As MINI India pushes to expand its footprint in the country's luxury car market, localisation is emerging as a key pillar of its long-term strategy. High import duties have historically posed a challenge for premium automotive brands, making local production increasingly important for improving competitiveness and building a stronger business case for future growth.
In this conversation with Autocar Professional's Prerna Lidhoo, Thomas Dose, Managing Director of BMW Group Plant Chennai, explains how MINI is balancing localisation with imported components, the progress made in local sourcing, and why a future Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could help create a more level playing field between imported and locally produced vehicles.
Dose also discusses the manufacturing capabilities of the Chennai plant, the company's approach to scaling operations organically, and how its flexible production lines are prepared to support internal combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles as market demand evolves.
The conversation offers valuable insights into MINI India's localisation strategy, the economics of manufacturing in India, and how the brand is positioning itself for future growth in one of the world's fastest-growing premium car markets.