BMW's MINI brand, which made its debut in India recently at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo, seems to have gained from the exposure it got from the movie Players. The film involved MINI Cooper cars in many scenes and at key plot points, using them as getaway cars after the heist. This helped BMW, the German luxury car maker, introduce the marquee to the Indian masses, giving them a glimpse of the luxury features of the iconic compact car.
Internationally, the renowned MINI cars compete with Fiat 500 and Volkswagen Beetle. The company made full use of the publicity it got from Players to make its mark among the target audience before being unveiled at the recently concluded 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo, where it received immense success. While its competitors have been present in the domestic market for quite some time, they have not been able to create the sensation in the market that they were expected to. However, the MINI marquee has certainly set the stage on fire, with 100 bookings in just 6 days at the Auto Expo. On the other hand, 59 Beetles were ordered in April-December 2011 and only 1 Fiat 500 was sold in 2010-2011.
The company is importing each unit of MINI that it will deliver to the buyers, so potential buyers need to order their preferred car in advance. The entire line-up of the company, which includes MINI Cooper hatchback, MINI Cooper Convertible, MINI Cooper Coupe and MINI Clubman, was showcased at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo. These vehicles are brought to India as Completely Built Units (CBUs), which makes them quite expensive. The prices of MINI cars in India are expected to be in the range of Rs. 25 lacs and Rs. 37 lacs. It is expected that the manufacturer will start delivering the cars booked at the Expo in April 2012.
According to a company official, “We can sell around 200 units in the first year, as these models are all imported and orders have to be placed many months in advance. The highest demand is for the Countryman SUV and convertible variants.”
The unanticipated success of the brand will help BMW further consolidate its strong position in the domestic market and ward off growing competition from the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Audi in India.
