The BMW Group has unveiled four new vehicles for 2024, which include two Mini Cooper models, a luxury sedan, and an electric scooter, with the launch event held on Wednesday. These introductions include the new 8th generation BMW 5 Series luxury sedan, which has previously been showcased in India. This series now features a long-wheelbase version configured for right-hand driving, a first for India, with a price tag of INR 72.90 lakh.
For the first time, the BMW 5 Series is offered in a long-wheelbase guise rather than the standard-wheelbase in the country. India is the first market to receive this long-wheelbase luxury sedan with a right-hand side driving configuration.
The BMW 5 Series sports a redesigned exterior with new headlamps, taillamps, a larger grille, and a more curvaceous silhouette compared to its predecessor. Its interior is equipped with upgraded features, including a 14.9-inch touchscreen display, the latest iDrive 8.5 with an enhanced interface, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Rounding out BMW’s new introductions is the CE 04 Electric Scooter, priced at INR 14.90 lakh (ex showroom). This scooter marks BMW’s first scooter launch in India and currently stands as the most expensive scooter in the Indian market.
The CE 04 scooter includes features such as full LED lighting, a 10.25-inch TFT colour screen, built-in navigation and connectivity, three riding modes, a Type-C charging port, and additional options like traction control, ABS, and an electronic reverse version.
BMW states, “The scooter is equipped with an 8.9 kWh battery, generating a peak power output of 41 bhp and maximum torque of 62 Nm.”
According to BMW, “The CE 04 can accelerate from 0 to 50 kmph in 2.6 seconds and is electronically capped at a top speed of 120 kmph.”
BMW estimates the e-scooter will have a range of 130 km on a full charge.
Deliveries of the CE 04 Electric Scooter in India will commence in September 2024.
The launch also included two new Mini Cooper models. The 4th generation Mini Cooper S hatchback, which debuted globally in September last year, and though available as both EV and ICE internationally, is currently available only in the ICE variant in India. The Mini Cooper S is priced at INR 44.90 lakh (ex showroom) and maintains much of its evolutionary design, along with new exterior elements such as headlamps, taillamps, and an octagonal grille.
Inside, the Mini Cooper S features a round display that functions as both an infotainment system and an instrument cluster, handling almost all in-car controls. The interior adopts a more minimalist design when compared to previous versions. The vehicle is powered by a familiar 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which now delivers improved outputs of 201 bhp and 300 Nm of torque, a significant increase from its predecessor. This power is transferred to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, enabling the Cooper S to go from 0 to 100 kmph in 6.6 seconds.
The second Mini Cooper model introduced is the Countryman Electric, offered exclusively as an EV in India at INR 54.90 lakh (ex showroom). This model features a radically new exterior design, including headlamps outlined by DRLs, a black finished octagonal enclosed grille, new C-shaped LED tail lamps, a head-up display in place of the traditional instrument console, and a minimalist interior design.
Globally, the Countryman Electric is available in two variants: the single-motor Countryman E, which produces 201 bhp and 250 Nm, and the dual-motor Countryman ALL4, with 309 bhp and 494 Nm. However, only the single-motor variant with a range of up to 462 km is available in India, powered by a 66.45 kWh battery pack.
These new additions from BMW underline their commitment to offering a range of luxury and performance vehicles tailored to market-specific needs and advancements in technology.
