From BMW to Land Rover and Audi, luxury car makers get set for launches galore

It is a busy week ahead for makers of luxury cars in India as a number of OEMs are getting ready to drive in their products in the market. And while none of the launches scheduled for this week will see directly rivaling products, the fact that companies like BMW, Land Rover and Audi are lining up new offerings here - just a week after Mercedes-Benz launched EQC, shows that the need to build momentum in the festive period.

Mercedes-Benz had officially launched EQC, its first all-electric vehicle, last week at ₹99.30 lakh (ex showroom, for first 50 units). It is a statement of intent from the German giants that also shows its commitment towards the EV movement here and elsewhere. The products from rivals lined up for launch this week may not be EVs but nonetheless hold a lot of significance for varying reasons.

Here are the launches lined up in India's luxury car market this week:

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe - October 15: BMW is looking at making a strong mark in the entry-level luxury sedan category with the 2 Series Gran Coupe.

Based on BMW's modular FAAR platform, the 2 Series Grand Coupe will be launched with a two-litre four cylinder diesel engine which is capable of producing 184 bhp of max power and has 400 Nm of peak torque.

Pre-launch bookings are already open and the company is also throwing in a Taj Experiences Gift Card worth ₹50,000 to lure prospective buyers.

Land Rover Defender - October 15: When a James Bond movie features a vehicle, you know the said vehicle means business.

Land Rover has been creating a whole lot of buzz with the latest Defender which only recently touched Indian shores and will be sold here via the CBU route.

The bookings for Land Rover Defender had been opened towards the end of September with prices of the iconic off-roading vehicle starting at ₹69.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV is likely to make a solid case for itself courtesy a 2.0-litre petrol engine which helps it belt out 292 bhp of max power and have maximum torque of 400 Nm.

Audi Q2 - October 16: Audi is looking at taking the entry-level SUV segment by storm and is, finally, bringing in the smallest member of the Q family.

Q2 gets a two-litre petrol engine with Audi's patented 'Quattro' technology, which is a four-wheel drive system that delivers optimal power to each wheel as needed for superior handling and grip.