Mathworks
 
 Home  |  About us  |  Appointments  |   Search Red Right
Man of the Year 2011: Pawan Goenka      MAN charts out India plan      Thailand floods stall OEMs' supply chain       Atul Auto eyes Rs1,000 crore turnover by 2015-16      Varroc bets big on LED technology      Neolite bags GM-SAIC order      HMSI plans to launch two new models in FY 12      Scania kicks off India Innings       Bosch immobilisers, DC converters soon       BMW Motorrad's new India focus       VM Motori to set up diesel engine plant       Dealers want more from Indian OEMs       Audi's radical weight loss plan       Volvo gives new life to old trucks      Honda opens throttle for independent ride       JBM close to bagging Peugeot order      TVS starts offering ABS on its two wheelers      Brose India ramps up output for VW       Steel Strips bags Peugeot order      MapmyIndia plots future growth       Aston Martin’s 'Nawabi' connection       Hero Group and Honda say sayonara      Man of the year 2010: Vivek C Sehgal      GM India eyes three- fold growth by 2013      Rieter Nittoku Automotive inaugurates Chennai plant to capitalise on demand       Federal-Mogul's Magnum Monosteel piston revealed       India Pistons firms up expansion plans      Tata seeks luxury slot with new Aria       TVS Tyres guns for Rs 1,000 crore sales       Delphi’s new heavy duty diesel system clicks       On-demand pum ps to save fuel      Tech Feature: Charge of the electric brigade      Fogmaker innovation to cut down bus fires       Mercedes tests safety on autopilot      Delphi leads push for standardised wiring       Bosch ultrasound sensors make a mark      Next-gen Stop-Start increases benefits      CPT & AVL collaborate on advanced direct injection      
 
You are here  Home  Features  Technology
BMW Motorrad's new India focus
   
  Since its first delivery in India in mid-December last year, BMW Motorrad has sold 35 bikes. Twenty of them were sold in December 2010 itself. The German bike maker had a target of selling 50 bikes in its first year in India. “We are confident of fulfilling or even exceeding this year’s target,” says Hendrik Von Kuenheim, director, BMW Motorrad. One of the models leading the charge of BMW Motorrad is the S 1000 RR. During the first week of May, BMW Motorrad rolled out its two millionth bike from its Berlin factory.  
     
 
Brief

It’s not only cars. BMW seems to be catching the eye of premium bike-loving Indians also. If the initial demand for BMW bikes in India gathers pace, it is only a matter of time when BMW Motorrad will start assembling bikes in India also.
 
     
 
It’s not only cars. BMW seems to be catching the eye of premium bike-loving Indians also. If the initial demand for BMW bikes in India gathers pace, it is only a matter of time when BMW Motorrad will start assembling bikes in India also.

Since its first delivery in India in mid-December last year, BMW Motorrad has sold 35 bikes. Twenty of them were sold in December 2010 itself. The German bike maker had a target of selling 50 bikes in its first year in India. “We are confident of fulfilling or even exceeding this year’s target,” says Hendrik Von Kuenheim, director, BMW Motorrad. One of the models leading the charge of BMW Motorrad is the S 1000 RR. During the first week of May, BMW Motorrad rolled out its two millionth bike from its Berlin factory.

One key issue on Kuenheim’s mind is building the BMW brand in two-wheelers. And while there will naturally be a positive rub-off from its passenger car business, BMW Motorrad will have to build its independent brand equity in India.

“I think we have really good opportunities for the future. BMW Motorrad has outstanding products and is the most innovative motorcycle manufacturer worldwide with innovations like ABS, Traction Control, adaptive headlights and so on and so forth. Above all, I see synergies with regard to the great brand awareness and reputation of the BMW Group in India,” adds Kuenheim. That synergy could also be utilised for sourcing components from the growing vendor base in India. Autocar Professional has learnt that BMW Motorrad has already started sourcing from India.

When asked if India has the potential to break into BMW Motorrad’s top five global markets, in his e-mail response to Autocar Professional, Von Kuenheim said that while the Indian market for premium motorcycles is still quite nascent, it is beginning to develop. “Against this background, it has been a strategic decision to enter the market now and prepare for the expected future growth. The big markets today are Europe and the USA. Brazil is also growing fast.”

He also said that sales of the Husqvarna brand, now acquired by BMW, accounts for about 10 to 15 percent of BMW Motorrad sales. “Our target is to grow with both brands remarkably,” Von Kuenheim said. With regard to the challenges of operating in the India market, Von Kuenheim said the market for premium motorcycles in India would have to grow significantly. “Independent of the market development, BMW Motorrad has to build up a strong brand awareness in India as we have it already for automobiles. In this context, we have to build up a BMW Motorrad rider community in the new market environment,” he added.

The Indian market for premium bikes above 500cc is estimated at 5,000 units per annum. Among the players who have already entered the market are Harley-Davidson which has an assembly unit in Haryana, and Ducati of Italy which imports its bikes. A more recent entrant is Hyosung of Korea which will have assembly operations here. India’s two-wheeler Japanese bike makers currently import their superbike offerings.
 
 
      
 
On Stands
May 15, 2013
Latest Cover
     
An all-new modern and high-capacity plant at Oragadam gives Royal Enfield the capability to solve the longstanding demand-supply mismatch and also the potential to tap global markets, Comstar India sets up a plant in the US to supply Ford and the UNO Minda Group becomes the world’s No. 2 horn supplier. All this plus lots of exciting industry news you simply can’t afford to miss.
     
   
 
 
 
  AP Forum   Tata  
  Copyright Autocar Professional Home | About us | Appointments