Stepping up the pace in a growth market: MINI begins local production at the Chennai plant in India.

April 18, 2013 - PRLog -- Chennai. A new chapter is set to be written in MINI’s global success story as cars from the British premium brand roll off an assembly line outside Europe for the first time.

The BMW Group today announced commencement of local production of MINI Countryman at the BMW plant near Chennai (formerly Madras), India. The vehicles manufactured at BMW Plant Chennai will fulfill the same quality standards that apply to production of BMW Group models worldwide. The new MINI local production facility has been brought on stream just a year after the start of MINI sales in India and will help to meet the steadily increasing demand.

The locally produced MINI Countryman will be introduced in two diesel variants for the first time in India - MINI Cooper D Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman High.

A new petrol variant of MINI ONE Countryman will also be produced at BMW Plant Chennai.

The other petrol variants of the MINI Countryman - MINI Cooper S Countryman and MINI Cooper S Countryman High – will be imported in India as Completely Built-up Units (CBU). The MINI (MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S) and MINI Convertible (MINI Cooper Convertible) will be imported in India as Completely Built-up Units (CBU) in petrol variants.

The ex-showroom prices (INR) of the MINI cars in India are as follows –

MINI

MINI Cooper          :          26,60,000

MINI Cooper S          :          29,90,000

MINI Convertible      

MINI Cooper Convertible          :          32,50,000

MINI Countryman          

MINI ONE Countryman*          :          23,50,000

MINI Cooper D Countryman*          :          25,60,000

MINI Cooper D Countryman High*          :          28,90,000

MINI Cooper S Countryman          :          34,20,000

MINI Cooper S Countryman High          :          37,50,000

Note: Price prevailing at the time of delivery will be applicable. Delivery will be made ‘ex-showroom’.  Ex-showroom price excludes Road tax, RTO statutory taxes/ fees, insurance and Octroi (if applicable). Prices and options are subject to change without prior notice. For further information, please contact your local authorized Dealer. * Locally produced

India is the 100th market in the global MINI sales network and has become increasingly significant for the BMW Group since establishing its presence in India from 2007. From January 2012, MINI has continued to grow its presence in India and has established five exclusive outlets across Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.  

In line with its strategy “Production follows the market”, the BMW Group’s decision to carry out local production of the MINI Countryman responds to the burgeoning interest for innovative and high-quality vehicle concepts in the Indian market. With the production of MINI Countryman at the BMW Plant Chennai, MINI is the first premium small car to be locally manufactured in India and expects significant growth over the medium and long term.

In March 2007, BMW India officially opened its production plant in Chennai in the Tamil Nadu region of India. The BMW Plant Chennai is spread over an area of 40 acres at the Mahindra World City which is located 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Chennai. The BMW Plant Chennai produces the BMW 3 Series, the BMW 5 Series, the BMW X1 and the BMW X3. In 2013, the BMW Plant Chennai will also produce the BMW 7 Series and the BMW 1 Series.

State-of-the-art machine technology, highly skilled employees and advanced manufacturing processes provide all the necessary ingredients for the production of premium cars to the highest quality standards.