autoX Awards 2023: India is a Family Driven Market, Says Vikram Pawah, President & CEO, BMW Group India

These (BMW i7 and BMW S 1000 RR) are two very different machines in terms of character, but both have a BMW badge on them. So, what’s the DNA that binds them?

I think for BMW the DNA is fairly simple: Joy. Every machine that we make has to have that essence of joy – be it our cars that deliver sheer driving pleasure or our bikes that make you feel like ‘I want to make life a ride.’ So, I think the i7 is now showing you that joy means electric, while the S 1000 RR has always been a racetrack-favourite.

You’ve seen so much demand for your EVs. So, is there still a place for an ICE-powered flagship when you’ve got cars like the i7 in the portfolio?

There is a flagship ICE as well. We promised customers that no matter what price point we’re at, we would provide them the power of choice – and they will have electric, and they will have a traditional petrol engine, a diesel engine, and maybe if India requires it even a plug-in hybrid. If you look at the 7 Series, it’s now available in petrol, diesel and electric. So, yes, we’re living up to the promise of making sure that we have the right drivetrains for our customers.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gsiZg-l7JU

Is there a plan to bring plug-in hybrids into India?

We’ll bring them in if there’s a demand for it. At the moment, based on the taxation structure, there’s no benefit for the customer. Since the customer has to shell out more, I don’t see the cost economics working for it at present.

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What next for Motorrad in India?

Well, we created that market five or six years ago. So, the 310 RR, the 310 R and the 310 GS are fantastic products. They do really well, are still the leaders in those segments, and we’re really happy that people have followed us into these segments as well. But what we’re seeing now over the last five years is that people are migrating upwards. So, we see growth not only in the entry-level segment but also in what we call our core bikes, at about 500cc’s and up. So, it’s a fantastic transition that’s happening in the country.

Looking ahead at 2024, it seems that there’s a lot of geopolitical volatility at the moment in the world. Do you think this will have any impact on the Indian market?

I think, at the moment, we see that India is in a very stable situation. Be it on an economic front, from a growth perspective, from a political stability perspective or even a socioeconomic and geopolitical perspective. And that’s why we see good demand in the Indian market, which I expect will continue. Of course, it always depends on the products that you launch and the excitement that you can create. So, for us at least, I expect it’s going to be a fantastic 2024.

Also Read: autoX Awards 2023: BMW i7 Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

How has the Indian customer changed in the last decade, and is brand as important as it used to be or is it now more a case of the latest or greatest product that’s currently available?

For India, we have to acknowledge that we are a different value-driven market. Our society of values is different than the rest of the world, and we are proud of being Indian – and you can see these values being projected at a global level in various forums. So, for me, I think the practicality of the product comes first, and then the brand. And that’s exactly what we are delivering now, be it electric vehicles, be it luxury vehicles, be it entry-level vehicles, you would see that they are very practical for Indian customers and for our families – because we’re still a family-driven society, not an individual-driven society. Plus, we can see a lot of people actually getting into premium now, and I keep on giving this example that three-fourths of the customers who buy the X1 today are actually first-time premium buyers, and that shows what a new product can do that caters to the Indian market from the perspective of technology, space, power and fuel economy – which is an important factor for Indian customers, even in the premium segment.

You’ve had a big year in 2023, is there another big year expected in 2024?

Always! We are on a growth path. After the end of September, when we had a record 3 quarters and record September sales, I made the statement that we’re heading for a record 2023 for sure. We’re writing a growth story here, and I think this growth story is yet to be finished.