BMW arrives with a medley line-up at the Auto Expo

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BMW had a mixed bag of line-up at display on the Auto Expo stage. On one end there were the electric hybrid duo of the all-new i8 roadster and i3s and on the other end were the fire-breathing M-monsters – the F90 M5 and the sinister-looking M4. And in the middle of all that was the all-new 6 Series GT launched in India for the price of Rs 58 lakhs.

The 6 Series GT made its Indian debut just a few months after its global reveal at Frankfurt last year. It is a replacement for the discontinued 5 Series GT and comes with all the design elements of the current G90 5 Series with a practically large rear hatch. It is based on the new platform and comes with a choice of two petrol and one diesel engine – a 2.0-litre 225bhp turbo petrol and a 3.0-litre 335bhp V6 turbo petrol. The diesel is a 263bhp 3.0-litre straight-six turbodiesel. Transmission is an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox as standard. BMW offers the X-Drive all-wheel drive system as standard with the 3.0-litre mills with the 2.0-litre petrol coming in rear-wheel drive option only.

The i3s and the i8 Roadster grabbed all the eyeballs at the BMW stall. The dynamic pair was revealed internationally last year and promptly made their Indian debut. However, BMW won’t be selling these technological tour de force anytime soon in the country. Muscling its way to India is the F90 M5 with its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 breathing out a supercar-shaming 600bhp. The new M5 debuts the Xdrive four-wheel-drive for the first time in the super saloon. It is the most powerful M5 made till date and has a 0-100kmph time of mere 3.4 seconds. And the German supersedan has been priced in India at a price of Rs 1.43 crores. Lurking behind the obtrusive M5 was the evil-looking M4 finished in a stealthy matte black paint. It rides on massive GTS diamond wheels with the rear wing at the back. It is the meanest looking M4 ever.

BMW also took the opportunity to reveal the all-new third-generation X3 in India. The G01 X3 retains the unmistakable styling of the mid-size crossover. BMW is expected to launch the new X3 in India later this year to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q3 and the yet-to-be-launched Volvo XC40.