BMW 7 Series
What’s it? The pinnacle of the BMW range, to take on the equivalent Germans.
What’s new? On the face of it there isn’t much new, but there will be incremental design changes for the new 7 series. There’s a bigger grille, and a power dome for the hood as well. The inside is where a lot of new toys will be made available – try gesture control, for one. That means you merely need to wave your hand in front of the screen instead of touching it. There will also be a rear entertainment package with tablets that double up as screens, and they can be used to control certain functions of the car as well.
What’s under the hood? The staple will be the 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine with two power outputs. The 730 will offer 258 bhp and the 740, 300 bhp. Expect the 750Li with the twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine and 407 bhp to hold the fort for the petrol market. The full-fat 760Li with its V12 engine will be brought in as a CBU once it makes its European debut. All variants will feed power to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Launch date? 2016-2017 (760Li).
Competition check : Mercedes-Benz S Class, Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Panamera.
Expected price? Rs 1-1.5 crore
BMW X1
What’s it? The entry-level SUV from the BMW brand.
What’s new? Remember the days when we rubbished the X1 for its estate-car looks and lack of interior space? Well, those days are no more. It has changed in every imaginable way – it is primarily a front-drive car now, and it shares its platform with the Mini, so handling is never in any doubt. It has grown wider and taller, but the new engine and drive layout mean that much more space is available within a shorter overall length. Styling is also much more aggressive and it looks like a mini X3, meaning that its styling woes are over.
What’s under the hood? The usual steady diet of a 2.0-litre four cylinder diesel engine with different power outputs and the option of all-wheel drive. Expect a 148 bhp FWD variant, and a 190 bhp xDrive AWD variant. Both will put their power down through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Launch date? Early 2016.
Competition check : Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3.
Expected price? Rs 30-40 lakh
