German luxury car maker BMW had stopped producing the 1 Series hatchback in India from the start of this calendar year. The move was initiated to focus on its sub-brand Mini in the entry-level luxury segment.
"Our sales this year do not include the 1 Series because we have stopped the production of that model. We felt it wasn't required as the Mini range can cater to that segment," ET Auto quoted Vikram Pawah, president, BMW Group India.
BMW is yet to officially announce the sales halt of the 1 Series and details of the car are also still on the website. Both are expected to happen once the existing stocks are cleared. Even without 1 Series, BMW's sales crossed 5,159 units in the first seven months of 2017. The number indicates that the sales are up by 11.7 per cent over last year and the company is bullish about the rest of the year. The Mini sales also saw a rise at 237 units this year, registering 17 per cent growth so far.
BMW had launched 1 Series in India in September 2013. One of the rare small cars still sticking with the rear-wheel drive set up, the model had received an update after two years. The hatchback is sold in only 118d Sport Line trim priced at Rs 30.30 lakh, ex-showroom pan-India.
On the other hand, the MINI range is now picking order after a slow start in the country. The small car brand of BMW currently sells models such as Mini Cooper, Mini Convertible, and Mini Clubman priced from Rs 29 lakh to Rs 37.9 lakh, ex-showroom pan-India.
In addition, BMW will launch 6 Series Gran Turismo and the new X3 SUV next year to bolster its presence in India.
