BMW launches X5 at Rs 70.90 lakh

Company's Chennai plant has increased production capacity to 17,000 units per year in a single shift operation 13,000 units

German luxury car maker BMW today launched its third generation of new X5 in India at Rs 70.90 lakh. The new X5 joins BMW's range of SUVs comprising of the X1, the X3 and the X6.

The SUV will be rolled out of company's Chennai plant. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who is brand ambassador for BMW India today unveiled the car in Pune.

Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW India said, "A typical day in the life of BMW X5 is always a different, depending on which part of the world it calls home. The engineers and designers who have created it have enhanced its luxurious character and taken things to a new level."

According to Sahr, BMW's plant in Chennai has increased production capacity to 17,000 units (per year) in a single shift operation 13,000 units. The company is planning to launch eight new models in the current calender year.

Also, BMW is planning to increase its dealership network to 50 from the current 38 dealers. BMW is focusing more on tier-II cities for the dealer expansion.

However, Sahr declined to comment on BMW's current position in the market and sales numbers. BMW has lost its number top position in luxury car segment in terms of sales to Audi in the last 18 months. X5 will compete against the likes of the Mercedes ML-Class can seat seven and only comes with one diesel engine option.

The X5 comes with one engine option. It is a 3-litre in line six cylinder diesel engine mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The X5 also gets three different driving modes - Comfort, Sport, Sport plus. BMW's official fuel efficiency claim for the new X5 under test controls is 15.3kmpl.

The car was launched in Eurpore and US markets two months ago. Since 1999, BMW has sold over 1.3 million X-series cars in global markets.