Borgward BX7

Synopsis

India is a land of opportunities for luxury automakers as increasing number of sales is creating new gateways to many non-established brands in India. The time when Mercedes, Audi and BMW were the only players is gone with the entry of Volvo, Jaguar, Maserati and others. The list would soon have an addition named Borgward, a European car maker which has made another comeback in the industry after its ceased operations in the 60's. The grandson of the inventor revived the brand Borgward AG in 2008 and the company is back in operations with a full blow now.

The first car announced for the Indian subcontinent is the Borgward BX7. Competition has gone very tough with the other automakers choosing to assemble their vehicles in India, forcing the newcomer to follow the same route as others. Initially, it may be bought as a CBU only. The BX7 looks nothing less than a perfectly sized SUV, rivalling directly with the likes of Audi Q5 and BMW X5. The design looks premium, especially its front vertically aligned 16- line grill design. The car has been kept 5-seater, displaying a lot of space for every passenger in its luxury wrapped cabin.

The surprising part from the manufacturer is its 1981 cc, turbo-charged petrol engine producing 221 HP @ 5500 rpm and 300 NM @ 1750-5500 rpm. The SUV may use a 6-speed automatic or a 7-speed dual clutch transmission. The top speed of the BX7 is listed at 202 kmph and it claims a 10 second sprint from 0-100 kmph. All the wheels will carry disc brakes, loaded with safety features like ABS, EBD and VSM. The 6 airbags would ensure a safe ride every time.

Luxury would be kept at priority, providing rich interior with loads of features. The 12.3 inch infotainment system would be dash integrated, providing ease of use with its controls on the steering wheel also. The BX7 would get a huge panoramic sunroof and also comes with automatic climate control with dual zone control. The Borgward BX7 will have a tough fight with others ranging between 40-50 lakhs, providing an advantage of expected price of INR 30,00,000. The availability of a single petrol engine can affect its position.