New need for new Bharat, disruptive products way to go: BMW's Vikram Pawah
BMW India raced to its best performance ever in 2024 but there is no time to rest.
The luxury car and bikes' market in the country has expanded considerably in recent years with two main rivals battling it out for a more prominent say. Mercedes-Benz India and BMW Group India have both never had it this good here and with all indications of an even more lucrative 2025 in the offing, expect the momentum in sales to continue gathering steam. But what has suddenly changed that is bringing in more Indian customers to the luxury vehicle segment?
For Vikram Pawah, BMW Group India President and CEO, the spurt in sales is largely due to a more aspirational India looking at driving the best that the market has to offer instead of pushing back plans. He should know because his company posted its best-ever annual car sales at 15,721 units, a 11 per cent growth. BMW Motorrad sold 8,301 motorcycle in the last calendar year. “People want to have more luxury products. India is becoming more aspirational, more ambitious, more demanding in what they want,” he told HT Auto at the sidelines of Auto Expo 2025. “For me, that's the focus point - how do we address the need of the new Bharat. There is clearly a new need for a new Bharat and I am happy we are addressing that part now.”
(Also read: Complete coverage of Auto Expo 2025)
Pawah further stressed the need to have disruptive products in the fray to satiate the needs for evolving customers in the country. At Auto Expo 2025, BMW launched five products across the BMW, BMW Motorrad and MINI brands. The main showstoppers here were the BMW iX1 Long Wheelbase, the updated BMW X3 and the BMW R 1300 GS Adventure bike. “I can tell you that in just 24 hours since launch, the feedback and the bookings we are getting for the iX1 LWB is phenomenal. This is because it is exactly addressing the need of what people want. We have launched it after a lot of research on how the society is evolving, especially the new generation," Pawah explained.
So is the luxury EV battle all but won? BMW has a 43 per cent share in the luxury EV space and while Pawah has always taken special pride in iX SUV being the country's best-selling luxury EV, he specifically pointed to the i7 sedan being his company's top performer in 2024. “All of our EV models adress very specific needs. At the top are the iX and i7 and both continue to fare extremely well. The iX1 too has been very well received by first-time buyers and the iX1 LWB will further help the model grow.”
Asked to gaze into the crystal ball for the upcoming year, Pawah concluded that he is confident of BMW racing its way to another record year.
