BMW India has made some major announcements today. The first - BMW India now offers BS6 variants for its complete product portfolio. Second - BMW Group Plant Chennai has gotten on with local production of BSVI diesel vehicles well ahead of timeline. This has started BMW 5 Series, and BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo.

The company has also revealed that "The new BS VI avatar of the segment best-seller BMW X1 will also hit the shop-floor of BMW Group Plant Chennai soon." As per Govt of India, BSVI vehicles are mandated for use from April 1, 2020 onward.

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In the luxury segment, BMW India is a first mover when it comes to offering BSVI petrol variants across all models. As with all things new, BSVI variants now cost upto 6 percent more than BSIV variants. The petrol portfolio is already BS VI compliant, and diesel portfolio will be converted ahead of stipulated timelines.

For now, BMW India is offering BSIV and BSVI variants for models launched in 2019. Both these are offered at same prices currently. But from 2020, BMW India will increase BSVI variant prices by up to 6 percent. As is the trend, for now BSIV models are being offered in limited stocks with specially crafted financial offers. This could mean an uptick in sales for the months that BSIV stocks last.

BMW India sales decline at the end of the January-September 2019 period stood at 11 percent at 7,049 units sold. In the backdrop of complete sales slowdown, BMW India has had a positive response to its X7 SUV. Though the orderbook remains undisclosed, X7 is sold out for the year and this happened during past month's festive season, within three month's of launch.

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Rudratej Singh, President and Chief Executive Officer, BMW Group India said, "2019 has been exciting for us as our new product portfolio has triggered remarkable traction in the luxury car market. Early start of BS VI production is a strategic call we are taking to meet the unprecedented demand for our new products.

Today, BMW India customers have the choice of buying a BS VI car across the entire product portfolio. The present BMW range is extremely attractive because of its unique position with latest products, newest technology as well as superbly attractive ownership packages on limited stocks of BS IV variants."