BMW India ended the year on a high note by introducing the XM plug-in hybrid SUV and the locally made M340i xDrive. 2022 turned out to be a record year for the automotive conglomerate as deliveries to customers rose to 11,981 units, including MINIs. It represents a jump in demand of 34.9% compared to the year before. The core BMW brand sold 11,268 cars or 36.8% more than in the January-December 2021 interval while MINI shipped 713 vehicles (+11.4%).
To the surprise of no one, SUVs were the driving force behind BMW’s sales boom. Models like the X1, X3, X5, and X7 accounted for more than 60% of the total deliveries, while the 3 Series, 5 Series, and the 6 Series Gran Turismo (yes, it’s still around) were also in high demand. Because of the strong interest expressed by customers, some models have a waiting time of up to six months.
As far as MINI is concerned, the bulk of the sales came from the Countryman. Manufactured in India, the posh crossover generated 41% of the total sales, followed by the Hatch (38%) and the Convertible (21%).
BMW’s motorcycle division also had a great 2022 as Motorrad India increased sales by 40% to 7,282 units. The G 310 R, G 310 RR, and the G 310 GS achieved a 90% share in motorcycle sales while other popular products were the S 1000 RR, R 1250 GS / GSA, and the C 400 GT scooter.
Back in March 2022, BMW celebrated an important milestone after assembling the #100,000 vehicle in India. It was an Individual 740Li M Sport Edition based on the previous-generation flagship model. The company builds a dozen of BMWs there at the Chennai factory, as small as the 2 Series Gran Coupe and as large as the X7 fullsize SUV.
Last year, BMW India introduced a plethora of “50 Jahre M Edition” cars to mark half a century of the M division. However, not all of them were actual M cars as most vehicles were just regular models equipped with the M Sport Package and a few extras.
Source: BMW