Exclusive: BMW begins testing Mini One in India

Our sources close to BMW have confirmed that carmaker's Indian arm has begun testing the Mini One for the local market. The testing procedure is a part of the ARAI's homologation process and is expected to conclude by the end of March 2013. 

The Mini One will sit under the Mini Cooper, which is currently Mini's base offering for the Indian market. The Mini One is powered by the same 1.6-litre petrol engine that does duty in the Cooper - however - the One's engine produces a lower 100 PS of power and 153 Nm of torque as compared to the Cooper's 122 PS / 160 Nm output.  We hope that BMW homologates the diesel version too as that could make the Mini even more popular amongst the retro-classic enthusiasts. 

Being the base variant, the Mini One loses out on the chrome garnish for the grille and handles; and the hood is painted in the same colour as the rest of the car - unlike the Mini Cooper, which boasts of a contrasting colour for the top. The gloss black or white finish for the mirror caps on the Cooper makes way for basic matte black side mirros on the Mini One.

The Mini One will also run a softer suspension setup which should make for better ride quality on Indian roads as compared to the Cooper's harsh ride - thanks to its sport suspension. The One will feature 15-inch alloys too - but expect a more sober design on these. The interior trim will be watered down slightly with plain-jane upholstery and won't feature cabin accent lighting. Such features could be made available as optional add-ons though. 

The Mini range in India currently starts close to Rs 26-lakh, but expect the prices to go up soon with the new Union Budget (2013) commanding more import duties. The Mini One though, is expected to start at a shade under Rs 25 lakh, when it goes on sale later this year. Stay tuned for more updates!