Word: indias
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...form. Those who want a stylish ride pay for it dearly: import duties of more than 100% essentially double the sticker price of all foreign cars. To get around that, BMW and Mercedes assemble some of their models locally, cutting the taxes in half. When BMW first arrived in India, it discovered that the customers who could afford a luxury car were not used to going out of their way to buy it, says Peter Kronschnabl, president of BMW India. In the past, a car would be sent to the home of a prospective buyer, who would decide...
...What automakers have found in India is a country just entering the age of motorization, where still only 1% of the 1 billion-plus population owns a car. Although India trails the world's largest emerging car market - China - its sheer size gives it untapped potential that carmakers can't ignore. A decade ago, Mercedes-Benz was the only luxury-car brand in India. In 2006, BMW opened up shop, and it was soon joined by Audi. Though high-end business still only constitutes 0.5% of the overall Indian car market, the brands are already selling more cars than...
...numbers in absolute terms remain small: only 9,000 of the 1.8 million cars sold in India last year were luxury vehicles, but so far the slow and steady approach is paying off. "For all of these companies like Rolls-Royce and Lamborghini, sales have exceeded expectations," says Blokland. "They're all very happy with the sales they've done here...
...Tapping into India's car market has always been a challenge for foreign automakers. Despite India's blistering economy, manufacturers have discovered a historic preference for cars that are small, fuel-efficient and cheap. The sensation that is the Nano is well-known; its unveiling two years ago at the New Delhi Auto Expo by Indian automaker Tata captured the world's imagination and further focused attention on India's growing role in the global car market. To be successful in India, small-car manufacturers have had to tailor their product to Indian tastes and conditions. When General Motors launched...
...Because having a hired driver is also common practice among India's socioeconomic élite, BMW also had to change its sales pitch to suit a buyer who might never even sit in the driver's seat. "When we get in contact with a customer, we show the backseat as well," says Kronschnabl. "We don't only focus on the driving experience because the [hired] driver experiences the driving; the owner experiences the backseat." Because the backseat rather than the driver's seat is a big selling point, unlike in most markets, bigger and more expensive BMW 5 Series sedans...