BMW has a new luxury car customer in India: CEO Hardeep Singh Brar reveals who is giving BMW an edge over other German rivals

BMW Group India President and CEO Hardeep Singh Brar said the Indian luxury car market is changing, with younger professionals, startup founders and first-time luxury buyers increasingly entering the segment. He said a new generation of customers is showing an appetite for BMW.

Speaking to ET Online at the launch of the new BMW X1 Long Wheelbase in India, Brar spoke about what keeps BMW different from its German rivals, the growing competition in the luxury car market, the rise of Gen Z buyers and why he would still pick a petrol car for himself.

BMW vs other German rivals

BMW operates in a fiercely competitive luxury car market. But Brar said BMW's differentiator was something the brand had been talking about for decades: the driving experience.


According to him, the brand's focus on driving dynamics remained at the heart of what made its cars stand out.

Brar also pointed to BMW's near '50:50 weight distribution' as one of the reasons behind its driving characteristics, saying it made the car stable at high speeds and through corners.

“Nothing drives like a BMW,” he said, before returning to one of the brand's most familiar phrases: “the ultimate driving machine, joy of driving, sheer driving pleasure”.

BMW welcomed more luxury car competition in India

With several emerging luxury and premium carmakers trying to establish themselves in India, Brar was asked if he saw a risk to BMW's position.

His answer was straightforward. “Of course, we welcome more and more competition because competition brings the best in us and it also helps us in expanding the market,” Brar said.

Rather than viewing new players purely as a threat, BMW saw a larger opportunity in having more brands attract Indian consumers towards premium and luxury cars.

“So, welcome to all the competition and we will grow the market together,” he added.

The rise of Gen Z buyers

As per BMW, one of the more interesting changes in India's luxury car market was the age of the buyer. The segment is no longer dominated only by established corporate executives, doctors and traditional business owners. Younger professionals, technology entrepreneurs and startup founders are increasingly making their way into the luxury car market.

“Gen Z and the younger customers love BMW more than anything else because they love to drive themselves,” he said.

He also highlighted the growing number of startup founders buying BMWs.

“We already had the doctors, the corporate team and the entrepreneurs buying. But this is a new segment, the new tech guys, the new IT startups and general startups, they are all buying into BMW,” Brar said.

For BMW, the appeal of this new customer base went beyond their age. Brar said younger buyers brought a “completely different perspective” to the brand.

BMW CEO picked petrol over EV for himself

BMW had been rapidly expanding its electric vehicle portfolio, but Brar was asked which powertrain he would choose if he had to spend his money on a luxury car.

“I am a bit of a petrol head, so I will go for a petrol car,” Brar said.

For Brar, at least, the emotional appeal of a petrol engine still won.

BMW cars are E25 compliant, said Brar

With E20 petrol becoming a major part of India's transition towards cleaner fuels and lower crude oil imports, compatibility has become an important question for car owners.

Brar said BMW had already prepared its vehicles for higher ethanol blending.

“All our cars are E25 compliant,” he said.

According to Brar, BMW's cars sold over the past three to four years had been compatible with E25, meaning customers should not have concerns about using E20 petrol.

“All our cars for the last 3-4 years have been compliant with E25,” he said.

“So, we don't have any problem whatsoever on the E20 fuel.”

Brar also backed the government's objective behind ethanol blending, particularly its potential to reduce India's dependence on imported crude oil.

“The intent of the government was to reduce the import bill, which is very, very critical,” he said.

“Very welcome having the E20 fuel in India,” he added.