Luxury car-maker BMW has prepared a blueprint for the third wave of its India strategy, and plans to treble its dealership network to 60 across the country by 2015, including touch points in Tier II, III and IV cities. Observing that the key to success in India lay in the choice of retail partner who helps build a network, Dr Andreas Schaaf, President, BMW India, said that going forward the company expects nearly 60 per cent of its sales to come from smaller towns. “At present, around 80 per cent of our sales are from the NCR and Mumbai regions, but we expect that to change,” he said. At present BMW has embarked upon the second wave of its India strategy under which it will expand its 24-strong dealer network to 40 by the end of 2012.
Dr Schaaf said that in the first six months of the year, BMW India sales had grown 92 per cent over those in the same period last year. One of the major drivers of the growth was the X1 introduced late last year that has sold 700 units so far. “This is because of shortage of supply (of CKD kits),” he said, adding that the situation was better in the second half of 2011, and delivery of the 1800 bookings for the SUV would start. Assembling of the X3 at Chennai had also begun and the vehicle will be launched by the end of the year, he said.
Earlier, BMW unveiled Bavaria Motors, its new showroom in Pune. The design is based on Reception at the Car (RATC) and Urban Street Display concept, which is a signature BMW layout. —