Are luxury car owners holding back their purchases due to current situation? In India, with 70 percent of luxury car owners being self employed/businessmen etc the current uncertainty has meant that overall luxury segment without BMW has shrunk.
BMW Defies Market Slowdown
However, BMW particularly with its volume sellers like the iX1 and the X1/5 Series/ 3 Series has posted a growth in the first quarter of 2026. Between Jan and March 2026 the German luxury carmaker has climbed to the No 1 position with sales of 4567 units which are its best quarterly sales.
BMW is also the leader in the luxury EV segment with 70 percent market share. That is due to the X1 LWB which has been its best seller and also the best selling luxury EV in India. It has also strong demand for its SUVs plus LWB or long wheelbase models.
Muted Sentiment, Aggressive Plans
However, CEO, Hardeep Singh Brar, pointed out that current uncertainties has meant buyer sentiment is low with stock market/economy plus other factors playing a role in many potential buyers holding back. That said, the luxury segment has witnessed more growth but for 2026 Q1, the rest of the luxury car industry has seen a decline.
BMW meanwhile is aggressive with its product expansion and will bring 23 new launches all throughout the year including six new cars. It will focus on EVs too. We expect new models like the i5 in LWB form to come this year as well amongst other models.
For BMW, despite the slowing segment growth, the sales outcome looks positive as the carmaker becomes more aggressive with new launches.
