If you happen to be walking down Janpath in the heart of the Capital, you may find yourself staring through a glass door at a BMW 650i Convertible sitting in the middle of a 1,600 square foot room, referred to as the BMW Studio.

Don’t hesitate to walk in, you won’t be expected to write a check for almost 90 lakhs before being allowed out once again. The Studio, BMW India’s newest offering, isn’t a dealership. It is, in fact, a very innovative way for the manufacturer to reach out to the city and its citizens.

The Studio aims to make current and future BMW owners familiar with the BMW brand experience. You can walk into the BMW Studio to salivate at the car that takes center stage, which, at the time of launch, was a BMW 650i Convertible. The Studio will also have a slightly more mainstream test car outside. But if you feel like avoiding traffic, you can simply enjoy a drink at the bar or a cup of coffee while checking out the BMW merchandise on display. If you’re already fortunate enough to have a set of BMW keys in your pocket, you can use the WiFi enabled business center. Owners can also book the Studio for meetings and/or events. And if you’re not a BMW owner as yet, they just made it easier by offering leasing services for the first time in India.

The global market may be showing signs of slowing down, but BMW has been on a roll since entering the Indian market last year. They’ve expanded their sales targets on more than one occasion during this time. Their most recent upward correction aims for sales of 2,800 units in 2008 – an increase of 40% on the original target. To ensure they meet these numbers, BMW is in the process of opening dealerships in Tier II cities such as Bhubaneshwar, Ludhiana, Jaipur and Coimbatore.

The only other BMW Studio in Asia is in Tokyo. In India, the Studio was the result of a management brainstorming session during which emphasis was paid on doing things differently. During the opening, Mr. Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India, said, “The BMW Studio has evolved from fresh thinking that will align our thoughts and actions to the evolving aspirations of our customers.”

BMW aims to position itself as a luxury ‘lifestyle’ brand – catering to the needs of a new age of Indian consumers who aren’t afraid to splurge or spoil themselves, and, hopefully, also a few who truly understand the meaning of the phrase ‘Sheer Driving Pleasure.’