A BMW product manager once flew down from Munich to finalise the specs for the F30 3 Series. It was his first trip to India, and he confidently decided that India — a hot, sunny country — didn’t need a sunroof. “Why would anyone want more heat inside their car?” he asked. When the 3 Series launched in 2012 without one, Indian buyers answered swiftly and many rejected it. Turns out, the sunroof wasn’t about the sun; it was about status. BMW quickly realised its folly but it took a year for the 3-series to get a sunroof, the lack of which dented sales.
Fast forward a decade, and history is repeating itself for BMW — only this time, the obsession has flipped. The new must-have feature isn’t a sunroof to let the sun in, but sunshades to keep it out.
Rear window sunshades have quietly become one of the most demanded features in the luxury segment. In a country that bakes for nine months of the year, comfort is non-negotiable. The lack of rear sunshades in BMW’s 5 Series has actually become a deal-breaker for many buyers, leaving Munich’s product planners baffled. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz is having the last laugh. The E-Class’s beautifully engineered, power-operated rear blinds that glide up and down in near silence have won over buyers who spend most of their time in the back seat. It’s the sort of thoughtful luxury that makes you feel looked after. BMW’s solution, in contrast is a fiddly, stick-on shade that doesn’t fold or store neatly and that has annoyed owners.
There’s also a practical side to this newfound love for sunshades. Ever since dark sunfilms were banned in India, car owners have struggled to cut harsh sunlight and maintain privacy. Sunshades solve both problems — legally. They block out heat and curious eyes, important for luxury car owners who value a bit of seclusion from the outside world.
And like the sunroof, sunshades are now trickling down to mass-market cars. The updated Hyundai Venue, for example, comes with neatly integrated pull-up blinds for both rear windows that wouldn’t look out of place in a luxury car. It’s proof that what starts as a high-end indulgence often becomes an everyday essential. The irony, though, is hard to miss. A decade ago, we were obsessed with letting the sun in; now, we’re becoming obsessed with keeping it out.
Also See: