Thrilling time ahead for the Indian buyers
BMW has embarked on the greatest global product offensive in its history. We have already seen a few new models in the past few months and we’ll be seeing a lot more in the coming months.
Not only is it filling gaps and adding new models to its product line-up but is also expanding the field, with new top-of-the-line X series placed above the X6 and the
7-series. At the other end of the spectrum will be the compact sedan that will sit below the 3-series and of course the next generation
3-series. With the X2, BMW has already filled the void for a small
SUV and below the X1 is the Mini Countryman, so a bottom end SUV may be ruled out. But there’s also the i brand which should also be seeing its third member in this product offensive. Exciting times ahead for all buyers though it remains to be seen how many of the new models we will get in India and when? The X4 though is confirmed and we were out to drive that as well as the i8 Roadster.
Meanwhile, a lot was expected from the Toyota Yaris and even though in its initial days the sedan has failed to set the sales charts ablaze, we pit it against the main competition and see how it fares. Toyota has such good brand value that half the job of sales is already done when the badge is put on the car. So if a product doesn’t succeed there’s plenty going wrong. The company has tried it both ways—by tailor-making a sedan for India and then by getting a somewhat global product and loading it up for India. It seems to have got both wrong and one just needs to look at the markets to get an answer.
We have a slew of new cars that we’ve driven in this issue and apart from the regulars we pit two of the best scooters in the market, Grazia from Honda and Ntorq from TVS against each other. Looking at these two, one could think that the scooter market is finally getting some serious attention after years of neglect.
Enjoy this issue of AUTO TODAY, watch us on TV and follow us on our newly-launched YouTube channel. As always ride and drive safe.