Rumour: BMW 1-Series to start at 21 lakh rupees in India?

BMW is all set to launch its least priced luxury car model in India, the 1-Series hatchback. The car will compete with the Mercedes Benz A-Class and B-Class hatchbacks, and is due for an official launch on September 3rd, 2013. The hatchback is already being previewed for a select group of prospective buyers even as bookings have commenced.

With just a week to go before the official launch and price announcement of the 1-Series, the leaks seem to have begun in full earnest. MotorBeam reports that the 1-Series hatchback's pricing will start from 21 lakh rupees. This ex-showroom Delhi price figure is for the 116i petrol engined model of the car, which comes with a 1.6 liter turbo petrol motor that outputs 136 Bhp-220 Nm.

Similarly, the base model of the diesel engined 118d 1-Series is said to be priced at 22.90 lakh rupees while the top end Sports Line 118d diesel variant comes in at 29.93 lakh rupees. The diesel powered 1-Series is powered by a 2 liter motor that outputs 143 Bhp-320 Nm. This very engine is available in 184 Bhp-380 Nm guise, on BMW cars such as the X1, 3-Series, 5-Series and X3 models. 

Both engines get an 8 speed automatic gearbox as standard, driving the rear wheels of the car. While the petrol powered model comes with an ARAI rated fuel efficiency figure of 16.28 Kmpl, the same figure for the diesel engine is 20.58 Kmpl. BMW India plans to project the driving dynamics of the 1-Series through Dynamic1 events held at different Indian cities.

These events will emphasize on the front engine-rear wheel drive layout, and the better driving dynamics it offers over say, a front engine-front wheel drive layout. Notably, the 1-Series's prime competitors in India, the Mercedes Benz A-Class and B-Class hatchbacks, come with a front wheel drive layout. Similarly, future competition for the car, the Audi A3 sedan, is also expected to come with a front wheel drive layout. 

The 1-Series hatchback will be assembled at BMW India's Chennai factory, through the completely knocked down (CKD) kit route. With BMW being relegated to third place in the Indian luxury car segment, in terms of 2013 sales, the car maker will be betting big on the 1-Series, a car that could be the next big volumes spinner for the brand, in the lines of the X1 crossover.