s a larger, more stylish, more comfortable and practical version of the new 5-series that will hit showrooms in early 2018. BMW will produce the 6-series GT out of its Chennai plant, and is expected to price it around Rs 60-70 lakh (estimated, ex-showroom).

BMW will follow the 6-series GT with the seventh-gen 3-series, which it says will not just be more dynamic, but will also match the C-class for refinement. Though, it won’t be until 2019 that we get to see the new BMW 3-series.