German makers such as BMW, the Volkswagen group and Mercedes-Benz are already mulling their official position on the matter, with their Indian subsidiaries briefing global headquarters about the new tax regime that has been announced by the Indian govt last week, sources told TOI.
The plant now manufactures four models with three drive types by two brands, all on a single production line: the BMW 1 Series, the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (including the plug-in hybrid version), the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the MINI Countryman in both its fully electric and combustion-powered versions.
The service will be available for BMW vehicles with BMW Operating System 8, 8.5 and 9 with the option Personal eSIM (SA6PA). Depending on the vehicle model, the Personal eSIM enables the in-vehicle WiFi-Hotspot, first-row video streaming services and in the case of 7 series vehicles equipped with the BMW Theatre Screen, a wide variety of entertainment powered by Amazon Fire TV.
He will be succeeded by Julian Jenkins, former Regional Director and General Manager, Sales Operations, on March1, 2024.
The new BMW 7 Series Protection offers customised protection from attacks with firearms or explosives for at-risk individuals. It has been classified as offering class VR9 protection based on the internationally recognised official test criteria of Germany's Association of Test Laboratories for Attack-Resistant Materials and Constructions (VPAM), the company said.
"We understood that when electric vehicles were driven no emissions were produced," the Advertising Standards Authority wrote about a Google ad for BMW seen in August 2023.
Thomas Girst, global head of cultural engagement at BMW Group, believes India should do more for contemporary art. He is in the country for India Art Fair 2024, where BMW is the principal partner. Girst explains that their involvement in art is not purely altruistic, but also for the brand's image and reputation. BMW has been active in arts for 50 years and sees the art market as a USD 60-billion business. They collaborate with young artist Shashikanth Thavudoz and emphasize the importance of corporate social responsibility.
BMW aims to expand in India's emerging electric car market and target rich consumers in the country. The automaker expects electric vehicles to represent 25% of its sales in India by 2025. Currently, BMW sells five electrified models in India, the most among all carmakers. Despite the small size of India's EV market and price-conscious consumers' reluctance to buy expensive battery-powered cars without subsidies, global carmakers are increasingly interested in the Indian market due to slowing demand in Europe and the US. Volkswagen and Tesla are also eyeing expansion in India.
The group said in an earnings preview that it expects net profit for last year to fall between 29 and 31 billion yuan (USD 4.1 to 4.4 billion dollars) -- an increase of between 74.5 and 86.5% as compared with the year before, the company said.
Figure's humanoids will be deployed in BMW's manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the largest automotive exporter in the U.S., which currently employees 11,000 people. They will be integrated into the manufacturing processes including the body shop, sheet metal and warehouse in the next 12-24 months, after being trained to perform specific tasks.
Luxury car sales in India reached a record high of 42,731 units in 2023, up 20% YoY. The increase is attributed to a lifestyle change after Covid-19, with younger professionals opting for high-end cars. The trend is expected to continue due to rising disposable income levels. The growth potential of this segment is significant, given the low penetration of the segment.
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