Future Generali’s #StandWithPride Campaign Goes Big With ‘Breaking Free’ Video

Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGII) is an inclusive employer and is committed towards creating an environment that fosters inclusivity, openness, and acceptance. A step in that direction is the grand celebration held during the PRIDE month at FGII offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore.

As a true proponent of diversity and inclusion, FGII recently conducted a social experiment in support of the LGBTQIA+ community. This social experiment was conducted in an effort to boost awareness and sensitization towards the LGBTQIA+ community and foster affinity for its members while showing solidarity and support.

This social experiment video on breaking free brought together 20 participants of different genders, age, and sexual orientations and asked them questions regarding the biases they have faced. Through the video, people will learn of the biases that the LGBTQIA+ community faces on a regular basis, making it a compelling and thought-provoking watch. To help break biases, they need everyone’s support hence it is important to be a friend and an ally. 

Watch the video here. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHcaB_CXLE

Speaking on the social experiment, Ms. Ruchika Malhan Varma, Chief Marketing Officer, Future Generali India Insurance said “Our efforts to support the LGBTQIA+ community are not limited to the Pride month alone. For us, diversity and inclusion is a strategic imperative, one that we strive to imbibe in our work culture. We are committed to promoting inclusive growth throughout the year and beyond, and our latest initiative, which features the video ‘Breaking Free’, aims to help people across communities to break free from the habit of limiting LGBTQIA+ conversations to just Pride month. As a brand that leads with ‘Human – Touch’ and an organization that is focused on building a diverse and inclusive environment, we have made concerted efforts to encourage dialogue, build sensitization, and foster communication amongst individuals and the society as a whole.”

As one of the communities facing a high degree of biases from peers and family members, the LGBTQIA+ community requires all the support possible to withstand and break free of the barriers impacting them on a daily basis. In the months ahead, Future Generali India Insurance aims to #StandWithPride and further the cause of the community.

PayMate B2B Customers To Make Utility Bill Payments Using Visa Commercial Credit Cards

PayMate India Limited (“PayMate”), a leading B2B payments and services provider that digitizes, automates, and streamlines business-to-business (B2B) payments in supply chains, has integrated the capability to make utility bill payments using commercial credit cards as a new feature on its platform.

PayMate’s customers and users can make utility bill payments such as landline bills, electricity bills, water bills, broadband bills, among others along with their other statutory and vendor payments.

Speaking on this, Ajay Adiseshan, Managing Director and Chairman, PayMate says “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses faced challenges with traditional methods of payments. By adding Utility bill payments on the PayMate platform, we have created yet another avenue for PayMate’s customers to use commercial credit cards; ultimately providing a fully integrated B2B payments stack to our customers.”

From April to December 2021, PayMate processed ?22,467.92 million of direct tax payments and ?99,929.67 million of GST payments on its platform through commercial credit cards, while the overall commercial credit card-processing TPV increased from ?187,142.31 million in Fiscal 2021 to ?464,766.45 million. As of December 31, 2021, the total number of Customers and Users using the PayMate platform is 166,811.

PayMate is also a Visa-certified Business Payment Solution Provider (BPSP) in the UAE and is also aiming to expand into other parts of Central Europe, the Middle East and Africa (“CEMEA”) region. PayMate has a relationship with Visa, pursuant to which Visa facilitates introductions of PayMate to Visa issuing financial institution partners, and PayMate will ensure that commercial credit cards processed through PayMate’s system are Visa cards for certain international territories agreed with Visa.

Onsurity Wins “Innovator In Mass Market- Emerging & Mature Award” At PICUP Fintech Awards 2022

India’s first tech-led monthly subscription-based employee health benefits platform, Onsurity has won the “Innovator in Mass Market- Emerging & Mature Award” at the 4th edition of PICUP Fintech conference and Awards on 20th July 2022 organized by Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

 Kulin Shah, Co-Founder, Onsurity and Rohan Srivastava, Head of expansion received the award from Mr Sunil Mehta, Chief Executive Officer, Indian Banks’ Association & Ms Jyoti Vij, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI.

 PICUP fintech is a marquee event organized by FICCI and Indian Banks Association (IBA) where BCG was the knowledge partner. The conference aims to bring together leading fintech players, bankers, NBFCs, insurance companies, technology experts and policy makers at a common platform to discuss and analyse several innovations that are redefining the financial services industry and also look at developing potential fruitful collaborations.

 “We are proud to be?recognized?for our team’s unwavering dedication and passion in making equitable healthcare a reality in India through innovative technology solutions. Onsurity is scaling new heights with unparalleled growth by providing affordable healthcare benefits and encouraging health and wellness benefits across a community of over  2,500 SMEs in India" says Kulin Shah, Co-Founder, Onsurity.

 He further added, “The recognition highlights that our unique technology led healthcare benefit solution with monthly affordable payment options has a clear added value to the mass market segment. We look forward to further enhancing the healthcare experience with an aim to reach 10,000 SMEs by 2024, by owning the entire employee health and wellness benefits value chain and claims experience in the industry.”

 Onsurity, in its endeavour, to democratize healthcare is consistently trying to disrupt the employee health benefits space. It is providing seamless experience to its clientele through its self-serve tech platform by offering customised and flexible healthcare and wellness solutions in a sachet making it affordable and accessible to millions of SME’s.

 Onsurity benefits range from preventive care like doctor teleconsultations, online medicine delivery, free fitness, insurance and wellness webinars, to in-hospitalization support related to claim processing and reimbursements.

 About Onsurity:

Founded in 2020, Onsurity simplifies employee healthcare with technology solutions that make healthcare work for everyone. With over 3,00,000 members and over 2,500 companies and partners including VISA, BSE, Jupiter Money, Terrapay, Infra.Market, Ferra Engineering, Clevertap among others—Onsurity is democratising the healthcare experience for SME and their workforce across India. Onsurity is India’s top 10 Innovative Fintech Start-up recognised by The Digital Fifth, has built smarter technology that’s easy to use, gives people an advocate in their health journey, and helps employers unblock working capital by managing costs. 

 Onsurity, headquartered in Bengaluru is backed by Quona Capital, Nexus Venture Partners, Whiteboard Capital, and other leading healthcare and technology investors and advisors.

Read more about Onsurity at www.onsurity.com

Ashraya Hastha Trust And Smile Train India Announces Five-Year Commitment To Support Cleft Care Across Seven States In India

* More than 10,000 cleft affected children and their families from resource poor communities will directly benefit from this partnership. 

Ashraya Hastha Trust, a Bangalore based charitable organization funded by Infosys’ Co-Founder K. Dinesh and his family and Smile Train India, the country’s largest cleft focused NGO have announced a five-year partnership with an aim to boost the cleft care ecosystem in India. Ashraya Hastha Trust will support 10,000 cleft surgeries, five capacity building trainings and safety medical equipment at Smile Train treatment centers across seven states to include Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir.

The partnership was launched with an event at Smile Train’s treatment partner, CHL Hospitals at Indore in the presence of Ms. Asha Dinesh, Trustee, Ashraya Hastha Trust, hospital cleft team, Smile Train officials, cleft patients and families.

"We have worked closely with Smile Train India in the past and are completely aligned with their efforts to support safe cleft treatment across the country. Their commitment and passion is unparalleled and inspiring,” said Ms. Asha Dinesh, trustee at Ashraya Hastha Trust. "The consequences faced by children with clefts, if not treated on time, are profound and often enduring. I have been a part of the cleft journey as my daughter Divya was born with a cleft. With proper treatment, she leads a normal life today as a successful woman entrepreneur. I empathize with mothers who may not have access to the care their children need to live healthy and full lives. With this partnership, we intend to work together to better facilitate safe, quality cleft care for children in need. We hope that we can collectively work towards making healthcare affordable and accessible and influence all the ecosystem stakeholders to make policy level changes so that no child with cleft is ever left behind ”

Speaking at the launch, Dr Jaideep Chauhan, Maxillofacial Surgeon and Smile Train Project Director at CHL Hospitals, Indore said, “We at CHL Hospital, with support from Smile Train India have managed to perform  surgeries thus far. We are truly grateful to the additional support that Ashraya Hastha Trust has extended and we hope to continue our journey with cleft warriors diligently.The medical equipments, trainings and support that Smile Train and Ashraya Hastha Trust have provided us with is phenomenal and we hope to put it all to best use. Our aim is to ensure safe surgeries, promising forever smiles to children”

In India, an estimated 35,000 babies are born with a cleft lip and/or palate every year, and hundreds of thousands of children with untreated clefts live in isolation and face difficulties with eating, breathing, hearing and speaking. The partnership will focus on supporting cleft treatment in the seven identified states, while also strengthening safety and best practices in cleft care.

Mamta Carroll, Smile Train’s Senior Vice President & Regional Director for Asia, expressed her gratitude towards Ashraya Hastha Trust and their dedication towards the cause. She said, "Facilitating free, safe and quality cleft treatment is Smile Train India’s priority. With this prestigious partnership, we hope to continue supporting cleft surgeries by enabling underprivileged children born with clefts to live healthy and productive lives. We aim to strengthen our local cleft ecosystem and reach children in some of the most remote regions of the country." 

About Smile Train India

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. Since 2000, Smile Train India has supported more than 650,000 free cleft surgeries across India, through a network of 150+ partner hospitals. To learn more about how Smile Train's India’s sustainable approach, please visit smiletrainindia.org.

About Ashraya Hastha Trust

Ashraya Hastha Trust was founded in May 2000 by Maj. (Retd)S. Nanjundiah in Bangalore along with founding trustees Mr. K.Dinesh (Infosys co-founder) and Mrs. Asha Dinesh (Women entrepreneur promoting vegan beauty products), with the primary purpose of helping the poor and needy, mainly in the areas of education and Rural Health Care. With the passage of time, their daughters Mrs Divya and Ms. Deeksha also became the trustees. In the initial years, the trust focused on initiatives in education and health in rural Karnataka. Eventually, the trust expanded its support to varied causes and organizations, from the education of economically backward students to setting up infrastructure or addressing challenges in health systems.

Currently the trust operates in 6 major thematic areas; health, education, livelihoods, animal welfare, disaster relief and management and environment, across India.

EatFit Becomes The Official Online Food Partner For ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022

* Through this partnership EatFit aims to convey its ethos of healthy food eating to a larger global audience

* The brand will conduct large TV and social media campaigns with EatFit brand ambassadors Varun Dhawan and Mithila Palkar and share the love and joy for cricket and healthy food across millions

* 100 EatFit users will win a free ticket to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup through its Cricket Mania offers

EatFit, India’s largest healthy food platform housed under Curefoods, has announced its partnership with ICC for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup this year. EatFit will be ICC’s official online food partner. Through this collaboration, EatFit aims to convey its ethos and the message of healthy food eating to a larger global audience and continues its efforts to help the world lead a clean, better, and health-conscious lifestyle.

For the next few months, EatFit will celebrate the joy of cricket through its cricket mania and will be designing a menu, especially for the World Cup. This menu will include healthy and tasty food options across cuisines while keeping in mind the nutrition and calorie intake and will be available for users online on Eatfit.in, for everyone to come together and celebrate the joy of cricket and food synonymously. As part of the partnership and the Cricket Mania, 100 EatFit customers will have the opportunity to win tickets to the Men’s T20 World Cup.

In an age where the need for an active healthy lifestyle is more pronounced than ever, EatFit will be launching a large TV, an on-ground and social media campaign to reach millions of people through the platforms of Hotstar & Star Network. The campaign will include EatFit brand ambassadors Varun Dhawan and Mithila Palkar to further convey their belief in sustainable eating and inculcate the habit of nutritious food ordering in users.

This campaign will promote the love for cricket and food, and the need for people to follow a tasty but conscious diet while raising attention towards the health of people.

Ankit Nagori, Founder of EatFit expressed his pleasure in the partnership. “The love for cricket, its celebrations and food come collectively to millions of people. This partnership between EatFit and ICC marks the happiness of enjoying the highs and lows of cricket with nourishing food, among all its audience. Starting with the Men’s T20 World Cup, I hope to build a robust collaboration with ICC in the future and would love to continue this partnership year on year. EatFit is the best repeatable food brand in India that users can rely on daily. With ICC showing a strong belief in EatFit, we want to convey the EatFit ethos to a large audience and give a chance to users to honour the same”, said Nagori.

Anurag Dahiya, Chief Commercial Officer, ICC said, “We are pleased to have EatFit as our official online food partner for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Australia, later this year. We look forward to working this partnership with EatFit on this cricketing extravaganza.”

EatFit promises clean and healthy food to its customers by not letting users have the doubt of what they will receive at the time of delivery. With EatFit, users will get the food that they see on the portal and have an idea of the calorie and food that they will be consuming before placing the order, unlike any other food and cloud kitchen platform. This credibility by EatFit assures the fact in users that everyday repeatable food can be outsourced in our homes entirely.

About EatFit

EatFit is one of India’s largest healthy food platforms housed under Curefoods - a leading Indian cloud kitchen player. The company serves a wide range of bold & fun food options while retaining the honest, clean, and healthy aspect that EatFit has been known for since 2017. EatFit currently operates 100 cloud kitchens. Headed by Ankit Nagori, co-founder of Curefit, EatFit aims to expand the reach and acceptance of healthy food across the nation. At its core, the company is all about making healthy food fun, delicious and honestly Indian.

In 2020, EatFit was hived off as a separate entity from Curefit. Since then, it has been operating under the umbrella of Curefoods, to capitalise on India’s growing cloud kitchen segment.

About ICC

The ICC is the global governing body for cricket. Representing 106 members, the ICC governs and administrates the game and is responsible for the staging of major international tournaments including the ICC World Test Championship Final, ICC Men’s and Women’s Cricket World Cups, T20 World Cups as well as all associated qualifying events.The ICC presides over the ICC Code of Conduct which sets the professional standards of discipline for international cricket, playing conditions, bowling reviews and other ICC regulations. The Laws of the game remain under the auspices of the MCC.

The ICC also appoints the umpires and referees that officiate at all sanctioned Test matches, One Day International and T20 Internationals. Through the Integrity Unit it coordinates action against corruption and match fixing.

The ICC Development department works with Associate Members to improve the quality of international cricket, build better cricket systems, get more people playing cricket and grow the game.

IDBI Bank Reports Net Profit At Rs 756 crore, YoY Growth of 25% For Q1 FY 2023

* Net Advances at Rs 1,38,046 crore, YoY growth of 12%,

* CRAR stood at 19.57%, YoY growth of 334 bps

Highlights of Q1 FY 2023:

*      Net profit of Rs 756 crore, QoQ growth of 10%.

*      Operating Profit of Rs 2,052 crore, QoQ growth of 36%.

*      NII stood at Rs 2488 crore, QoQ growth of 3%.

*      NIM at 4.02% (3.73% excluding interest on IT refund), QoQ growth of 5bps.

*      Cost of Deposit stood at 3.36% for Q1 of FY 2023 as against 3.43% for Q4 of FY 2022.

*      Cost of Funds stood at 3.63% for Q1 of FY 2023 as against 3.69% for Q4 of FY 2022.

*      CRAR at 19.57%, QoQ growth of 51 bps.

*      Return on Assets (ROA) at 1.03%, QoQ growth by 8 bps.

*      Return on Equity (ROE) at 14.80%, QoQ growth by 32 bps.

*      CASA ratio stood at 55.65% for Q1 of FY 2023 as against 56.77% for Q4 of FY 2022.

*      Net NPA at 1.25% for Q1 of FY 2023 as against 1.36% for Q4 of FY 2022.

*      PCR stood at 97.79% as against 97.63% as on March 31, 2022.

Operating Performance:

* Net Profit improved by 25% for Q1-2023 to Rs 756 crore as against net profit of Rs 603 crore for Q1-2022. Net Profit for Q4-2022 was Rs 691 crore.

* PBT improved by 7% for Q1-2023 to ?1,093 crore as against Rs 1,024 crore for Q1-2022. PBT for Q4-2022 was Rs 844 crore.

* Operating profit stood at Rs 2,052 crore for Q1-2023 as against Rs 2,868 crore  for Q1-2022. Operating profit was at Rs 1,513 crore for Q4-2022.

* Net Interest Income stood at Rs 2,488 crore for Q1-2023 as against Rs 2,506 crore for Q1-2022. NII stood Rs 2,420 crore for Q4-2022.

* Net Interest Margin (NIM) stood at 4.02% (3.73% excluding interest on IT refund) for Q1-2023 as compared to 4.06% for Q1-2022. NIM stood 3.97% for Q4-2022.

* Cost of Deposit reduced by 36 bps to 3.36% for Q1-2023 as compared to 3.72% for Q1-2022. Cost of deposit stood at 3.43% for Q4-2022.

* Cost of Funds reduced by 35 bps to 3.63% for Q1-2023 as compared to 3.98% for Q1-2022. Cost of funds stood at 3.69% for Q4-2022.

Business Growth

* CASA improved to Rs 1,25,356 crore as on June 30, 2022 as against Rs 1,16,595 as on June 30, 2021 (YoY growth of 8%). CASA stood at Rs 1,32,359 crore as on March 31, 2022.

* Share of CASA in Total Deposits improved to 55.65% as on June 30, 2022 as against 52.43% as on June 30, 2021 and 56.77 % as on March 31, 2022.

* Net advances grew by 12% YoY to Rs 1,38,046 crore as on June 30, 2022.  Gross advances stood at Rs 1,70,390 crore as on June 30, 2022, YoY growth of 9%.

* The composition of Advances portfolio Corporate v/s Retail was at 37:63 as on June 30, 2022. 

Asset Quality

* Gross NPA ratio improved to 19.90% as on June 30, 2022 as against 22.71% as on June 30, 2021. Gross NPA stood at 20.16% as on March 31, 2022.

* Net NPA ratio improved to 1.25% as on June 30, 2022 as against 1.67% as on June 30, 2021. Net NPA ratio stood at 1.36% as on March 31, 2022.

* Provision Coverage Ratio (including Technical Write-Offs) improved to 97.79% as on June 30, 2022 from 97.42 % as on June 30, 2021. PCR stood at 97.63% as on March 31, 2022.

Capital Position

* Tier 1 improved to 17.13% as on June 30, 2022 as against 16.68% as on March 31, 2022 and 13.64% as on June 30, 2021.

* CRAR improved to 19.57% as on June 30, 2022 as against 19.06 % as on March 31, 2022 and 16.23% as on June 30, 2021.

* Risk Weighted Assets (RWA) reduced by 0.29% to Rs 1,53,832 crore as on June 30, 2022 as against Rs 1,54,285 crore as on June 30, 2021. Total RWA was Rs 1,54,559 crore as on March 31, 2022. Credit Risk weighted assets reduced by 0.88% to Rs 1,21,798 crore as on June 30, 2022 as against Rs 1,22,876 crore as on June 30, 2021. Credit RWA was Rs 1,22,451 crore as on March 31, 2022.

The Board of Directors of IDBI Bank Ltd. (IDBI Bank) met in Mumbai today and approved the financial results for the Quarter ended June 30, 2022.

The Exclusive BMW 5 Series ‘50 Jahre M Edition’ Debuts In India

* Quickest car in its segment with exceptional sporting flair of M.

* Sportier design with all-black Kidney Grille, alloy wheels.

* Best-in-class driver assistance with Laser Headlights, Reversing Assistant.

* Performance driven design upgrade with ‘Motorsport’ Accessories Pack.

* #BMWM #50YearsOfBMWM #50JahreBMWM #WeAreM

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic BMW M GmbH, BMW India has launched an exclusive ‘50 Jahre M Edition’ of the BMW 5 Series in India today. Locally produced at BMW Group Plant Chennai, the exclusive edition comes in a petrol variant – the BMW 530i M Sport. Available in limited numbers only, this bespoke model can be booked exclusively online from today onwards.

BMW India had recently announced that it will launch 10 exclusive ‘50 Jahre M Editions’ to celebrate the M sub-brand that stands for high-performance adrenaline gushing cars.

The BMW 5 Series is an individualist within the premium executive segment. The BMW 5 Series strengthens its leading position with numerous style updates. Complementing its sporting appeal is the most powerful performance in the segment.  It’s best-in-class performance and cutting-edge technology will bolster its status as the only car to excite a winner – one who is always ready for ‘Power Play’!

The limited edition is available at an attractive ex-showroom price of -

BMW 530i M Sport 50 Jahre M Edition           :           INR 67,50,000

*Price prevailing at the time of invoicing will be applicable. Ex-showroom prices inclusive of GST (incl. compensation cess) as applicable but excludes Road Tax, Tax Collected at Source (TCS), GST on Tax collected at source, RTO statutory taxes/fees, other local tax cess levies and insurance. Price and options are subject to change without prior notice. For further information, please contact the local authorised BMW Dealer.

The BMW 5 Series ‘50 Jahre M Edition’.

The exterior of the BMW 5 Series is headlined by immense presence and exquisite sporting style with large, clean and tautly drawn surfaces. Sitting proudly above the BMW Kidney Grille is the iconic M Emblem along with ‘50 Years of M’ door projector inspired by the classic ‘BMW Motorsport’ logo. Visually distinct from the conventional BMW emblem, it signals passion for racing and for the roots of the BMW M brand. The M emblem adorns the front and rear logo as well as the wheel hub caps. BMW Laserlight, unique in this vehicle segment, distributes light perfectly up to 650 meters and is accentuated by the M Lights Shadowline which offers a dark tint around the headlamps. The bold impression is also underlined by the BMW Individual high gloss shadow line which includes the BMW Kidney grille in black high gloss along with window surrounds and tailpipe finishers in black high gloss. Dynamic character is emphasized by aerodynamically optimized bodywork elements of the M Sport package. Distinct wheel arches give a luxurious and dynamic appearance to the car’s side profile. At the rear, the real eye-catcher is the brand-new L shape light graphic that emerges from the taillight in a three-dimensional form.

Another exclusive feature that enhances the sporting appeal is the 18” 662M jet black alloys wheels with Red M Sport Brake Callipers. The car is available in striking paint finishes including M Carbon Black, Bernina Grey Amber Effect, Phytonic Blue and Alpine White, paired with Sensatec Perforated upholstery in Cognac finish with contrast stitching.

Customers can add sporting character to every detail with an optional M Accessories Package. Racer’s Package gives an exterior upgrade that includes side skirt transfers in black, rear spoiler in matt black & key fob. The Motorsport Package takes one step further and offers exterior mirror caps in carbon fibre to give a sportier look. Carbon Package is for the enthusiast who wants to turn heads when on the road. It can further enhance the sporty character of the car as all the accessories are in carbon fibre material such as kidney grille, rear spoiler pro, mirror caps etc.

Interior of the BMW 5 Series blends contemporary elegance with driver-focused cockpit design. It provides the ideal environment for driving pleasure and comfortable ride over long distances. Sports Seats with leather covers, seat belts with stitching in M colours, sports leather steering wheel and specific trim strips augment the sporty feel. Ergonomically optimised Lumbar Support enables vertical and lateral seat adjustment for a relaxed journey. The centre console’s unique design is underscored by BMW Individual interior trim finishers in Piano Black finish and black ceramic surround for controls. Perforated Sensatec upholstery in Cognac creates a luxurious impression with contrast stitching and fine quilting. Ambient Lighting with six dimmable designs creates an atmosphere for every mood. The car has four-zone automatic climate control with extended features. Luggage compartment has a capacity of up to 600 litres, extending to 1,800 litres thanks to the 40/20/40 split. 

Thanks to unrivalled BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, the petrol engine melds maximum power with exemplary efficiency and offers spontaneous responsiveness even at low engine speeds, with best-in-class acceleration figures. The 2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine of the BMW 530i generates maximum output of 252 hp and peak torque of 350 Nm with 0-100 kmph acceleration in just 6.1 seconds.

The eight speed steptronic sport automatic transmission performs smooth, almost imperceptible gearshifts. For even greater driving pleasure, it comes with steering wheel paddle shifters and cruise control with braking function. Adaptive Suspension with its individual electronically controlled dampers offers exceptional precision and improves the drive and handling dynamics. The damper response settings vary according to the mode selected with the Driving Experience Control switch, that allows driver to choose between different modes to suit the driving conditions - Comfort, Sport, ECO PRO and Adaptive, with an extra Sport+ mode for a sportier driving experience.

Modern cockpit concept BMW Live Cockpit Professional with BMW Operating System 7.0 includes 3D Navigation, a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument display behind the steering wheel and a bigger 12.3-inch Control Display. The occupants can operate several functions simply by speaking to their BMW Virtual Assistant. Hands do the talking with BMW Gesture Control that recognizes six pre-defined hand movements for control of a number of functions. The smartphone holder integrated into the centre console allows inductive, Wireless Charging for mobile phones. Wireless Apple CarPlay® / Android Auto ensures seamless smartphone connection with the car to access several functions. Harman Kardon Surround Sound System conjures an engrossing treat for the ears. High-end 16 speaker system with woofers generates an impressive audio experience in all seats and is unique worldwide in the automotive sector. BMW Display Key allows drivers to keep in contact with their car round the clock.

Best-in-class cutting-edge driver assistance systems with Parking Assistant makes parking in tight spots easier. Reversing Assistant provides unmatched support in reversing out of a parking spot or through narrow driveways. It keeps a record of the last 50 meters driven and assists by taking over the steering. The Comfort Access System makes it possible to open all four vehicle doors without using the key.

BMW EfficientDynamics includes features such as 8-speed Steptronic Sport Automatic Transmission, Auto Start-Stop, Brake-Energy Regeneration, Electronic Power Steering, 50:50 Weight Distribution and ECO PRO mode in Driving Experience Control. BMW Safety technologies include six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensors, ISOFIX child seat mounting and emergency spare wheel.