Where too much is just right!
Revelling in the celebration of BMW’s finest at the JoyTown festival
TALK TO ANYBODY WHO KNOWS their cars and you will notice they hold BMWs in high regard. Few have managed to straddle the line between luxury and driving pleasure like the Bavarian marque has, and the ludicrous amount of time we’ve spent kicking the tail out and getting sideways with the likes of the M340i to the mighty M5 and M8 is enough to indicate that we harbour a soft spot for the carmaker’s offerings.
But the BMW Group isn’t just holding a single ace up its sleeve. BMW Motorrad has some of the most capable off-road machines on two wheels in its model lineup… and Mini? Well it needs no introduction, does it? Now reborn as a lifestyle brand, Mini makes some of the most rewarding driver’s cars one can lay their paws on. And it wouldn’t hurt if you could experience these very cool brands under a single roof, with good music joining the fray. That was precisely what happened at the BMW JoyTown festival, the first edition of which was kicked off in Delhi.
BMW JoyTown is essentially a two-day lifestyle experience celebrating all the brands in the BMW Group fold at a common venue, making it India’s first-ever music and driving festival. The Delhi edition was held at the JLN Stadium, and the JoyTown festival will be held in Mumbai by the time this issue goes to print and in Bengaluru soon after that.
The JoyTown festival had dedicated zones showcasing each of the different brands in the BMW Group’s fold, and it had dedicated pavilions for the different cars as well. For instance, BMW’s high-horsepower offerings such as the brand new M4 and M5 from its storied M Division got their own dedicated space. As did BMW’s SUVs and their luxury sedans. The day was also one buzzing with activity, with precision drivers and riders treating us to generous doses of tyre smoke from the M cars and the G 310 R bikes as they proceeded to thrill the audience present in a gymkhana, while a dance troupe enthralled the crowds at the Mini zone.
BMW also chose the JoyTown festival to launch not one but three new products. The first of them was the all-new S 1000 RR at `20.25 lakh at the Motorrad zone. The litreclass superbike received a comprehensive update over its predecessor in the form of better aero and technological advancements. There was no time to pore over the details however, as BMW proceeded to launch the facelifted M340i sedan and the first-ever BMW XM SUV at the event in quick succession. Prices for the updated M340i start at `69.2 lakh ― the same price as before, and the updates it received were limited to subtle cosmetic changes on the exterior that made it a lot more sporty and refreshed interiors with a new infotainment screen and gear selector. The XM on the other hand, is a hybrid SUV launched for the first time in India, and the first-ever individual BMW M model since the very first M1, was launched at a price of `2.6 crore. The XM stands out in the midst of BMW’s entire model lineup, and it was only fitting that the head-turner was displayed prime and centre at the BMW JoyTown event.
The festivities truly came into their own as the evening wore on, with the musical acts for the evening livening up the main stage. Sound Avatar was warming up the crowds on the day I visited, and the likes of singers such as Amit Trivedi and Arjun Kanungo were slated to perform the following day! JoyTown also featured a dedicated hospitality area that offered lip-smacking snacks to gorge on, but for a BMW fanboy such as myself, the highlight was definitely seeing the cars and bikes in action ― everything else was a bonus! JoyTown is all set to head to Bengaluru next, and I highly recommend that you make time for this BMW Group celebration, where too much, is just right. ⌧
THE FIRST EDITION OF JOYTOWN KICKED OFF IN DELHI