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India Today
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé launched in India at Rs 46.90 lakh
BMW India has launched the second-generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coup in the country, further raising the bar in the premium compact sedan segment. Locally produced at BMW Group Plant Chennai, the new 2 Series Gran Coup is offered exclusively with a petrol engine and is available in two variants: 218i M Sport and 218i M Sport Pro, priced at Rs 46.90 lakh and Rs 48.90 lakh respectively (ex-showroom). advertisementBMW 2 Series Gran Coup designSporting the brand's bold new shark-nose design, the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coup now stands longer (4,546mm) and taller (1,445mm) than its predecessor. At the front, the iconic BMW kidney grille now comes with 'Iconic Glow' illumination, a first in the segment, flanked by Adaptive LED headlights with cornering function and blue accents. The standard M Sport package across both trims adds aggressive styling elements, such as large air intakes, high-gloss black trims, 18-inch Y-spoke M alloy wheels, and a sculpted rear bumper with diffuser. Frameless doors and the signature Hofmeister kink continue to emphasise the Gran Coup's coup-inspired 2 Series Gran Coup cabin and features Inside, the cabin features illuminated Aluminium Hexacube trims, newly designed sport seats with perforated Veganza leatherette in Mocha or Oyster, and a panoramic sunroof. The BMW Curved Widescreen Display integrates a 10.24-inch digital instrument cluster with a 10.7-inch control display powered by BMW Operating System 9, featuring QuickSelect and voice highlights include:Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android AutoBMW Digital Key Plus with Comfort AccessHarman Kardon 12-speaker audio systemHead-Up Display with Augmented View (M Sport Pro)Interior Camera and ambient lighting BMW 2 Series Gran Coup PerformancePowering both variants is a 1.5-litre BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine producing 156bhp and 23 Nm of torque, mated to a 7-speed Steptronic Sport dual-clutch transmission. The car accelerates from 0-100kmph in 8.6 seconds, with a top speed of 230kmph. A 'Sport BOOST' function delivers an extra burst of acceleration, enhancing the car's dynamic second-gen 2 Series Gran Coup also features revised suspension tuning, improved ride height, and BMW Performance Control for enhanced agility and cornering neutrality.\BMW 2 Series Gran Coup safety and assistance Packed with advanced driver assistance features, the car comes standard with:Driving Assistant (Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Warning, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert)Parking Assistant Plus with 360 Surround ViewReversing Assistant (stores last 50m path)Dynamic Stability Control, CBC, and Crash SensorColours and customisationAvailable in four exterior colours: Alpine White, Black Sapphire, Brooklyn Grey, and Portimao Blue, the car also offers two interior themes. Buyers can further personalise their ownership experience with optional service and insurance offers optional Service Inclusive packages starting at Rs 47,300 for 3 years/40,000 km, and an extended warranty option priced at Rs 39,100. Ownership is made easier via BMW Smart Finance, with EMI plans starting from Rs 35,000/month and an assured buyback to Auto Today Magazine- Ends
India Today
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
BMW opens pre-bookings for 2025 2 Series Gran Coupe ahead of July 17 launch
BMW India has officially opened pre-launch bookings for the all-new second-generation BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, ahead of its scheduled launch on July 17, 2025. Customers can now reserve the car online via the BMW online shop or at any BMW dealership across India. The model will be locally produced at the BMW Group Plant in at young, urban professionals looking for a stylish gateway into the world of BMW, the 2025 2 Series Gran Coupe arrives with updated styling, more tech, and an overall sharper persona. With increased presence and sportier design elements, the new model is expected to redefine BMW's footprint in the entry-luxury sedan the hood, the 2025 2 Series Gran Coupe is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 156hp and 230Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Inside, the Gran Coupe has undergone a complete digital transformation. At the heart of its updated cabin is the BMW Widescreen Curved Display, running the latest BMW Operating System 9, offering intuitive control, intelligent voice assistant integration, and a suite of connected services. The interior layout has been reimagined to deliver a driver-centric experience, combining premium materials with youthful car features a newly refined drivetrain, upgraded suspension tech, and a suite of advanced driving and parking assistance systems, ensuring dynamic handling and heightened comfort, consistent with BMW's hallmark driving BMW is yet to announce the pricing for the 2025 2 Series Gran Coupe, expectations are high. The refreshed model arrives at a time when competition is intensifying in the entry-luxury segment, especially with Mercedes-Benz set to launch the new CLA in India to Auto Today Magazine- Ends
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
BMW's Thomas Dose urges purpose driven smart manufacturing in India
India's rise as a manufacturing hub is no longer a distant ambition. It is a present-day opportunity. But to realise its full potential, the country's industrial sector must rewire the way it approaches production. Speaking at a recent industry summit, Thomas Dose , MD, BMW Group Plant Chennai , and a long-time advocate of manufacturing transformation, argued that flexibility will define the winners of the next industrial age. He was speaking at ET Manufacturing's Smart Factory Summit organised in Chennai. 'The future is not about being smart for the sake of it. It's about staying relevant in a volatile world,' said Thomas, addressing a hall full of manufacturing professionals and technologists. He added, 'We've moved from machines driving factories to factories needing to think like products, lean, purposeful, and focused on the customer,' reflecting on his own journey from working at ZF in Germany to embracing the Toyota Production System in Japan. He noted how early manufacturing was organised around technology silos such as turning, milling and heat treatment, efficient in isolation, but disconnected from the final product. Throughput times stretched into weeks. The shift to lean manufacturing in the 1990s brought product-centric cells that drastically improved output and quality by aligning every activity with cost, quality, and delivery. This evolution continued through mass production and global outsourcing, but introduced new vulnerabilities. Complex global supply chains, long lead times, and distance from end-users created fragility, challenges that became painfully visible in recent years. Rigid systems are obsolete in a volatile world 'The way we've made money in the past won't work in the future. The model must change,' Thomas declared, urging the audience to reconsider long-held assumptions around asset utilisation and cost predictability. He recounted a visit to a BMW supplier in India, where the entire plant was configured to serve one client. 'The machinery was perfect but it was locked into one product line. That kind of rigidity isn't sustainable anymore,' he explained. In a market defined by shorter product lifecycles, unstable volumes, and unpredictable foreign exchange rates, manufacturers must move toward multi-use, easily reconfigurable assets. This shift, he argued, calls for a new class of factory, autonomous, workforce-independent, and capable of running 24/7 with minimal intervention. Order management, logistics, production planning, and quality inspection must all function within a real-time, AI-enabled infrastructure. Smart must serve a purpose 'Smart must have purpose. Possible doesn't always mean practical or wise,' Thomas cautioned, as he challenged manufacturers to avoid technology for technology's sake. Using the evolution of mobile phones as an analogy, he described how tools originally designed for communication morphed into powerful data harvesting machines. While the global mobile phone market is valued at over $500 billion, the market for trading the data extracted from users exceeds $900 billion. 'We must ask ourselves, are we building smart factories, or just data factories?' he said. The takeaway was clear: smart manufacturing should not be reduced to buzzwords or blanket digitisation. Instead, it should be a tool for enabling business resilience, responsiveness, and sustainability. Process first, then digital 'If you digitise a caterpillar, it doesn't become a butterfly, it just crawls faster,' Thomas said, earning knowing smiles from the audience. He urged manufacturers to look inwards before going digital. Recounting his team's early steps in digital transformation, he said their first action was to shut down all computers. Without dashboards and KPIs to defend, morning meetings turned into proactive conversations about preventing future problems, rather than post-mortems of past ones. This reset, he explained, created space for genuine collaboration and process ownership. 'Technology can accelerate your mindset, but only if the mindset is right to begin with,' he said. Thomas called this philosophy the 'Ilia principle,' based on Indian wisdom and lean thinking. His upcoming book, set in Chennai and centred on a young woman who transforms a factory using lessons from her grandmother, aims to share this approach more broadly. India's moment on the global stage 'India is the next big thing. But we must be ready. Not just with machines and manpower, but with mindset and purpose,' said Thomas, concluding his address. He noted the increasing interest from global manufacturers in India as a sourcing base and industrial partner. But he also cautioned that India's long-term competitiveness would depend on quality consistency, agile processes, and preparedness for uncertainty. The message to Indian industry was clear: now is the time to invest in flexibility, rethink digital priorities, and align every action with a larger purpose. 'Make it simple. Make it smart. Make it purposeful,' he said. 'That's how India will lead, not follow in the future of manufacturing.'
The Sun
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
BMW unveils new M2 CS
BMW has officially revealed its latest high-performance compact coupé, the BMW M2 CS, a limited-edition model that represents the pinnacle of driving pleasure both on track and public roads. Production will take place at the BMW Group Plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, with a global market rollout scheduled for late summer 2025. Key markets include the United States, Germany, and China. In Germany, the M2 CS is priced at €115,000 (RM553,035). The M2 CS is based on the second-generation BMW M2 but significantly enhances the car's dynamic capabilities. Its heart is a reworked 3.0-litre six-cylinder in-line engine featuring M TwinPower Turbo technology. This upgraded powerplant delivers 530hp, 50hp more than the standard M2, matching the output of the BMW M3 Competition Sedan and BMW M4 Competition Coupé with xDrive. Torque has also been increased to 650Nm, available between 2,650 and 5,730 rpm. The engine revs to 7,200 rpm and delivers peak power at 6,250 rpm. The power is transmitted to the rear wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, which allows the driver to adjust shift characteristics using three settings. Gear changes can also be manually controlled through the steering wheel-mounted paddles or the newly styled M selector lever. Performance metrics place the M2 CS among the fastest in its segment. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds, and to 200 km/h in 11.7 seconds. A figure of 3.5 seconds to 100 km/h is achievable using the 1-foot rollout method. Mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h takes only 3.4 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 302 km/h, courtesy of the standard M Driver's Package. Weight has been reduced by approximately 30kg compared to the regular M2, thanks to the strategic use of lightweight materials such as carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). Components, including the roof, boot lid, front splitter, rear diffuser, and centre console, are crafted from CFRP, enhancing both performance and aesthetics. Forged M light-alloy wheels come as standard, with track tyres fitted—19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear. Buyers can opt for either ultra-track or sport tyres at no extra cost. The M2 CS is equipped with a model-specific engine mount offering higher stiffness, resulting in better throttle response and more direct power delivery. The M-specific cooling system ensures optimal thermal performance during spirited driving, and the dry-sump oiling system guarantees consistent lubrication even under extreme G-forces. To complement the powertrain, BMW M has overhauled the chassis. The adaptive M suspension features bespoke tuning for springs, dampers, and electronic control systems, with the ride height lowered by eight millimetres. The M Servotronic steering and M Sport differential have also been calibrated specifically for the CS model. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and M Dynamic Mode have been refined to optimise the car's capabilities on track. Braking is handled by the standard M Compound system with red callipers, while an M Carbon ceramic setup is available as an option. The CS rides on exclusive forged M wheels in a striking Gold Bronze finish. These not only reduce unsprung weight but also contribute to the car's distinctive appearance. The exterior design is aggressive and purposeful. In addition to the CFRP elements, the M2 CS features a unique black M kidney grille, black front splitter, and an exposed carbon-fibre roof. The rear is distinguished by a ducktail-style spoiler and quad matt-black exhaust tips. Available exterior colours include Sapphire Black metallic, BMW Individual Velvet Blue metallic, M Brooklyn Grey metallic, and M Portimao Blue metallic. Standard adaptive LED headlights with BMW Selective Beam and M Shadowline detailing add to the visual drama. Inside, the cockpit continues the theme of motorsport-inspired design. Heated M Carbon bucket seats with Merino leather upholstery offer extensive electric adjustments and integrate removable head restraints to accommodate multi-point harnesses. The centre console is made from CFRP, while the M Alcantara steering wheel—featuring a flat-bottom rim, red centre marker, and M buttons–enhances the racing ambience. Interior details specific to the CS model include red-accented 'CS' logos on the seats, centre console, and illuminated door sills. M seatbelts, ambient lighting with customisable colours, and an M Anthracite headliner complete the premium, performance-focused cabin. The digital experience is powered by BMW Operating System 8.5. A fully digital BMW Curved Display comprises a 12.3-inch information cluster and a 14.9-inch control screen. The BMW Live Cockpit Professional is standard and includes BMW Maps navigation, a head-up display, augmented view, and smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, and a Harman Kardon sound system are also part of the standard equipment. For those seeking an even more visceral soundtrack, BMW offers an optional M Performance titanium exhaust system with carbon-fibre tailpipes. Designed specifically for the CS, it delivers an authentic racing note, complemented by an Active Sound Design feature that enhances interior acoustics based on selected drive modes. In summary, the new BMW M2 CS stands as the ultimate expression of the compact M car formula. With a blend of cutting-edge performance, reduced weight, and high-end features, it promises to set a new benchmark in the segment for driving purists and track-day enthusiasts alike.
