The sporty new X2 and X4 SUVs will make their way to India in 2018. BMW’s senior VP for the Asia Pacific region Hendrik Von Kuenheim stated, “we absolutely see both SUVs as being the part of the range.” The company is looking at locally manufacturing one of the two cars for export as well. Kuenheim said, “the days of producing cars in Germany and selling them all round the world are over. Now local sourcing is the key.” The challenge will be to develop a supplier base here that can meet BMW standards.
BMW says the X2 will appeal to buyers who want the added advantage of the high seating position offered by an SUV, but want a sporty car at the same time. You can expect a powerful version of BMW’s 2.0-litre diesel engine under the hood of this car.
The larger X4 has all the practicality of a regular SUV, but we’re probably going to get the all-new version of the car, which is expected sometime towards the middle of next year. It will be built on BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) structure, and will use a mix of high-strength steel and aluminium. With its X6-like looks, strong performance and a sub- ₹50 lakh price tag, the X4 could appeal to a fair number of Indian luxury SUV buyers.
