KARACHI: Dewan Motors (Pvt) Ltd (DMPL), which began importing various models of BMW cars from Munich, Germany earlier this month and will formally launch in a few days time plans to begin local assembly of BMWs after 2006, a company source has said.
“At present we are importing all the models of BMW cars and are also providing all servicing facilities, including spare parts,” the source said. The launching will take place simultaneously in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
He said that although the cars have not been officially launched yet, a demand for them has been seen in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
“We are taking orders for all the latest models from the customers, and a number of vehicles have already been booked,” said the official. However, he refused to give the exact number of the vehicles booked so far.
He also said that the company is hiring well-experienced staff to look after the BMW vehicles in Pakistan, but refused to give the exact investment figure. An advertisement in the weekend newspapers from the group called for applications for ten positions.
Earlier, Redco group imported BMW cars till 1999, but after that there was no legal importer of BMW in the country.
The Dewan group entered the automobile area in December 1998. “Based on the experienced gained by managing assembling, marketing, selling and after-sales support of automobiles operations, the management of Dewan group set out to capture the luxurious BMW car segments, said the source.
According to unofficial figures, at present 600 to 700 BMW vehicles are plying on the country’s roads, as the vehicle is one of the expensive cars in the world.
“The main objective of the Dewan group is to bring all the latest models of BMW including 5-series, 7-series and others,” said the company official. “The group is also importing whole diagnostic equipments and software to diagnose the on-board problems on computers in the vehicles and other servicing facilities including fixing and others.”
Dewan Motors will open two showrooms for BMW in Karachi and Lahore, while it already has a showroom in Islamabad, the source said. He added that no dealer of any showroom would be involved in the selling of these vehicles in the country, as the country has decided to market the vehicles itself.
According to him, the prices of the different BMW models would range between Rs 4 million and Rs 15 million. “Of course the Pakistani people have the purchasing power to buy such luxury cars, and there is a demand of such vehicles here,” he said.
He said the company’s main focus is on the BMW models, adding that according to the survey done by the company, the demand of MINI is very low. “Some 20 to 30 year old MINI vehicles are plying on the roads of the country, but the people are not interested in importing new models of this vehicle,” he said. However, he added that the company would still import the latest models of MINI to market them here.
According to BMW, electrical and electronic systems are the key driving force behind some 90 percent of all the BMW groups’ innovations, and these technologies represent something of a “digital revolution” within the automotive industry and vehicle development.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-10-2003_pg5_4
Great news for Pakistan. I hope Dewan group carried out its research before launching this mega project. BMW doesnt like failures!
I also hope that the government concentrates on raising the income level of the people so that more people can afford these magnificent cars.
